Mostly Harmless

Smooth Jazz leaves no room on the racks or airways except for Dead Legends

by Tom Hull

Ever since bebop drove a wedge between jazz and its former mass
audience, musicians have been tempted to bridge the gap and heal
the damage. And jazz purists have always denounced them -- honkers
in the '50s, soul jazz in the '60s, fusion in the '70s -- as sellouts.
As I sorted through new jazz releases for the Jazz Consumer Guide,
I wondered whether today's more/less popular jazz might be the
successor of soul jazz, making allowances for the evolution from
Otis Redding and Al Green to Babyface and D'Angelo. The albums I
found most appealing albums were the most r&b: Luther Vandross
guitarist Doc Powell's *Cool Like That* (Heads Up) and saxophonist
Andre Ward's disco throwback *Steppin' Up* (Award/Orpheus). Turns
out that those records were marginal commercially -- in effect,
they failed to be bland enough. But that's getting ahead of the
story.

First, let's define some terms. Smooth Jazz is a radio format,
with a short singles playlist, predominantly instrumentals with
light funk grooves, thick with keyboards, decorated with soprano
or alto sax, flute, or the equivalent EWI. Contemporary Jazz is
more of a product niche: Smooth Jazz plus more vocals and the
occasional mainstream album, like Pat Metheny's *The Way Up*
(Nonesuch), that is disciplined enough to fit in. Crossover is
just a hopeful verb, based on the notion that the grass is always
greener elsewhere. *Billboard*'s recent Top 200 charts have no
more than 3-5 jazz albums listed, no matter how inclusively one
defines jazz -- and those slots are much more likely to go to
Pop Vocalists than Smooth Jazzers. Even Smooth Jazz albums aim
to crossover, so they invariably include a couple of vocal cuts.
*Billboard*'s Contemporary Jazz chart is dominated by Smooth
Jazz, leaving the non-overlapping Jazz chart in thrall to the
Pop Vocalists.

The big loser in these definitions is every other form of Jazz.
If you look at the Jazz racks in the big chain stores all you
see are Smooth Jazz, Pop Vocalists, and Dead Legends -- Louis
Armstrong, John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Billie Holiday, maybe
something by Monk or Ellington. For most of America that's all
there is to Jazz, even though there are ten times as many new
jazz releases outside the Smooth/Contemporary/Pop Vocal nexus
as inside. The problem with this isn't that the popular stuff
squeezes out the innovative stuff; the problem is that the
evolution of the tradition that spawned all those Dead Legends
has been replaced in the public view by something that doesn't
follow any traditional definition of jazz. Smooth Jazz is a
studio concoction, meticulously constructed by producers and
session musicians. There is no improvisation in Smooth Jazz.
There is no democratic interaction between the musicians;
there's little individuality, no unpredictability, and never
any risk of chaos. In these and many other respects, Smooth
Jazz isn't the fat end of the Jazz popularity curve; it is
the polar opposite of, well, let's give it a name, Real Jazz.

That may help explain why Real Jazzbos so hate Smooth Jazz.
The incommensurability of the two finally dawned on me when I
queried trumpeter Jim Cifelli -- whose self-released *Groove
Station* was tight, bouncy and tuneful -- about his Smooth
Jazz prospects. He wrote back, "I would love to get any track
on 'smooth jazz' radio but the promoter said that 'not one
track was even close' to the proper format." What Cifelli's
album lacks is the layered anonymity of, say, Boney James'
*Pure* (Warner Bros.), which credits a dozen or more musicians
on every track yet sounds like nothing at all. But other Smooth
Jazz artists do show some individuality. Craig Chaquico
(*Midnight Moon*, Higher Octave) has some zing to his guitar,
probably because he records with a touring band. Jeff Lorber
(*Flipside*, Narada Jazz) plays acoustic piano on top of the
usual synth slush, giving it a little more rhythm and bite.
Eric Darius (*Night on the Town*, Higher Octave), like Andre
Ward, has a feel for disco. Gerald Albright (*Kickin' It Up*,
GRP) has an agreeable tone on alto sax, some chops, and some
taste. Mindi Abair (*Come As You Are*, GRP) has a slack tone
on alto sax and a fragility to her vocals that reminds me of
Chet Baker. Trumpeter Chris Botti (*When I Fall in Love*,
Columbia) also has a Baker angle, more like a pose, but his
austere hit album is a marked departure from Smooth Jazz
orthodoxy. David Sanborn (*Closer*, Verve) also strays far
from the norm, but evidently he's paid enough dues that he
can get away with playing Real Jazz. None of these are great
albums. At best they make for pleasing background music, which
is tailor made for radio. More typically, a group like Urban
Knights reminds me of the old question, "is there funk after
death?" But mostly they're harmless. The masses have far more
dangerous delusions.


PS: actual email quote from Cifelli (edited above):

  Although "smooth jazz" is a pejorative among straight ahead
  players I did design this CD to have crossover appeal.
  It must be working because it's the first one that many of my
  relatives have enjoyed listening to.
  I would love to get any track of the CD on "smooth jazz"
  radio but the promoter, Mike Hurzon, said that "not one track
  was even close" to the proper format.  I guess those stations
  are very restrictive.

Albums

Mindi Abair: Come As You Are (2004, GRP): Young blonde saxtress, she lacks the bright tone of most smooth alto saxes, and doesn't go in for showy dynamics. Sings three songs with a thin, whispery voice that matches her sax. But two pieces stand out: "New Shoes" has an old-fashioned west coast horn arrangement for propulsion, and "Cyan" has a little bite to it. B-

Acoustic Alchemy: Radio Contact (2003, Higher Octave): Two guitarists, the group's dynamic range can be summed up by noting that one uses steel strings, the other nylon. The loping guitar riddims are the group's essence; the bass, keybs, and percussion merely fill in. Easy listening almost to the point of sensory deprivation. C+

Acoustic Alchemy: American/English (2005, Higher Octave): The twin guitars still dominate, but they've never sounded less acoustic -- the synth fill oozes up through the cracks and cascades from the edges. Relentlessly bright and bouncy: I think I liked them better when they commanded less attention, but more likely I just disliked them less. C+

Gerald Albright: Kickin' It Up (2004, GRP): Saxophonist, mostly alto, can play some. I heard a story about him going off on a solo which had to be cut because it was disruptive. So credit him with some chops, and also some taste: the vocal here, by a guest I don't recognize, is a plus, and the non-funky closer, "If You Don't Know Me By Now," is done tastefully. His funk licks are perfunctory, and the usual keyb/synth/groove bottom is workable but not exceptional. B

George Benson: Irreplaceable (2004, GRP): The three instrumentals are minor groove pieces for uninspired guitar and synth beats, but at least they don't have to carry the lame lyrics of the other seven songs. The songs come with neatly groomed layered voices. We tend to classify this kind of soul fluff as easy listening, but easy playing is more like it. It's not like anyone actually listens. C-

