Jazz is one of those musical genres that can be intimidating to listen to because it has a long history and jazz aficionados are somewhat elitist. So where do you start once youve heard a little bit of jazz and decide you like it? Why not start with smooth jazz music and broaden your musical horizons?
What is Smooth Jazz?
There are many styles of jazz as the music evolved from its early beginnings as music played in brothels; smooth jazz music is different from what traditionally might be termed jazz. Smooth jazz music can be called modern jazz as it originated somewhere in the mid to late 1970s.
Some of the influences you can find in smooth jazz music are funk, pop music and R&B - all very contemporary types of music which perhaps characterizes smooth jazz music as a fusion of the old and new. Although smooth jazz music should not be confused with fusion jazz, the most popular instruments used in smooth jazz music are saxophones and guitars.
Easily Accessible
Smooth jazz music is possibly one of the most accessible forms of jazz music as it is widely played on radio stations. In the 1980s smooth jazz was very popular on radio and there are now plenty of radio stations dedicated solely to this form of jazz. So theres no shortage of places for you to hear this beautiful music, a problem you might face if you were into old school jazz.
The great thing about smooth jazz music is that it is not something only certain people will enjoy. Because of the many styles incorporated into smooth jazz, people who wouldnt normally listen or enjoy jazz would probably find themselves enjoying smooth jazz music. Appreciating jazz might be associated with the older crowd, who are mature enough, but this isnt the case with smooth jazz as everyone, regardless of age, listens to this music.
A Great Starting Point
Smooth jazz is a great way of ease into listening to jazz music in general, mainly because you would not think of smooth jazz as hard-core jazz. Youve probably heard smooth jazz before but didnt know it because it sounded too new to be jazz. Once youve listened to smooth jazz you can start to try other types of jazz that are closer to the original form. Who knows, sooner or later you might find yourself in the elitist category of jazz heads that might sniff at smooth jazz!
