{{Infobox Network ,
logo = ,
network_name = Smooth Jazz,
country =
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
,
network_type =
Radio network
There are two types of radio network currently in use around the world: the one-to-many (simplex communication) broadcast network commonly used for public information and mass media, mass-media entertainment, and the two-way radio (Duplex (telecomm ...
,
available = National,
owner =
Jones Radio Networks
Jones Radio Networks & Jones Media Group were branches of Jones International before being sold to Triton Media Group. JRN and JMN provide local radio stations with satellite-delivered formats. They also offer other services to local radio such ...
(through
Triton Media Group
Triton Digital, LLC, formerly Triton Media Group, is a digital audio technology and advertising company based in Los Angeles.
The group was formally owned by E. W. Scripps Company which sold Triton to IHeartMedia in October 2020. The company work ...
),
key_people = ,
launch_date = ,
dissolved = September 30, 2008,
founder = ,
past_names = ,
brand = ,
website = ,
Smooth Jazz was a 24-hour music network produced by
Jones Radio Networks
Jones Radio Networks & Jones Media Group were branches of Jones International before being sold to Triton Media Group. JRN and JMN provide local radio stations with satellite-delivered formats. They also offer other services to local radio such ...
. Its playlist consisted mostly of contemporary
smooth jazz
Smooth jazz is a genre of commercially-oriented crossover jazz and easy listening music that became dominant in the mid 1970s to the early 1990s.
History
Smooth jazz is a commercially oriented, crossover jazz which came to prominence in the 19 ...
music from artists such as
Boney James
Boney James (born James Oppenheim September 1, 1961) is an American saxophonist (tenor, alto and soprano), songwriter, record producer and recording artist.
He is a four-time Grammy Award nominee (Best Pop Instrumental Album, 2001, 2004, 2014 a ...
,
Joe Sample
Joseph Leslie Sample (February 1, 1939 – September 12, 2014) was an American keyboardist and composer. He was one of the founding members of The Jazz Crusaders in 1960, the band which shortened its name to "The Crusaders" in 1971. He remained ...
,
Kenny G
Kenneth Bruce Gorelick (born June 5, 1956), known professionally as Kenny G, is an American smooth jazz saxophonist, composer, and producer. His 1986 album ''Duotones'' brought him commercial success. Kenny G is one of the best-selling artis ...
,
The Rippingtons
The Rippingtons are an American contemporary jazz group, mainly relating to the genres smooth jazz, jazz fusion, jazz pop, and crossover jazz. Formed in 1985 by guitarist and band leader Russ Freeman, their career has spanned more than three de ...
, David Benoit and a dozen more artists. The format was overseen by Senior Director of Programmingbr>Jon Holiday and programmed by Steve Hibbard.
Jones' Smooth Jazz format was discontinued as of September 30, 2008, as part of the integration into the
Dial Global
Westwood One is an American radio network owned by Cumulus Media. The company syndicates talk, music, and sports programming.
The company takes its name from an earlier network also named Westwood One, a company founded in 1978. The company ...
brand. Unlike other networks to be eliminated, there is currently no other smooth jazz network with which this network is consolidating. The other most popular network is known a Smooth Jazz Network provided b Broadcast Architecture formerly a division of Clear Channel Communications.
At the end, the network had only has a handful of affiliate stations remaining, with some stations formerly affiliated with Jones Smooth Jazz having changed format or gone to the rival syndicated Smooth Jazz format. Among the Jones Smooth Jazz affiliates remaining, as of August 2008, were the following stations, which were all switched over to Broadcast Architecture's network following the end of Jones Smooth Jazz:
Sample hour of programming
*"Cream" -
Soul Ballet Soul Ballet is a musical project of actor, producer, arranger, programmer, and multi-instrumentalist Rick Kelly.
Soul Ballet's music is styled around contemporary smooth jazz
Smooth jazz is a genre of commercially-oriented crossover jazz and ea ...
Joe Sample
Joseph Leslie Sample (February 1, 1939 – September 12, 2014) was an American keyboardist and composer. He was one of the founding members of The Jazz Crusaders in 1960, the band which shortened its name to "The Crusaders" in 1971. He remained ...
*"That's The Way Love Goes" -
Kirk Whalum
Kirk is a Scottish and former Northern English word meaning "church". It is often used specifically of the Church of Scotland. Many place names and personal names are also derived from it.
Basic meaning and etymology
As a common noun, ''kirk' ...
*"
No Ordinary Love
"No Ordinary Love" is a song by English band Sade, released in September 1992 as the lead single and opening track from their fourth studio album, ''Love Deluxe'' (1992). The song is written by lead singer Sade Adu and Stuart Matthewman, and ...
" -
Sade
Sade may refer to:
People
* Marquis de Sade (1740–1814), French aristocrat, writer, and libertine
* Sade (singer) (born 1959, Helen Folasade Adu), British Nigerian musician and lead singer of the eponymous band
* Sade Baderinwa (born 1969), WAB ...
*"
Take Five
"Take Five" is a jazz standard composed by saxophonist Paul Desmond and originally recorded by the Dave Brubeck Quartet for their album ''Time Out'' at Columbia Records' 30th Street Studios in New York City on July 1, 1959. Two years later it b ...
Morning Dance
''Morning Dance'' is the second album by the jazz fusion group Spyro Gyra. The album was released in 1979 and was certified gold by the RIAA on September 19, 1979, and was certified platinum on June 1, 1987.
At ''Billboard'' magazine, the al ...
David Sanborn
David William Sanborn (born July 30, 1945) is an American alto saxophonist. Though Sanborn has worked in many genres, his solo recordings typically blend jazz with instrumental pop and R&B. He released his first solo album ''Taking Off'' in 19 ...
Bobby Caldwell
Robert Hunter Caldwell (born August 15, 1951) is an American singer, songwriter and musician. He released several albums spanning R&B, soul, jazz and adult contemporary. He is known for his soulful and versatile vocals. Caldwell released the ...
*"At Last" -
Ronny Jordan
Robert Laurence Albert Simpson, known professionally as Ronny Jordan (29 November 1962 – 13 January 2014) was a British guitarist and part of the acid jazz movement at the end of the twentieth century. Jordan described his music as "urban jaz ...
*"
In The Air Tonight
"In the Air Tonight" is the debut solo single by English drummer and singer-songwriter Phil Collins. It was released as the lead single from Collins's debut solo album, ''Face Value'', in January 1981.
Collins co-produced "In the Air Tonight" w ...
Breezin'
''Breezin is the fifteenth studio album by jazz/ soul guitarist and vocalist George Benson. It is his debut on Warner Bros. Records. It not only was a chart-topper in the Jazz category but also went to #1 on the pop and R&B charts. It was ...
" -
George Benson
George Washington Benson (born March 22, 1943) is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He began his professional career at the age of 19 as a jazz guitarist.
A former child prodigy, Benson first came to prominence in the 1960s, play ...