Chris Botti: When I Fall in Love (2004, Columbia): His image may remind people of Chet Baker, but if he's the new Baker the original could pass for Fats Navarro. But this album at least breaks out of the smooth jazz formula: no funk, no groove, no beat. With Botti's plaintive trumpet backed by string orchestra, the record can be gorgeous as long as the songs are irresistible, like the title cut. But he can't salvage tripe like "Cinema Paradiso," and three cuts with guest vocalists, including his fairy-godfather Sting, just dull the mood. This was the best selling mostly-instrumental jazz album in recent memory. B-

Rick Braun: Esperanto (2003, Warner Bros.): Trumpet player, good for a big sendup on a cover of "Green Tomatoes," but his originals are slight and unimaginative -- "Latinesque" is the title of one of the better ones, a lilting latin beat with a bit of trumpet color and synth wash. B-

Brian Bromberg: Choices (2004, A440): Plays electric bass, including a piccolo bass tuned to sound like a guitar. Like most bassists, he specializes in funk lines although he can also conjure up chiming and ringing sounds, distinguishing him a bit from the crowd. Keyboardists vary, but Gary Meek is his sax guy, playing more tenor than soprano. Goes South African at the end. B

Craig Chaquico: Midnight Noon (2004, Higher Octave): Ozzie Ahlers' keyboards are merely par for the course, but it no doubt helps that this was cut by a touring band rather than pieced together by a producer and the usual bevvy of studio hands. The leader's guitar also has more zing to it than is usually deemed appropriate for smooth jazz. He may have picked that up in his previous rock band career, although it sounds more like Allmans than Starship. B

Joyce Cooling: This Girl's Got to Play (2004, Narada Jazz): So be it. But does she also have to sing? Her straight guitar groove pieces are nothing special, but at least they have direction, unlike producer Jay Wagner's keyboards. C

Brian Culbertson: Come On Up (2003, Warner Bros.): Keyboards and programming, favors funk beats. Guest features for Steve Cole (tenor sax), Marcus Miller (bass), Rahsaan Patterson (vocals), Rick Braun (trumpet), Norman Brown (guitar) -- did he forget anyone? The one great song is the one he didn't write, "Serpentine Fire" -- not that this is a great performance. At first I thought he had replaced all the horn parts with synths, but he just mixed them down so low they vanish under keyboard and bass. B-

Eric Darius: Night on the Town (2004, Higher Octave): Good, but lightweight, disco album. Darius plays bright alto sax, gets help from Ken Navarro with the beats. Couple of vocal tracks to give the programmers some options. B

Down to the Bone: Cellar Funk (2004, Narada Jazz): Funk grooves, built on keyb beats, bass, guitar, with occasional horn vamps and/or vocal chants, neither of which relieve the uniformity of the beats. B-

Fourplay: Journey (2004, Bluebird): The old white guys (pianist Bob James, guitarist Larry Coryell) haven't stretched out in decades, but toss off better licks than your average smooth jazz setup; the not-so-old black guys in the so-called rhythm section have some explaining to do. C

Kenny G: Ultimate (1986-2003, Arista): The grand duke of smooth jazz, the guy with the sales figures that created and sustain the genre. The first point one must make is he really does have an uncanny knack not only for playing pretty but for developing arrangements of surpassing gorgeousness. Nothing wrong with that, but G pursues one narrow definition of beauty with the relentlessness of his first calling, which is business. But it should also be noted that when he tries adding vocals he loses his touch -- aside from the one he stole from Louis Armstrong. He is much hated by people who are devoted to jazz (not to mention fans of hip-hop, heavy metal, and dozens of other niches), perhaps more as a false commercial god than for anything he might lack in technique (not much, although it's hard to tell) or inspiration (quite a bit, there). C+

Euge Groove: Livin' Large (2004, Narada Jazz): A pseudonym for Steve Grove, he plays tenor as well as soprano sax, and is nimble enough on the larger horn to gracefully engage Paul Brown's stock grooves deserve. Two takes on a Sly Stone song -- as a rap and as an instrumental reprise -- fail to connect either with song or subject. C+

Incognito: Adventures in Black Sunshine (2004, Narada Jazz): English disco group, splitting the distance between Chic and EWF without the distinctiveness that made those groups so great. Which still leaves them with a dependable groove, the sort of anonymous vocals that blend into the mix, and a warm and sunny disposition. Their relationship to smooth jazz is tenuous, but I guess you take the market niche you can get. B+

Boney James: Pure (2004, Warner Brothers): Every piece has at least six credits, with many adding a horn section or a string section, with Boney's sax tucked into the matrix so neatly that you notice neither the complexity nor the craft. Indeed, this record comes as close to nothing as any I've ever heard: the rough edges have all been smoothed over, the beats routinized, any trace of personality expunged, even the guest vocals fade into oblivion. B-

Jeff Lorber: Flipside (2005, Narada Jazz): There is a light, confectionary quality to Lorber's piano. Like much of the genre the synth beats lope along and everything else is tucked in neatly, including more trumpet and saxophone as the album winds along. Still, the extra instruments add little weight or diversity; rather, they intensify the sense that the music is mere mirage, a nothing that appears enchanting from a distance. B

Keiko Matsui: Walls of Akendora (2005, Narada Jazz): This reminds me of classical music: not the old stuff that way back in grade school I avoided like the plague, but the stuff that snuck into my cranium through the movies when I was too ignorant to fathom what was going down. The central role of classical music in Hollywood was partly a historical accident, but the customary orchestration of drama was bound to be useful -- contemporary soundtracks follow the same ruts, even when they trade in string orchestras for synths. Matsui borrows more from Morricone than Mozart, but eschews the former's minimalism -- she likes to lay it on thick. I'm surprised it's as effective as it is. B+

Pat Metheny Group: The Way Up (2005, Nonesuch): Metheny's tirades against Kenny G are such common knowledge that Richard Thompson wrote a song about the dispute, siding pointedly with his fellow guitarist. But this record found itself #2 on Billboard's Contemporary Jazz chart, stuck behind, you guessed it, Kenny G, and leading a crowd of smooth jazz icons. There is nothing in the music here that suggests that slotting -- a clue, perhaps, is that the only other artist on the Contemporary Jazz chart with any real jazz credibility is Bill Frisell, also on Nonesuch. Metheny himself is a guy we've never been all that sure of. On the one hand, he's worked with abstractionists like Derek Bailey, cut a near-unlistenable solo album called Zero Tolerance for Silence, and provided commercial camouflage for Ornette Coleman's dazzling Song X. On the other hand, his longstanding Group with keyboardist Lyle Mays has been the most consistently popular fusion group of the last 25 years. This album adheres to none of the conventions of smooth jazz. In fact, it's a suite: an opening and three parts, each running past the 15 minute mark. I can't conceive of how they can edit it for airplay, but it does have one smooth connection: it's an elegant piece of texturing, and as such it fades gently into the background. But the texturing feels organic, and Cuong Vu's trumpet adds color. It's not compelling enough for either an artistic or commercial breakthrough, but it's not complacent or formulaic either. B+

