The Influence of Smooth Jazz on Contemporary Musicians

Smooth jazz, which emerged in the 1960s as a hybrid of jazz, pop music, and rhythm and blues, is renowned for its smooth and relaxing atmosphere. This genre has carved out a place in musical culture and has significantly influenced subsequent generations of musicians. This article explores how smooth jazz has impacted contemporary artists and musical styles, and how its elements have been integrated into new genres.

The Origins of Smooth Jazz
Smooth jazz began to take shape in the mid-20th century when musicians started incorporating elements of pop music and R&B into traditional jazz. By the 1970s, the genre gained popularity thanks to artists like Kenny G and George Benson, who introduced elements of lightness and melodiousness, making it more accessible to a broader audience.

Key Milestones
One of the key milestones was the release of George Benson’s album Breezin’ in 1976, which significantly influenced the genre’s development. During the 1980s and 1990s, smooth jazz continued to evolve, finding its place on the radio and in music charts. Its sound became associated with a relaxing atmosphere, often used in restaurants, spas, and advertising campaigns.

Fusion Jazz and Smooth Jazz
Smooth jazz was among the first genres to successfully integrate with fusion jazz, combining complex jazz harmonies with lighter pop melodies. This fusion created a new sonic landscape where jazz elements sounded more accessible and commercially appealing.

Smooth Jazz’s Influence on Pop Music
Smooth jazz has had a noticeable impact on pop music, where its elements can be found in the works of artists like James Ingram and Brenda Russell. The melodious and harmonious qualities of smooth jazz helped shape a sound that easily adapted to pop music, creating a smooth and harmonious accompaniment for pop songs.

Contemporary Artists and Smooth Jazz

Greg Karukas
Greg Karukas is a contemporary artist who actively incorporates elements of smooth jazz into his music. His albums, such as The Standard and What You Hear, showcase the influence of smooth jazz through the use of saxophone and smooth melodies, blending them with modern production techniques.

Candice Hall
Candice Hall, a singer-songwriter, is known for her unique style that blends elements of smooth jazz and soul music. Her work often features soft, relaxing melodies and jazz harmonies, highlighting her impact on the contemporary music scene.

Vince DiOrio
Vince DiOrio, a guitarist and composer, integrates smooth jazz elements into his musical style, combining them with electronic music. His albums, such as Luminous and Electric Soul, demonstrate how traditional smooth jazz elements can be incorporated into modern genres.

You can learn more about the singers in this genre in a special TOP smooth jazz artists.

Cross-Genre Influence of Smooth Jazz on Contemporary Musical Styles

Smooth Jazz in Hip-Hop
Hip-hop, initially focused on rhythm and groove, has increasingly incorporated elements of smooth jazz over time. Hip-hop tracks often feature jazz chords and melodies, bringing a sense of ease and harmony to the music. This can be achieved through the use of samples from classic jazz recordings, such as those by Kenny G or George Benson.

Artist and Track Examples

J Dilla: One of the most influential producers in hip-hop, J Dilla frequently used jazz samples and chords in his beats. His album Donuts features many tracks where smooth jazz sounds are integrated into hip-hop.

A Tribe Called Quest:
The group actively used jazz elements in their music. Their album Midnight Marauders includes numerous tracks with jazz samples that create a relaxed atmosphere.

Smooth Jazz in R&B
Smooth jazz has also found its place in R&B, where its elements are used to create a softer and more refined sound. Jazz chords and instruments, such as saxophone and piano, often appear in tracks, adding depth and complexity to R&B compositions.

Artist and Track Examples

D’Angelo: His album Voodoo features the influence of smooth jazz through the use of piano and saxophone, giving the music a rich and layered sound.

Erykah Badu: Her work also includes elements of smooth jazz, helping to create her unique style. The album Baduizm blends elements of jazz and R&B, creating an atmosphere
close to smooth jazz.

Integration of Smooth Jazz in Lo-Fi and Chill-Out
Smooth jazz is often integrated into contemporary genres such as lo-fi hip-hop and chill-out, where its elements are used to create relaxing and atmospheric sound textures. These genres use soft jazz chords, saxophone samples, and other smooth jazz instruments to create a background suitable for studying, relaxing, or meditating.

Examples and Influence

Lo-fi Hip-Hop:
Lo-fi hip-hop tracks often feature jazz chords and samples
that create a relaxing atmosphere. This genre actively borrows
elements from smooth jazz to create a unique sonic
experience.

Chill-Out: This genre also frequently uses soft jazz melodies and chords to create
relaxing and meditative tracks, highlighting the influence of
smooth jazz on contemporary musical experiments.

Development of New Sounds
Smooth jazz continues to influence the development of new musical directions, contributing to the creation of unique cross-genre projects. Musicians and producers actively experiment with combining smooth jazz and other styles, creating innovative musical forms.

Examples of Cross-Genre Projects

Fusion and Jazztronica: These genres actively blend
smooth jazz elements with electronic and experimental sounds,
creating new musical forms. Artists like Flying Lotus and Kamasi
Washington use smooth jazz to create unique sonic
landscapes.

Modern Soul: This genre also incorporates smooth jazz elements, combining them with
contemporary soul and pop sounds to create a new direction that
continues to evolve and experiment with genre
boundaries.

Conclusion
Smooth jazz has left a significant mark on musical culture and continues to influence contemporary musicians. Its melodiousness and harmony have made it a valuable element in the musical landscape — artists use its elements to make unique and diverse sonic experiences. Smooth jazz continues to evolve, integrating into new genres and styles, and remains an important source of inspiration for musicians worldwide.