Smooth jazz is an outgrowth of the Jazz Fusion style, beginning in the late 1960s. The sound is almost entirely built around a simple and repeating melody taking the forefront (soprano saxophone being the common lead), and backed by (often synthesized) Funk, Pop, or Rhythm & Blues rhythms. The music is meant to be as pleasant and easily absorbed as possible. Often considered a derisive term, smooth jazz is somewhat synonymous with 'muzak' or 'elevator music', and is closely related to Adult Contemporary and Sophisti-Pop for its common theme of remaking popular songs into the smooth jazz style. George Benson and Grover Washington, Jr. were early popularizers of the style.
Total Tracks
6
Active Years
1978–1997
Peak Decade
1980s
Billy Joel