Jason Miles: Miles to Miles: In the Spirit of Miles Davis (2005, Narada Jazz): That Jason Miles worked with Marcus Miller and Miles Davis on the latter's late '80s albums from Tutu to Amandla is a connection, but doesn't say much about spirit. Davis' post-'70 work was built around electric bass and guitar with a live drummer, and the keybs, even with Chick Corea, were just cheese sauce. But with Jason the synth beats are central: that's what he does. And despite an impressive array of guest talent that's about all he does. B-

Courtney Pine: Devotion (2004, Telarc): Evidently a star of some magnitude in England, which may be why he feels free to push the music in all sorts of directions rather than just hacking to formula -- one with brass for Osibisa, aother with tabla and sitar, the gospel-tinged title song, even a brief nod to Pharoah Sanders. He can play, but this is built as a pop album, so it doesn't really develop as jazz, but it doesn't bland out either. B+

Positive Flow: Can U Feel It? (2004, Shanachie): Donna Gardier sings. Jesse Reuben Wilson writes the songs, arranges, produces, plays keybs, concocts the beats. Mediocre neo-anglo-soul, not trippy enough for trip hop. C+

Doc Powell: Cool Like That (2004, Heads Up): He's a pleasantly funky guitarist, with work for Wilson Pickett and Luther Vandross on his resume. Kirk Whallum helps out on sax, but most of this is just highly competent funk groove. The vocals are dispensable, but the two takes (vocal and instrumental) on "Let It Be" are nice work. B

David Sanborn: Closer (2005, Verve): He's been there, done that, put enough money in pockets to get a recording budget and a listen from radio programmers who wouldn't give Bobby Watson or Vincent Herring the time of day. It helps that he has no interest in free time, and that his alto sax is a thing of beauty, and it don't hurt much that he can play the devil out of it. This isn't smooth in any definition, although the James Taylor song with the Lizz Wright vocal would fit the bill. But if they the smooth jazz powers slipped his perky "Tin Tin Deo" into their rotation it would stand out like Madonna on '80s AM. And while his "Capetown Fringe" does nothing that hasn't been done before, one wonders what the masses who never heard it before will think. His covers show good taste, and he doesn't muck them up even on the five tracks with strings. And he wrote the closing ballad, which, strings included, is lovely. B+

Spyro Gyro: The Deep End (2004, Heads Up): Spry funk, thick layers of guitar-keyb-sax that never let up, occasional tidbits of exotica; they don't aim for pablum, but they don't take risks either, so in the end they're as predictable as formula. B-

Thievery Corporation: The Cosmic Game (2005, ESL Music): This mild-mannered dub outfit is the name most frequently dropped as the difference between old-fashioned Smooth Jazz radio and its purported successor, something called Chill. Not jazz, smooth or acid or whatever; not dreary enough for trip-hop; not up enough to dance to; not ambient enough to snooze to; not much of anything, which is presumably the point. Still, the designation seems unfair, unless they lose the patois next time. B

Nestor Torres: Sin Palabras (Without Words) (2004, Heads Up): Puerto Rican flautist, at best he flies above irresistible latino groove, sometimes switching to the more substantial alto flute. But more often than not the groove is merely prefab, which leaves his flute fluttering in the wind. B-

Urban Knights: Urban Knights VI (2005, Narada Jazz): Is there funk after death? And why should anyone care? C

Andre Ward: Steppin' Up (2004, Award/Orpheus): Warm, comfy alto sax; old-fashioned disco grooves, reminds me of Bohannon at its best, but Bohannon meant for you to work out harder. The vocal guest shots, although not bad, still interfere with the vibe. Best smooth jazz album of 2004, not that that's saying much. B+

Kim Waters: In the Name of Love (2004, Shanachie): His alto sax is sweet and lustrous, standing out from the usual synth mishmash that makes up the rest of the groove. He reaches back to Barry White for an inspirational cover ("right now we're gonna go way back"), and taps R. Kelly for something comtemporary. C+

Pamela Williams: Sweet Saxations (2005, Shanachie): Alto sax, with a tiny boost to her playing which reminds me a bit of old guys like Hal Singer, but the rhythm matrix here is the usual painless groove. The one token vocal piece ululates gospel, but the basic grind is old fashioned r&b. B-

Yellowjackets: Altered State (2005, Heads Up): In business since 1981, with Russell Ferrante and Jimmy Haslip still in their original roles 18 albums later, plus relative newcomer Bob Mintzer on reeds -- AMG sez Mintzer gives them "more jazz credibility," but this album doesn't. The groove tracks are exceptionally lifeless, and Mintzer plays along decoratively rather than taking any tangents. The obligatory vocal track is even more lifeless. C

Forever, for Always, for Luther: A Tribute to Luther Vandross (2004, GRP): You can follow the thread of r&b back at least fifty years and find jazz analogues every step of the way. If today's matches suffer by comparison, it's partly because today's slicker, more urbane r&b depends more than ever on the vocalists, and because jazz vocalists these days just don't make the grade. What keeps this from tanking is that the instrumentalists at least get good songs to work over. Best shots: Kirk Whallum, Mindi Abair. B

Jazz for Couch Potatoes! (2004, Shanachie): Old TV themes done up by the Couch Potato All-Stars, a/k/a Chuck Loeb with help from much of Shanachie's roster -- the good (Eric Alexander), the bad (Kim Waters), and the ugly (David Mann). Light but tasteful arrangements, clever to downright mediocre tunes. I like Alexander on "Bewitched" and Loeb on "The Andy Griffith Show," but would have preferred Charlie Parker to convolute "Gilligan's Island." B

Notes

I wrote the following in a letter to Regina Joskow, which sums up my theories about smooth jazz as a business:

From what I've been able to tell it's a very narrow niche. Aside from the singers, who overlap with cabaret on one end and pop stars on the other (Rod Stewart and Linda Ronstadt being certified pop stars, or at least famous has-beens), it looks to me like we're talking fewer than 100 new records per year, from 10 or so labels. I counted a little over 1000 new jazz records last year, and estimate that the real number is close to (but probably less than) 2000. Didn't count labels, but 200 is my guess, not counting artist self-releases. The overwhelming majority of those records/labels are in a totally different world from the smooth niche. They typically cut their records in one live take, and if optimistic might press 2000 copies; they get distribution through outfits like Cadence, if they're lucky; I can't even order their records through stores here (not that local stores in this particular case are anything to brag about), much less find them on shelves. But I can find damn near all the smooth jazz made in the world here, plus a few major mainstream jazz artists, some reissues, and occasionally something on a mid-level independent label. (If I counted all the labels in the jazz dept. at Borders, which is by far the largest stock in Wichita, I doubt that I would tally 50. But Circuit City, which budgets about three feet for jazz, will have 75% of the new smooth jazz that Borders stocks.)

