Smooth Jazz Freak needs New Artists

sadly, smooth jazz artists are now as interchangable as pop artists. they are all products of the record company. basically a commodity, not a real group or solo act. it's a shame, because there are so many talented musicians that are forced to play formula songs that the companies jam down our throats. it was better when the tone deaf accountants and lawyers didn't make all the decisions.

Hey Doug, check out cdbaby.com for new artists. They have a fairly large jazz selection with a smooth jazz category. I've purchased from them and although it's hit or miss I have found some great music. I like the 3 for $15 deals.

Threads like this are a gem!!!!!

Love to see more in other music genres, don't you think that we should have like a music interchange thread periodically??

Doug:

Have you tried going to allmusic.com and type some of the names you mentioned? After hitting enter you get information about the group but also similar artists you can investigate and try.... just another 2cents

I don't think Bob James was mentioned; I like "Grand Piano Canyon" and several of his ealier ones like "Touchdown", "Sign of the Times" and "Obsession". Also, eventhough not entirely classified as smooth jazz, I would highly recommend Patricia Barber's "Modern Cool".

Here are the ones I added to my collection the past two quarters. They are in Alpha order for the two quarters. They are a mixture of styles but most should fall with in the genre you are requesting. As Timrhu mentioned above, cdbaby is a wonderful place to shop and many of these are from there. If you want more information let me know or visit one of the many contemporary jazz sites on the Internet.

Cannonball Adderley * SOMETHIN’ ELSE
Gerald Albright * NEW BEGINNINGS
David Boswell * BRIDGE OF ART
Scott Bradoka * SWAMP PARTY/WITHOUT WORD
CAB 4
Michel Camilo * RHAPSODY IN BLUE
Dennis Chambers * FRONT PAGE
Dennis Chambers * OUTBREAK
Billy Childs Ensemble * CHAMBER MUSIC
Cole’lition * SEVENTY POWER
Nick Colionne * KEEPIN’ IT COOL
Crash
Crash * CANDY SHOP
Crash * THE DOCTOR IS IN
Cross & Hart * JAZZ EXPERIENCE
Curfew * HOLD THE FRONT PAGE
ECHO JAZZ TRIO
Alan Eicher * PYRAMIDS
Taylor Eigsti * LUCKY TO BE ME
Mitchel Forman * PATIENCE
THE GREYBOY ALLSTARS
Mark Harrison Quintet * THE ROAD AHEAD
Mark Harrison Quintet * ARE WE THERE YET?
Hiromi * SPIRAL
Shirley Horn * THE BEST OF …
Robert Hurst * UNREHURST
Intrntal. Groove Conspiracy * BEYOND HORIZON
Bob James * URBAN FLAMINGO
Jazz@the Pan Café * MAIDEN VOYAGE
Jazzukha * THIS IS WHAT WE MEAN
Jerry Jennings * SHORTCUT TO THE CENTER
Sean Jones * ETERNAL JOURNEY
Sean Jones * GEMINI
Karmic Tiempo * SYNERGY
Steve Khan * THE GREEN FIELD
Billy Kilson’s BK Groove * POTS & PANS
Wynton Marsalis * THE MIDNIGHT BLUES
The Bill McBirnie * Duo/Qt * PACO PACO
Lyman Medeiros * THE FUNKY SUPERVILLAIN
Jason Miles * WHAT’S GOING ON?
Federico Miranda * BAULA PROJECT
Oren Neiman * FIRST OF ALL…
The Out Takes * GENUINE ARTICLE
Jaco Pastorius * THE BIRTHDAY CONCERT
Jaco Pastorius Big Band * THE WORD IS OUT
Joe Santere * THE SCENIC ROUTE
Christian Scott * REWIND THAT
Marcus Strickland * BROTHERHOOD
Mike Tomaro Big Band * DANCING EYES
Adam Unworth * EXCERPT THIS!
Urban Blight * PLAYGOURNDS N GLASS
Voodoo Funk Project * DEEP IN THE CUT
Tilden Webb Trio * CELLAR GROOVE
Gary Willis * NO SWEAT
Gary Willis * BENT

