Discovering Best Smooth Jazz

As far as I can remember, growing up, I listened to American Top 40 music, which was broadcasted by one of the top radio stations back home during the late 1970s and early 1980 -- 99.5 RT FM. The DJs sounded like Americans, and their programming appeared to have come straight out of an American FM station. It was American Top 40 music after all.

Prior to that, I tried variations of rock music, from soft rock to heavy metal. But it was short-lived. Why I even ventured in it, I do not know. However, the classics are still my favorites.

Then, came jazz. It was not main stream, but something new at that time I discovered it in the mid to late 1980s. It was called jazz fusion. I found it interesting. Soon as was a fan. Then, a local radio station back home was born in 1988. It was called City Lite 88.3 FM. It's position on the FM band was stratigically located at the far left of the band, and was the first radio station you would hear. This station would play nothing but jazz music (and occasional blues), which we now know as Smooth Jazz.

The sound was different. People have a different notions of jazz music, and would tend to refer to mainstream jazz of the olden days. Smooth Jazz is totally different. I don't even know how to describe it. City Lite was not a pure Smooth Jazz station, in the true sense. It was a jazz station that played all types of jazz music, including mainstream and fusion. It was a commercial radio station, so it had to cater to as many audience as it could.

For a number of years, City Lite dominated the airwaves of Manila. It was THE radio station to listen to. But like everything hot, it turned cold, eventually, and people sort of got tired. City Lite had it's last broadcast in 2003, with the "swan song" by Eumir Deodato, called "Love Island".  Well, those that went along with the fad did tire of it, but not the hardcore jazz aficionados. I surely missed it. On a personal note, I have had lots of memories with City Lite (DJs, staff, and crew), and had been to their broadcast booth on many, many occasions as a "friend" of the station, since my best bud, Beng (aka Benjamin during his City Lite days), was a former DJ and station engineer.

When I left for the US in 1998, one of the first things I looked for was a similar Smooth Jazz station in New York. I found one. It was CD 101.9, and they were a Smooth Jazz station as well. When we moved to California, I still listened to CD 101.9 via live stream over the internet. Again, like all good things, it had to come to an end. In February 2008, it finally closed its doors. Then, I discovered KKSF 103.7 in San Francisco. I was alive once again, with cool Smooth Jazz music. But that was short-lived. In May 2009, the station changed formats and the music ceased once again. And the Bay Area was without the much-loved sounds of Smooth Jazz.

For the last 3-4 years, I was lost. I tried classical, but it put me to sleep. I went Country, but it just wasn't me. I switched to pop, but I got tired of hearing Taylor Swift and Bruno Mars every 5 minutes. Then, I settled on 98.1 Kiss FM, which played nothing but old-school 80s music. It was my era, and it was a great time for music that only folks of my generation could appreciate. It fairness to my son, James, he does like 80s music, and would often sing along to "Play That Funky Music". It was an OK music while in the car, since I don't have any other choice.

Then, I discovered Best Smooth Jazz by accident. I remember typing "Smooth Jazz" in the Youtube search box, and it pulled up a number of videos that played a compilation of Smooth Jazz selections. In one of them, I ran into Rob Lucas, a pure Smooth Jazz aficionado who broadcasts through Youtube, online, and via podcast, using his personal resources. No advertisement. Nothing but donations. And he does it because he loves it. Plain and simple.

Although there are no commercials, the host, Rob Lucas, would do ad libs, as a typical DJ would on a commercial broadcast, as he segues a tune. What's interesting is that his son, Rob Lucas, Jr, is in on the ad lib, as both father and son strike up impromptu conversations and small talk. And to Junior's credit, he does a pretty good job as well.

Now, I am back to listening my favorite sound, and in various medium. Anywhere. Anytime. Commercial free. Wishing Rob Senior (and Junior) much success. And PLEASE, stay on the air !!!

Note: Author wishes to acknowledge KISQ, Wikipedia, and Groove Shack for the logos used on this post.