So from these meager observations I can surmise that the number of smooth jazz labels is limited by the distribution penetration factor -- the successful labels have to be everywhere there is shelf space, and the number of releases have to be limited to fit that shelf space. I don't know how radio fits into this, but I gather that smooth jazz is a distinct radio format (I never listen to radio, so please excuse my ignorance here), and radio playlists are probably as short as the shelf space. (I know that rock playlists have shrunk dramatically over the years, and can't think of any reason why the same wouldn't apply here.) So smooth jazz is the product of mass distribution run through a very narrow sieve. And, obviously, there is a corresponding audience for that product. I don't know what the sales levels are for those records -- I'd guess a smooth jazz album would have to sell at least 20k copies, probably ranging up to 200k (Kenny G presumably sells more, given how many copies I find in used stores). That pays for a different style of production, etc., and all that gets rolled into the distinctive aesthetics of the style. Which is mostly what I'll wind up writing about, but as you can see it all depends on a mountain of guesswork. What do you think?

AMG has genres for Crossover Jazz [c], Smooth Jazz [s], Contemporary Jazz [t], Jazz-Funk [f], Jazz-Pop [p], and Instrumental Pop [i], all of which have some bearing here. Some definitions:

• Crossover Jazz: With the gradual decline of rock (from an artistic standpoint) starting in the early '70s, fusion (a mixture of jazz improvisations with rock rhythms) became more predictable because there was less input and inspiration from the rock world. At the same time, since it was proven that electric jazz could sell records, producers and some musicians searched for other combinations of styles in order to have big sellers. They were quite successful in making their brand of jazz more accessible to the average consumer. Many different combinations were tried, and promoters and publicist enjoy using the term "contemporary jazz" to describe these "fusions" of jazz with elements of pop music, R&B, and world music. However, the word "crossover" (which describest he intent of the performances as well as the usual results) is more accurate. Crossover and fusion have been quite valuable in increasing the jazz audience (many of whom end up exploring other styles). In some cases the music is quite worthwhile; in other instances, the jazz content is a relatively small part of the ingredients.
• Smooth Jazz: Smooth jazz is an outgrowth of fusion, one that emphasizes its polished side. Generally, smooth jazz relies on rhythms and grooves instead of improvisation. There are layers of synthesizers, lite-funk rhythms, lite-funk bass, elastic guitars, and either trumpets, alto or soprano saxophones. The music isn't cerebral, like hard bop, nor is it gritty and funky like soul-jazz or groove -- it is unobtrusive, slick, and highly polished, where the overall sound matters more than the individual parts.
• Contemporary Jazz: Contemporary Jazz is essentially a catch-all term for the various permutations of popular, mainstream jazz of the 1980s and '90s. While those years were certainly not devoid of complex, cerebral jazz recordings, music referred to as contemporary jazz does not usually share those sensibilities, nor is the term generally used to describe music centered around hard bop or the avant-garde. Instead, instrumental contemporary jazz is usually informed by some combination of a) fusion -- often slickly produced, with an emphasis on rock and funky rhythms; b) pop-jazz, with its almost exclusive concentration on memorable melodies; c) smooth jazz, with its primary goal of creating pleasant, mellow textures; and d) crossover jazz and contemporary funk, with their blend of polished production and R&B influences.
• Jazz-Pop: As fusion introduced rock and funk rhythms into the vocabularies of more and more jazz artists, jazz-pop began to mirror the shifting musical landscape, in the process reaching a wider audience than ever before.
• Instrumental Pop: Instrumental Pop is purely an easy listening style, not to be confused with instrumental pop/rock, instrumental R&B, or jazz-pop. [Despite rooting this in old orchestras like Lawrence Welk the artist list intersects with the others somewhat. Easy listening artists are omitted below.]

The combined key artist lists (omitting artists who didn't work in the '00s; numbers are AMG "tiers"; some additional artists from play lists have been added, without bracket notes) is:

• Gerald Albright [c2,s2,t2,p2]
• Herb Alpert [p1,i1]
• Tuck Andress [c3]: guitarist, of Tuck & Patti
• Roy Ayers [f2,p2]
• Victor Bailey [i3]
• Patricia Barber [t1]: sings
• Walter Beasley [s3,t3]
• Jay Beckenstein [c3]
• Bob Belden [t2]
• David Benoit [c2,t2]
• George Benson [c1,s2,t1,p1]
• Steve Beresford [t3]
• Jay Berliner [f3]
• Brian Blade [t3]
• Chris Botti [c3,s2,t3,i3]
• Rick Braun [c3,t3]
• Zachary Breaux [c3]
• Michael Brecker [t2]
• Brecker Brothers [c2]
• Alex Bugnon [c3,s3]
• Hiram Bullock [f2]
• Kenny Burch [t3]
• Donald Byrd [c1,f1]
• Larry Carlton [c2,s3,t2]
• James Carter [t1]
• Leon "Ndugu" Chancler [f2]
• Stanley Clarke [f1]
• Avishai Cohen [t3]
• Ravi Coltrane [t2]
• Norman Connors [f3]
• The Crusaders [c2]
• Brian Culbertson [c3,s3,t3]
• N'Dea Davenport [t3]
• Niels Lan Doky [t3]
• George Duke [c2,p2]
• Candy Dulfer [c3,s3,t3,i3]
• Gene Dunlap [s3]
• Kyle Eastwood [t3]
• Bill Evans [c3]: sax (not the pianist)
• Fattburger [s3,t2]
• Wilton Felder [c3]
• Brandon Fields [c3]
• Robben Ford [c3]
• Fourplay [s2,p3]
• Michael Franks [p3]
• Kenny G [c1,s1,p2]
• Groove Collective [t3]
• Dave Grusin [c2]
• Don Grusin [c3]
• Herbie Hancock [f1]
• Paul Hardcastle [t3]
• Hiroshima [c3]
• Freddie Hubbard [f1]
• Brian Hughes [c3]
• D.D. Jackson [t3]
• Bob James [c2,p1]
• Boney James [c2,s2,t3,i3]
• Al Jarreau [t2]
• Keith Jarrett [t1]
• Quincy Jones [p1]
• George Karukas [c3]
• Earl Klugh [c2,p2]
• Dave Koz [c3,s3,p3]
• Diana Krall [t1]: sings
• Cleo Laine [p2]: sings
• Hubert Laws [c2,p1]
• Ronnie Laws [p2]
• Ramsey Lewis [p1]
• Chuck Loeb [c2]
• Jeff Lorber [s3,p2]
• Jacques Loussie [p3]
• Russell Malone [t2]
• Chuck Mangione [c1,p1]
• Manhattan Transfer [t3]: vocal group
• Herbie Mann [c2,f2,p2]
• Eric Marienthal [s3,t2]
• Hugh Masekela [p2]
• Keiko Matsui [t2,p3]
• Brian Mehldau [t1]
• Marcus Miller [f1]
• Andy Narrell [c3]
• Leon Parker [t2]
• Passport [f2]
• Art Porter [c3]
• Nelson Rangell [c3,i3]
• Eric Reed [t2]
• The Rippingtons [c1,s1,p1]
• Lee Ritenour [c1,p2]
• Marcus Roberts [t1]
• Patrice Rushen [c3]
• Joe Sample [c3]
• David Sanborn [c1,s1,p1]
• David Sanchez [t3]
• John Scofield [t1]
• Tom Scott [c3,p1]
• Marlena Shaw [p3]
• Ben Sidran [s2,f2]
• Dan Siegel [f2]
• Dr. Lonnie Smith [f2]
• Steve Smith [f3]
• Special EFX [c3]
• Spyro Gyra [c1,p1]
• Paul Taylor [s3,t3]
• Toots Thielemans [t3]
• Wayman Tisdale [c3,t3]
• Nestor Torres [c3]
• Tuck & Patti [s3]: Patti Cathcart sings
• Phil Upchurch [p3]
• Dave Valentin [c3]
• Gerald Veasley [c3]
• Grover Washington Jr [c1]
• Kim Waters [t3]
• Bobby Watson [t3]
• Dave Weckl [c3]
• Kirk Whallum [c2,s3]
• Rodney Whitaker [t3]
• Peter White [c3]
• Cassandra Wilson [t1]: sings
• The Yellowjackets [c1,s2]
• Alexander Zonjic [i3]