RENDEZVOUS MUSIC * RSVP, IF YOU PLEASE

John Adams * JUMP SHOT
Airborne TAKE OFF,
LIFETONES, ACROSS THE SKY
Monty Alexander * CONCRETE JUNGLE
Between 9 & 7 * IT IS WHAT IT IS
Big Phat Band (G.Goodwin) * THE PHAT PACK
David Boswell * HOLD TIGHT TO YOUR DREAMS
Steve Briody * KEEP ON TALKIN’
Brecker Brothers * STRAPHANGIN
Brian Bromberg * WOOD II
Ron Bruner’s STRANGE JAZZ UNIVERSE LIVE
Kenny Burrell * PROFILES (best of & Vol.7
Michael Campagna * PASSIONATE NATURE
Larry Carlton * FIRE WIRE
Marc Cary * FOCUS
Oscar Castro-Neves * ALL ONE
Billy Cobham * CROSSWINDS / WARNING
Billy Cobham * MAGIC / SIMPLICITY
BILLY COBHAM CULTURE MIX
Billy Cobham Culure Mix * COLOURS
Adam Cohan * RITUAL
Eddie Daniels * BEAUTIFUL LOVE
George Duke * IN A MELLOW TONE
Carl Eichman * HIDDEN SYMMETRY
Elder * LIVE AT THE BLUE NOTE
Christian Fabian * ACROSS THE TRACKS
John Flanders * IN THE SKY TONIGHT
Mitchel Forman * PERSPECTIVES
Fourword Quartet * MONEY
Al Garcia * ALTERNATE REALITIES
Grant Geissman * SAY THAT!
Hard Logic * ANYTIME, ANYWHERE
Roy Hargrove * NOTHING SERIOUS
Everette Harp * IN THE MOMENT  h
Antonio Hart * ALL WE NEED
Tony Hicks * TWO YEARS
Bob James * ANGELS OF SHANGHAI
Jazz Academy * PURE ESSENTIALS FOR JAZZAHOLICS
Manu Katche * NEIGHBOURHOOD
Calvin Keys * VERTICAL CLEARANCE
Jake Kot * DON’T LOOK BACK
Jake Kot * AT A GLANCE 
Lawhead * CLOSE
Bradley Leighton * BACK TO THE FUNK
Bobby Lyle * HANDS ON
Bob Magnusson Quintet * LIQUID LINES
Herbie Mann * CAMINHO DE CASA
Matt Marshak * GROOVOSPHERE
Bill Meyers * IMAGES / THE COLOR OF...
Bill Meyers * ALL THINGS IN TIME
Marcus Miller * MASTER OF ALL TRADES
Joseph Patrick Moore * DECADE ’9-’05
Dan Moretti & Brazilia * LIVE AT CHAN’S
Greg Murphy * ORIENTATION
Quinsin Nachoff * MAGIC NUMBERS
Objects in the Mirror * DRIVE
Franc O’Shea * ALKIMIA
Jack Prybylski * WINDOW SHOPPING
Flora Purim * FLORA'S SONG
Nelson Rangell * SOULtoSOULS
Arturo Romay * JUMPING WITH JOY
Jay Rowe * RED, HOT & SMOOTH
Philippe Saisse Trio * BODY & SOUL SESSIONS
Daniela Schachter * I COLORI DEL MARE
Marilyn Scott * INNOCENT OF NOTHING
SF Jazz Collective * 2
SHAKER
Shilts * HEADBOPIN
Lonnie Smith * JUNGLE SOUL
SounDoctrine * ENDURANCE
SoulBop Band * LIVE (Evans & Brecker)
Spies * BY WAY OF THE WORLD
Chris Standring * SOUL EXPRESS
Brian Torff * LIFE IN EAST BUMBLEPUCK
Nestor Torres * DANCES, PRAYERS & MED..
Stanley Turrentine * SUGAR
Wayne Shorter * SPEAK NO EVIL
Gabriel Vivas * LOW REGISTERS
Brian Ward * WONDERBREAD
Danny Weis * SWEET SPOT
Yellowjackets * TWENTY FIVE

NARADA * CUBA L.A.