You can’t compile a list of smooth jazz’s signature artists and not include Dave Koz.
The saxophonist released his self-titled debut nearly 20 years ago and his “You Make Me Smile” easily ranks among the genre’s best known and most played tracks ever since it first hit the airwaves in 1993. In addition, Koz’s radio show, which he has hosted for 15 years, is syndicated in markets across the country. Even the man’s public persona – amiable, tasteful, talented – seems to reflect the smooth jazz fan’s ideal.
Both as performer and broadcaster, then, Koz has done well by the smooth jazz radio format. When asked about its precipitous decline, however, Koz offered a no-nonsense opinion that borders on biting the hand that feeds him.
I contacted Koz regarding his 12th annual Christmas tour, which includes stops December 11 in San Francisco, December 15 in Santa Rosa and December 18 in Sacramento. I’ll post the holiday-themed portions of the interview as we get closer to those dates, but here’s what Koz had to say about the format.
Question: There's been a goodly amount of media coverage this year about smooth jazz radio's demise. To your mind, what is causing the decline and what, if anything, can be done to turn it around?
Koz: Everything in life has an ebb and flow. Smooth jazz radio has been flourishing for around 20 years – which is an amazing amount of time for any niche format. But as the audience has aged (and not enough younger people have come to the format), it’s been a tougher entity to sell to advertisers … and, like it or not, that is the lifeline of radio.
But while many of the stations have flipped over the past year, the audience is still VERY much there, loving and appreciating the music. We’ve been seeing that with the huge crowds coming to see the shows this holiday season, especially in cities who’ve lost their smooth jazz station. That’s a great thing, because it proves that the music and audience are very much alive.
This format may move from a big, major-market genre to more of a smaller-market genre – and the web-based stations may become increasingly more popular. But I don’t think it’s the worst thing that could happen that big stations have abandoned smooth jazz. Every once in a while, a good shake up is needed to re-inspire the musicians making the music, to re-energize the fan base and to re-calibrate the way we look at music. There are so many changes that are upon us, not just in music, but in every facet of life ... and I think that’s a good thing.
Time to stop complaining about it not being the way it used to be ... and start embracing the way it is and the way it’s going to be in the future ... whatever that may be! Hello, Tomorrow.
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Comments
I think the reason that NAC's died on FM because lots of Smooth Jazz fans were not satisfied at SJ's playlists. But I think that the web has kept smooth jazz alive.
The SJ (contemporary jazz) genre is clammoring for a new sound. It is out there, but heard mainly on internet. I believe that terrestrial radio GMs and PDs will undoubtedly be forced to regroup, put to rest the tracks that have had a million spins, and incorporate the fresh fabulous new music that is begging to be played.
Bernie Scott,President & CEO
American Smooth Jazz Awards
SJ Music and SJ radio became a whites only club. It shut out the Roy Ayers, Lonnie Liston Smith,and others who had a blacker, more soulful, creative sound.
The music killed it self, it became corny sounding, and I loved it when I first heard and the last ten years I just hated it with a passion.
Also when you put the artist on the radio, it spells the end of it on radio. Radio is for DJs and raadio personalities , not SJ artist.
SJ wasted 20 years of radio air space and should give the listeners a refund on that weak simplified form of so called jazz.
You couldnt pay me to buy a Dave Kos cd, Brian Culberstson, and those other same 20 SJ acts that were played over and over on SJ radio station that are now Mexican stations or parking lots.
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