Lists of featured albums (2004-05) in genre. Sources: spun.com; amazon.com (smooth jazz).

• Mindi Abair: Come As You Are (GRP)
• Gerald Albright: Kickin' It Up (GRP)
• David Benoit/Russ Freeman: Project II (Peak)
• Chris Botti: When I Fall in Love (Columbia)
• Tim Bowman: This Is What I Want (Liquid 8)
• The Braxton Brothers: Rollin' (Peak)
• Norman Brown: West Coast Coolin' (Warners)
• Paul Brown: Up Front (GRP)
• Larry Carlton: Sapphire Blue (Bluebird)
• Craig Chaquico: Midnight Noon (Higher Octave)
• Peter Cincotti: On the Moon (Concord) *
• Jamie Cullum: Twentysomething (Verve) *
• Euge Groove: Livin' Large (Narada)
• Fourplay: Journey (RCA)
• Michael Franks: Watching the Snow (Rhino) *
• Kenny G: At Last . . . The Duets Album (Arista)
• Everette Harp: All for You (A440 Music)
• Hiroshima: Spirit of the Season (Heads Up)
• Boney James: Pure (Warners)
• Al Jarreau: Accentuate the Positive (Verve) *
• Manhattan Transfer: Vibrate (Telarc) *
• Keiko Matsui: Wildflower (Narada)
• Marion Meadows: Players Club (Heads Up)
• Pat Metheny Group: The Way Up (Nonesuch)
• Dominic Miller: Shapes (Decca)
• Pieces of a Dream: Sensual Embrace, Vol. 2 (Blue Note)
• Pieces of a Dream: No Assembly Required (Heads Up)
• Positive Flow: Can U Feel It (Shanachie)
• Queen Latifah: The Dana Owens Album (Vector)
• Joe Sample: Soul Shadows (Verve)
• David Sanborn: Closer (2005, Verve)
• Soul Ballet: Dream Beat Dream (215)
• Spyro Gyra: Deep End (Heads Up)
• Kim Waters: In the Name of Love (Shanachie)
• Peter White: Confidential (Sony)
• Forever, for Always, for Luther (GRP)

The following is an artist list picked up from smooth jazz radio station playlists (KBZN, KKSF, KOAS, KSMJ, KSSJ, WAVE, WJJZ, WJZA, WJZW, WNUA, WNWV, WSJT, WSSM; also smoothjazz.com top 50), omitting known singers:

• Mindi Abair
• Greg Adams
• Gregory Abbott
• Adani & Wolf
• Acoustic Alchemy
• Gerald Albright
• Marc Antoine
• Pete Belasco
• David Benoit
• George Benson
• Chris Botti
• Tim Bowman
• Rick Braun
• Jim Brickman
• Norman Brown
• Paul Brown
• Alex Bugnon
• Bobby Caldwell
• Larry Carlton
• Craig Chaquico
• Steve Cole
• Nick Colionne
• Joyce Cooling
• Count Basic
• Brian Culbertson
• Eric Darius
• Down to the Bone
• Richard Elliot
• Fourplay
• Kenny G
• Garry Goin
• Jeff Golub
• Euge Groove
• Everette Harp
• Tim Heintz
• Warren Hill
• Hiroshima
• Paul Jackson Jr.
• Bob James
• Boney James
• Jazzmasters
• Fred Johnson
• Marc Jordan
• Ronny Jordan
• Jeff Kashiwa
• Dave Koz
• David Lanz
• Ramsey Lewis
• Michael Lington
• Chuck Loeb
• Jeff Lorber
• Eric Marienthal
• Keiko Matsui
• Matt Bianco
• Maximum Groove
• Marion Meadows
• Pat Metheny
• Najee
• Ken Navarro
• Nils
• Novecento
• Steve Oliver
• Kim Pensyl
• Pieces of a Dream
• Doc Powell
• Praful
• Quintana and Speer
• Rippingtons
• Lee Ritenour
• Joe Sample
• Allon Sams
• David Sanborn
• Dan Siegel
• Richard Smith
• Soul Ballet
• Special EFX
• Spyro Gyra
• Paul Taylor
• Tha' Hot Club
• 3rd Force
• Wayman Tisdale
• Kevin Toney
• Kim Waters
• Peter White
• Pamela Williams
• XL
• Alexander Zonjic

Omitted singers include: Anita Baker, Michael Buble, Ray Charles, Natalie Cole, Phil Collins, Dido, Roberta Flack, Hall & Oates, Al Jarreau, Norah Jones, Alicia Keys, Diana Krall, Chaka Khan, Michael McDonald, Queen Latifah, Sade, Seal, Sting, Luther Vandross, Vanessa Williams, Stevie Wonder

Definition from Jazz Online:

