The Straight Skinny

 

 

The New Wave, "Rich And Smooth"

 

 

By Carol Archer

"In a post-PPM world where there is less opportunity to function as the market’s second or third Urban AC, this is the version of the format that many operators have been moving away from. Los Angeles, on the other hand, doesn’t have a single dominant Urban AC. And the station that comes closest to that function is gold-based KHHT (Hot 92.3), which also shares some Oldies functionality with K-Earth, so Kaye probably won’t mind if The Wave complicates Hot's life."

 

KTWV Music Monitor,  Tues., Jan. 19, 2:45 p.m. local time:

Louis Armstrong, "What A Wonderful World" (without Kenny G)

Major Harris, "Love Won’t Let Me Wait"

Kirk Whalum, "I’ll Make Love To You"

Brian McKnight, "Back At One"

Steely Dan, "Hey 19"

Herb Alpert, "Rise"

Luther Vandross, "Love Power/Power Of Love"

Seal, "Stand By Me"

Dave Koz, "You Make Me Smile"

Barry White, "You’re My First, My Last, My Everything"

Stevie Wonder, "As"

Fattburger, "Oye Como Va"

Eric Clapton, "Change The World"

 

Smooth Jazz and The Urban AC Debate

Ross continues: "It's been very clear from their interviews on the format in recent years that many Smooth Jazz programmers are determined to steer the format away from Urban AC. Broadcasters never seemed entirely grateful for Smooth Jazz's older African-American audience. And once Arbitron PPM measurement made it seem that there was less African-American listening to go around, many clearly couldn’t wait to retarget the format -- even if their bosses were more likely to just bail on Smooth Jazz altogether.  What many fail to acknowledge is how much Smooth Jazz evolved from the R&B being made in the early '80s when artist/producers like Quincy Jones, George Duke, and Jeff Lorber were all part of the R&B (and often pop) mainstream. Having Smooth Jazz as a format home helped pull 'fusion jazz' away from Urban AC and break it away almost entirely from an increasingly Hip-Hop-driven Urban format. But, as we've noted recently, it wasn't hard for Sade to throw in some Hip-Hop beats on her new single, 'Soldier Of Love,' add a little call-and-response and pick up where she left off with 'Hang On To Your Love' 25 years ago."