Smooth Jazz is the most common term applied to a polished, melodic brand of commercially oriented jazz that generally downplays improvisation in favor of structured compositions and light R&B grooves. Smooth jazz often features synthesizers in a prominent role, as well as an emphasis on the overall sound rather than individual instrumentalists.
The smooth jazz sound is descended from jazz fusion, although the foundations of the style can be traced back to producer Creed Taylor’s pop-savvy ’60s recordings with such instrumentalists as Wes Montgomery, George Benson and Freddie Hubbard.
Smooth jazz emerged as a commercial force—and a popular radio format—in the mid-1980s. In the years since, it’s spawned a new generation of star instrumentalists, including saxophonists Kenny G, Candy Dulfer and Warren Hill, trumpeter Chris Botti, guitarist Peter White, and the groups Spyro Gyra and the Rippingtons. But many of smooth jazz’s star performers had previously achieved distinction in other areas of jazz, e.g. George Benson, Grover Washington Jr., Lee Ritenour, David Sanborn and Tom Scott, and the supergroup Fourplay, which includes longtime solo stars Larry Carlton and Bob James.
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