Bio from Andre Ward's website (horrible Flash): Take a seasoned musician who can play the soprano, alto and tenor saxophone with skilled ease and passion and mix in varied elements of gospel, jazz RnB and you have the next big thing to hit the jazz scene - ANDRE WARD. In the company of other accomplished artists that have set the precedence for smooth jazz, Andre Ward leaves off where Kenny G., Alex Bugnon and Najee have succeeded with Orpheus Music. ¶ Born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, Andre started playing music at the age of five. The snare drum would be the first instrument to introduce him to the love of music, but it would be the saxophone that would ultimately allow him to receive a music performing scholarship to the renowned Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts. As Andre's craft developed, he had the opportunity to travel and perform with some of the best and brightest talents. From performances at the Montreaux Jaz Festival in Montreux, Switzerland, to the Performing Art's Tour in Lagos, Nigeria, Andre's talent and passion for music would not go unnoticed. Andre's resume of experience includes working with the biggest names in the bsuiness, including being the musical director for Freddie Jackson and touring with the likes of Teena Marie, Will Downing, The Bobby Jones Gospel Group, The Four Tops, The O'Jays and the legendary Mr. Dizzy Gillespie. ¶ With a love of music, Andre finds inspiration in all different types. "I think it helps me to be a well-rounded musician. Gospel, Hip-Hop, Contemporary and Traditional Jazz influence me. At first I only listened to Grover Washington, Jr. Then I was introduced to a recording of Cannonball Adderley and was blown away. I didn't know that a saxophonist could sound like this. Then I fell in love with traditional jazz, Charlie Parker and John Coltrane. That is when I began to understand what Grover Washington was doing, he was combining both elements." It is this basis that makes Andre's latest release, Feelin' You such a success in it's fusion of various influences. And it is no wonder that he is beyond categorization -- Andre creates music that anyone at any age can identify with. *Feelin' You* includes the already classic #1 hit "Fallin" by Alicia Keyes and the pop hit, "Shape of My Heart" by The Backstreet Boys. ¶ Ask anyone who has seen Andre perform live and they will attest to the raw energy and limitless ability of this musical talent. Known for his amazing live performances, Andre plays from his heart and truly expresses himself through the thing he loves most -- his music. This is music you experience, not listen to.

Note that Feelin' You was his first album, from 2001, so this is dated, as well as atrociously written.

Radio Stations

• KBZN 97.9: Salt Lake City UT
• KEZL 96.7: Fresno CA
• KHIH 95.7: Denver CO
• KKSF 103.7: San Francisco CA (Clear Channel)
• KOAS: Las Vegas NV, "the Oasis"
• KSMJ 97.7: Bakersfield CA, "the Breeze"
• KSSJ 94.7: Sacramento CA
• KWJZ 98.9
• WAVE 94.7: Niagara
• WJJZ 106.1
• WJZA 103.5/104.3: Columbus OH
• WJZW 105.9: (Clear Channel)
• WNUA 95.5: Chicago IL
• WNWV 107.3: Cleveland OH, "the Wave"
• WSJT 94.1: St. Petersburg FL
• WSSM 106.5: St. Louis MO
• WVMV 98.7: Detroit MI

JazzTrax has a 5-hour weekly syndicated radio show which appears on 42 radio stations. On their website they have a list of "2005 new smooth jazz releases" (through March):

• David Sanborn, Closer
• Jason Miles, Miles to Miles
• Jason Cook, Montreal
• Ken Navarro, Love Coloured Soul
• Pat Metheny Group, The Way Up
• Pamela Williams, Sweet Sensations
• Smooth Jazz Plays Your Favorites (Narada)
• A Smooth Jazz Romance (Shanachie)
• 3rd Force, Driving Force
• Bobby Caldwell, Perfect Island Nights
• Brazilian Girls, Brazilian Girls
• Jeff Lorber, Flipside
• Chuck Loeb, When I'm With You
• Matt Bianco featuring Basia, Matt's Mood
• O'2L, Doyle's Brunch
• Paul Taylor, Night Life
• Urban Knights, VI
• Yellowjackets, Altered State
• Chieli Minucci, Got It Goin' On
• Acoustic Alchemy, American English
• George Duke, Duke

Links

• All That Jazz, Inc.: consulting/marketing company; has a radio station contact list (64 radio stations/networks; 11 internet, satellite, syndicated)
• ContemporaryJazz.Com: news mostly press releases; new release lists archived back to 1997, for 2004 averages about 25/month {21, 28, 37, 32, 30, 22, 30, 34, 27, 20, 16, 2} including a lot of stuff that don't really fit.
• Smoothjazz.Com: internet radio, has jazz charts.
• Smooth Jazz News: magazine, looks like it's mostly distributed through radio stations; archives just have cover stories (looking back): Chris Botti, Bobby Caldwell, Eric Darius, Rick Braun, Joyce Cooling, Anita Baker, David Sanborn, Down to the Bone, Peter White, "Sizzling Summer Festival Season", "Succulence at Sea", George Benson, Norah Jones; issues go back to June 2000 (Bobby Caldwell, again).
• Smooth Jazz Vibes: blog, with several authors; good links page with links for labels (40), artists (257), media (53), radio and playlists (27), charts (4).

The following is a fairly comprehensive list of smooth jazz releases for the year 2004, derived from contemporaryjazz.com, removing DVDs, reissues, compilations, and items that don't belong (e.g., Steve Kuhn, Ladysmith Black Mambazo). The list is then split into three groups: smooth jazz instrumentals, vocalists, and crossover (by which I mean artists who get some respect in straight jazz circles as well as some smooth jazz play).

Smooth Jazz Instrumentals (86)

