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For the past year or so, my interest in smooth jazz has grown tremendously. I’ve been a fan ever since my dad gave me free tickets to the WNUA Summer Jazz Concert Series where I saw Jeffrey Osborne and Dave Koz. And throughout my quest to compile the perfect wedding reception playlist, I have become a smooth jazz guru. I still love R&B, Hip-Hop, and Gospel music, but there’s something about smooth jazz that soothes and relaxes you. It can help calm you down when you’re upset, cheer you up when you’re feeling down- honestly it can adapt to any mood you’re in. Smooth jazz is great music, and if you haven’t already, I encourage you to expand your music collection to include some great smooth jazz artists.

First off, let me explain the difference between jazz and smooth jazz. A great number of jazz fans often criticize smooth jazz. In the blogs and reviews I’ve read, they often seem down right bitter about smooth jazz as if it is trying to take the place of jazz. But smooth jazz has become it’s own music genre, and it’s fan base is huge. Jazz uses blue notes, syncopation, swing, call and response, polyrhythms, and improvisation. Smooth jazz utilizes instruments (and, at times, improvisation) traditionally associated with jazz and stylistic influences drawn from, among other sources, funk, pop and R&B. A lot of smooth jazz is a variation of R&B songs, usually without the words and to a smoother beat. Hidden Beach is probably the most well known recording company that offers a collection of smooth jazz renditions of some recent hip-hop head-nodders. In 2001 they released Unwrapped, Vol. 1, which featured jazz renditions of Loungin’, Crush on You, and One More Chance. Three more Unwrapped volumes have been released over the years, and other recording companies have jumped on the bandwagon. A few CDs similar to the Hidden Beach theme include Streetwize: Smooth Urban Jazz , Honey Love: Smooth Jazz Plays R. Kelly , and The House of Urban Grooves Jazz. Sergio Mendes: Timeless is also a different type of upbeat jazz that blends the urban culture of Brazil, samba and bossa nova with the urban culture of America, hip hop and rap.

The compliations and “smooth jazz remixes” are great if you’re looking for a more familiar tune. But if you want to expand your repitoire even more, check out some great jazz saxophonists and pianists. Some of my personal favorites are Dave Koz, Peter White, Kim Waters, David Sandborn, Kirk Whalum, and Pieces of a Dream… just to name a few. And there’s always the classic Stevie Wonder, Sade, Lionel Richie, Jeffrey Osborne, and Natalie Cole.

One of the easiest ways to search and listen for good music (of any kind) is to look on Amazon. The reviews are usually honest and good, and you can listen to a snippet of each track without having to download. Amazon is also a good way to find music similar to the artist or compilation that you originally looked up. That’s actually how I found a lot of other good smooth jazz music artists and CDs. For more reviews and a directory of musicians, check out All About Jazz or Smoothjazz.com. If you just want to listen to a stream of smooth jazz, listen to a radio station online. WNUA, Chicago’s smooth jazz radio station, has a great website that even lists the last ten recent songs played so that you know exactly who and what you were listening to. I know a lot of people all over the country who listen to WNUA while at work or sitting at home on the computer. Other websites that stream smooth jazz are Echo Smooth Jazz and the Yahoo Lauchcast Smooth Jazz Station. For a list of internet radio stations, go here or do a “smooth jazz” Google search. Some other cool smooth jazz sites are Smooth Jazz Vibes and Smooth Jazz Now.

Have fun expanding your playlists!