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SJ.COM: The format is over a dozen years old... Is "Smooth Jazz" still doing it for you after all these years? Are you still feeling the passion for the music? B.S.: We actually came to the format just three or four years ago, so for us it's still relatively new. And our format blends the smooth with the straight-ahead, mainstream jazz. There are some things in the format that are actually too smooth for our format. SJ.COM: What are you doing in your market that you feel is unique to the format? B.S.: We actually blend the best of the smooth jazz format with mainstream jazz. We're "All That Jazz." SJ.COM: In your opinion, what's the deal with new music? Are you happy with the direction that the format is heading and what would you personally like to hear more of from the new stuff? B.S.: We tend to avoid the ultra-smooth, synth-drum driven jazz, and favor the more groove-flavored music. And usually we're not playing the single, but rather other cuts from the CD that fit better into our format. Hence, we're usually done with a CD long before other all-Smooth Jazz stations, who tend to just play the singles as they're released. Some of the artists that have fit into our format recently have included the likes of Lee Ritenour, Joe Sample, Turning Point, Fourplay, Down to the Bone, Chris Botti, David Benoit, Bona Fide, Larry Carlton, Boz Scaggs, Acoustic Alchemy and Kirk Whalum, and crossover artists such as Karrin Allyson, Nnenna Freelon and the Pat Metheny Group. SJ.COM: What artist(s) do you think will be the next core artist(s) (the next Rick Braun, Boney James, or Sade)? B.S.: Mark Douthit showed some real promise on his first cd. SJ.COM: How do you utilize Internet presence to further your radio station's image and your programming? B.S.: We stream our station on our website. At the same time, we enter all the songs we play with a real-time, on-line playlist, including the aritst, the song, the cd and the record label. Among the other featured info, we include our Top 30 every week, the line-up for our Midnight CD, and the Jazz Line Concert Calendar of local events and concerts around the Midwest. (Our website, incidentally, recently picked up a national award for excellence.) Our GM also sends out a weekly e.mail to members with info on new music we'll feature that week and the specifics on our prime-time line-up every week. SJ.COM: What was the last live show you caught? B.S.: Claudia Acuna, Cyrus Chestnut, Stefon Harris and Sonny Rollins. SJ.COM: What's in your CD player (home or car)? B.S.: I've been listening a lot lately to the new Karrin Allyson CD. SJ.COM: Outside of radio, are you an enthusiast for anything else (wine, golf, movies, etc.)? B.S.: I love to go to movies, golf when the weather permits, singing in a local choir. |