• Michael Brown, Something Nice (3 Dimension/Lightyear, 1/6)
• Bruce McKenzie, Special Moments (B-Love, 1/13)
• Marcus Miller, Dreyfus Night in Paris (Dreyfus, 1/20)
• Down to the Bone, Cellar Funk (Narada Jazz, 1/27)
• The Jazz Crusaders featuring Wayne Henderson, Soul Axess (True Life, 1/27)
• Ben Sidran, Nick's Bump (Liquid 8, 2/17)
• Paul Brown, Up Front (GRP, 2/24)
• Keiko Matsui, Wildflower (Narada Jazz, 2/24)
• Analysis, Nightlife (Q&W Music, 2/24)
• Braxton Brothers, Rollin' (Peak, 2/24)
• Bob James Trio, Take It From The Top (Koch, 2/24)
• Dan Siegel, Inside Out (Native Language, 3/9)
• Ronnie Laws, Everlasting (HDH, 3/9)
• Euge Groove, Livin' Large (Narada Jazz, 3/9)
• Hubert Laws, Moondance (Savoy Jazz, 3/9)
• Bob Baldwin, Brazil Chill (A440 Music Group, 3/16)
• Andy Summers, Earth & Sky (Goldenwire, 3/16)
• Joyce Cooling, This Girl's Got To Play (Narada Jazz, 3/23)
• Peter White, Confidential (Columbia, 3/23)
• Cabo Frio, Island Dance (Kezia, 3/23)
• Nestor Torres, Sin Palabras (Without Words) (Heads Up, 3/23)
• Maximum Grooves, Coast To Coast (Telearc, 3/23)
• Gerry Niewood, Facets (Native Language, 3/30)
• Andre Ward, Steppin' Up (Orpheus, 3/30)
• Alfonso Blackwell, Sax You Down (2CD) (Utopia, 3/30)
• Brian Lenair, The Journey (Urban Vibe Entertainment, 4/1)
• Bobby Lyle, Straight & Smooth (2CD) (Three Keys Music, 4/6)
• Roger Smith, Just Enough (Trippin 'n' Rhythm, 4/6)
• Jessie Allen Cooper, Sound Travels (Cooper Sound Waves, 4/6)
• Bruce McKenzie, Aesthetic Melodolody (B-Love, 4/13)
• Ricardo Scales, Destiny (Bay Sound, 4/20)
• Pete Belasco, Deeper (American release) (Compendia, 4/27)
• Pieces of a Dream, No Assembly Required (Heads Up, 4/27)
• Marion Meadows, Players Club (Heads Up, 4/27)
• Kim Waters, In the Name of Love (Shanachie, 4/27)
• Alan Hewitt Project, Noche De Pasion (215 Records, 4/27)
• Theo Bishop, Newport Nights (Native Language, 5/11)
• Eric Essix, Somewhere In Alamba (Essential, 5/11)
• Michael Lington, Stay With Me (Rendezvous, 5/18)
• Spyro Gyra, Deep End (Heads Up, 5/25)
• Gerald Albright, Kickin' It Up (GRP, 6/8)
• George Benson, Irreplaceable (American) (GRP, 5/25)
• Fourplay, Journey (RCA, 6/22)
• David Benoit/Russ Freeman, Benoit Freeman Project II (Peak, 6/22)
• Eric Darius, Night On The Town (Higher Octave/Narada, 6/29)
• Ramsey Lewis Trio, Time Flies (Narada, 6/29)
• Ed Johnson & Novo Tempo, Movimento (Cumulus, 7/6)
• James Vargas, James Vargas (Trippin 'n Rhythmn, 7/13)
• Wayman Tisdale, Hang Time (Rendezvous, 7/13)
• Adam Niewood, Introducting Adam Niewood (Native Language, 7/13)
• Everette Harp, All For You (A440 Music Group, 7/20)
• Patrick Yandall, From The Ashes (Apria,7/20)
• Doc Powell, Cool Like That (Heads Up, 7/27)
• Novecento feat. Stanely Jordan, Dreams Of Peace (Favored Nations Cool, 7/27)
• Positive Flow, Can You Feel It (Shanachie, 7/27)
• Boney James, Pure (Warner Brothers, 8/3)
• Gene Dunlap, Wassup? (Liquid 8, 8/3)
• Soul Ballet, Dream Beat Dream (2CD) (215 Entertainment, 8/10)
• Incognito, Adventures In Black Sunshine (Narada Jazz, 8/10)
• Marcus Johnson, Just Doing What I Do (Three Keys, 8/10)
• Steve Smith & Vital Information, Come On In (Tone Center, 8/17)
• Ed Calle, Ed Calle Plays Santana (Universal Music Latino, 8/17)
• Jeff Kashiwa, Piece Of Mind (Native Language, 8/24)
• Steve Oliver, 3-D (Koch, 8/24)
• Shades Of Soul featuring Jeff Lorber & Chris Botti (Narada, 8/24)
• Streetwize, The Slow Jamz Album (Shanachie, 8/24)
• Daryl Stuermer, Retrofit (Urban Island, 9/7)
• Mindi Abair, Come As You Are (9/14)
• Ramsey Lewis, Another Voyage (GRP, 9/14)
• Tim Bowman, This Is What I Hear (Liquid 8, 9/14)
• Don Grusin, The Hang (Sovereign Artists, 9/14)
• Grant Geissman, There and Back Again (9/14)
• Norman Brown, West Coast Coolin' (Warner Brothers, 9/21)
• Fattburger, Work to Do (Shanachie, 9/21)
• Craig Chaquico, Midnight Noon (Higher Octave/Narada, 9/28)
• Greg Adams, Firefly (215 Records, 9/28)
• Yellowjackets, Peace Round (Heads Up, 9/28)
• Chris Botti, When I Fall In Love (Sony, 9/28)
• Roy Ayers, Mahogany Vibe (Rapster, 10/5)
• Joe Sample, Soul Shadows (Verve, 10/12)
• Garry Goin, Goin' Places (Compendia, 10/19)
• Michael Franks, Watching the Snow (Rhino, 10/26)
• Ronny Jordan, After 8 (N-Coded, 11/2)
• Jesse Allen Cooper, Heaven Sent (Cooper Sound Wave, 11/9)
• Alexander Zonjic, Seldom Blues (Heads Up, 11/23)
• Kenny G, At Last - The Duets Album (Artista, 11/23)

Popular Jazz Vocalists (22)

• Cheryl Bentyne, Talk of the Town (American Release) (Telarc, 1/27)
• Norah Jones, Feel's Like Home (Blue Note, 2/10)
• Hil St. Soul, Copasetik & Cool (American Release) (Shanachie, 2/24)
• Alyson Williams, It's About Time (Three Keys Music, 4/20)
• Diana Krall, The Girl In The Other Room (Verve, 4/27)
• Janis Siegel, Sketches Of Broadway (Telarc, 4/27)
• Lisa Hilton, Jazz After Hours (Lisa Hilton Music, 5/1)
• Jamie Cullum, Twenty Something (Verve, 5/11)
• Al Jarreau, Accentuate the Positive (GRP, 8/3)
• Julia Fordham, That's Life (Vanguard, 8/10)
• Ann Hampton Callaway, Slow (Shanachie, 8/24)
• Marilyn Scott, Nightcap (Prana Ent, 8/31)
• Anita Baker, My Everything (Blue Note, 9/7)
• Jane Monheit, Taking A Chance On Love (9/7)
• Maysa, Smooth Sailing (Encoded, 9/21)
• Manhattan Transfer, Vibrate (Telarc, 9/28)
• Queen Latifah, The Dana Owens Album (Vector, 9/28)
• Carmen Cuesta, Peace of Mind (Skip, 10/5)
• Brenda Russell, Between the Sun and the Moon (Narada, 10/5)
• Lisa Lauren, It Is What It Is (10/26)
• Michael McDonald, Motown Two (Motown, 10/26)
• Linda Rhonstadt, Humming To Myself (Verve, 11/9)

Crossover Jazz Artists (21):

