Subject: Smooth
Date: October 27, 2008

I agree with many of the points made in your letter to R&R. You have done great work for smooth jazz, as well as other musical forms. And, you have developed a "territory." The smooth jazz scene has been under all types of pressure in recent years. One of the worst things to happen is the attack on free expression by the corporate consultants at the radio station level. They have killed the hope of vibrant radio programming by dumbing it down with tight playlists and endless repetition of overworked songs. From there, it all trickles down in negative ways. It makes artists desperate and it forces them to give themselves away for the slightest assurance of some radio play. As you know, jazz is a liberating music and it can't operate well with a gun to its head by the huge corporate consultants. Look at the charts and the same names pop up, because those are the politically connected, inner loop crowd (L.A.) The format is in fact being hijacked by a few well connected people. I feel the format flips across the country are the result of unimaginative programming which hurts the bottom line and forces managers to go with a hot AC mix.. If a station plays a wide variety of contemporary sounding jazz music from the 70s to the present, the listeners will plug in to it, and the crowds will return to the after work and weekend concerts. To blame sales people is a fair indictment, because they are not usually passionate about the music. They are hacks who would sell out the format for twenty pieces of silver, then lie about how bad they feel about it. That's been a big problem for the past ten years. The music is too controlled now, and times are tight which doesn't help in the slightest. You have been a great asset to smooth jazz in central Florida. Jazz fans owe you a great debt of gratitude. If things don't get better soon, even you might get frustrated and throw in the towel. We hope that doesn't happen. I want promoters, artists, and radio program directors to rediscover the joys of the smooth jazz scene which dates back to the late 90s. I only hope the good guys can take it all back from the evil forces that have done a lot of damage already. Best of luck.

 

Larry LeKool Hollowell