• Brian Bromberg, Choices (A440 Music Group, 1/13)
• Larry Carlton, Sapphire Blue (American Release) (Bluebird RCA 1/13)
• Mike Stern, These Times (ESC, 1/13)
• Andy Narell, The Passage (Heads Up, 3/23)
• Frank Gambale, Raison D'Etre (Wombat, 4/13)
• Wertico, Stereonucleosis (A440 Music Group, 4/27)
• Eliane Elias, Dreamer (RCA, 5/4)
• Tuck & Patti, Gift Of Love (5/4)
• John Scofield, Enroute (Verve, 5/11)
• Lonnie Placixo Group, Live At Jazz Standard (441, 5/11)
• Leni Stern, When Evening Falls (Ryko, 5/11)
• Harvey Mason, With All My Heart (RCA, 5/18)
• Hiromi, Brain (Telarc, 5/25)
• Rachel Z, Everlasting (Tone Center, 5/25)
• Larry Coryell, Tricycles (Favored Nation, 6/15)
• Cortney Pine, Devotion (Telarc, 7/13)
• Jane Bunnett, Red Dragonfly (AKA Tombo) (Narada, 7/27)
• Lenny White Project, Tribute To Earth, Wind & Fire: The Love (Trauma, 7/27)
• Jean Luc Ponty, In Concert (JLP, 8/3)
• Medeski Martin & Wood, End Of The World Party (Blue Note, 9/7)
• Dr. Lonnie Smith, Too Damn Hot (Palmetto, 10/12)
• Michael Wolff & Impure Thoughts, Dangerous Visions (Koch, 11/9)

Finally, I don't know what these things are (even after looking most of them up):

• In Due Season, In Due Season (G-Force, 1/13)
• Kloud 9, On Kloud 9 (American Release) (Expansion, 2/10)
• Rob Maletick, Peace (C.A.R., 2/10)
• David Garfield, Giving Back (Creatchy, 3/2)
• Joseph Patrick Moore, Drum & Bass Society Volume 1 (Blue Canoe, 3/2)
• Robin Duhe, Do It Duhe (Blaise Two, 3/16)
• David Becker Tribune, Where's Henning? (4/6)
• Pleasure Principle, Pleasure Principle (G-Force, 4/20)
• Lynn Cannon, P'zazz! (Cannon, 5/1)
• Darryl Alexander Sr., Diamond In The Sky (DAP Entertainment, 5/4)
• Plan 9, Rearview (Plan 9 Partners, 5/11)
• Jimmy Reed, Solid Gold 1 (Liquid 8, 5/11)
• Aya, Strange Flower (Naked Music, 5/11)
• Kay Kay Misz, A Perfect Fit (5/18)
• Arthur Lipner, Modern Vibe (Jazzheads, 7/6)
• Soel, Memento (Warner Brothers, 7/13)
• Noel Pointer, Direct Hit (EMI, 8/23)
• Phillip Martin, 4 Point 0 (Carzino, 8/24)
• Brother 2 Brother, Forever (E-Nate Music, 8/24)
• Vlad, Vladosphere, (Orpheus, 8/31)
• Robert Monteleone, Just Having Fun (MIL, 9/7)
• George Collichio, George Collichio (Kezia, 9/28)
• Vernon Neilly & G-Fire, G-Fire 2 (Boosweet, 10/5)
• Nightbyrd, Moonlight Serenade (Dreamwhisper, 10/5)
• Mahavishnu Project, Phase 2 (Aggregate, 10/12)
• Jim Adkins, License To Play (Clear Image, 11/15)
• Michael Ross, Year of the Dog (12/4)

The following are the bestseller lists from the Mar. 5, 2005 issue of Billboard. There are two categories: Contemporary Jazz and Jazz. There is no intersection, so the records have been somewhat arbitrarily assigned (e.g., Chris Botti appears in both lists, with different records).

Contemporary Jazz (Billboard, Mar. 5, 2005):

1. Kenny G: At Last - The Duets Album (Arista)
2. Pat Metheny Group: The Way Up (Nonesuch)
3. Jamie Cullum: Twentysomething (Verve)
4. Kenny G: Ultimate Kenny G (Arista)
5. Jeff Lorber: Flipside (Narada Jazz)
6. Chris Botti: A Thousand Kisses Deep (Columbia)
7. [VA]: Forever, for Always, for Luther (GRP)
8. Boney James: Pure (Warner Bros.)
9. Pamela Williams: Sweet Saxations (Shanachie)
10. Norman Brown: West Coast Coolin' (Warner Bros.)
11. Mindi Abair: Come As You Are (GRP)
12. Bobby Caldwell: Perfect Island Nights (Music Force)
13. 3rd Force: Driving Force
14. Bill Frisell: Unspeakable (Nonesuch)
15. Wayman Tisdale: Hang Time (Rendezvous)
16. Dave Koz: Saxophonic (Capitol)
17. Marion Meadows: Players Club (Heads Up)
18. Katie Meula: Call Off the Search (Dramatico)
19. [VA]: Playboy Jazz: In a Smooth Groove (UMVD/Concord)
20. [VA]: Smooth Jazz Plays Your Favorite Hits (Shanachie)
21. George Benson: The Greatest Hits of All (Rhino/Atlantic)
22. George Benson: Irreplaceable (GRP)
23. Fourplay: Journey (RCA)
24. Mindi Abair: It Just Happens That Way (GRP)
25. Medeski Martin & Wood: End of the World Party (Blue Note)

Jazz (Billboard, Mar. 5, 2005):

1. Michael Buble: It's Time (Warner Bros.)
2. Chris Botti: When I Fall in Love (Columbia)
3. Madeleine Peyroux: Careless Love (Rounder)
4. Diane Krall: The Girl in the Other Room (Verve)
5. Harry Connick Jr: Only You (Columbia)
6. David Sanborn: Closer (Verve)
7. Jane Monheit: Taking a Chance on Love (Sony Classical)
8. Renee Olstead: Renee Olstead (Warner Music Latina)
9. [ST]: The Aviator (Sony)
10. Linda Ronstadt: Humming to Myself (Verve)
11. Nina Simone: For Lovers (Verve)
12. Peter Cincotti: On the Moon (Concord)
13. Nancy Wilson: R.S.V.P. (MCG Jazz)
14. Joey DeFrancesco/Jimmy Smith: Legacy (Concord)
15. [VA]: Putumayo Presents New Orleans (Putumayo World Music)
16. Charlie Haden: Land of the Sun (Verve)
17. [VA]: The Very Best of Cole Porter (Hip-O)
18. Ray Charles: Jazz Biography Series (United Multi Media)
19. Paul Motian: I Have the Room Above Her (ECM)
20. Al Jarreau: Accentuate the Positive (Verve)
21. Louis Armstrong: Louis Armstrong (Madacy)
22. Jason Miles: Miles on Miles (Narada Jazz)
23. Marilyn Scott: Nightcap (Prana Entertainment)
24. [VA]: More of the Most Romantic Jazz Music in the Universe (Denon)
25. [VA]: 20 Best of Jazz (Madacy)

I'm not sure what we can conclude from these lists. More vocalists are on Jazz than CJ: the latter has 5 (counting Caldwell and Benson), the former at least 13 (not counting Armstrong or any of the 5 comps; there are others with vocal tracks). While CJ is mostly smooth, it has three artists I consider legit mainstream jazz (Metheny, Frisell, MMW; although I've only heard the latter). On the other hand, the J list includes several I associate with CJ (Botti, Miles, Sanborn), and only three (DeFrancesco, Haden, Motian) I regard as significant jazz players. Not sure what the presence of cheapo comps on the J list means.