Backing Tracks 

I sometimes use MIDI backing track along with live looping - It’s not cheating! Most people (excluding musicians) love it I don't know if it should be part of a blog but....here's an article I came across online Rush, ZZ Top, Steve Oliver, Jeff Golub (many others) have been using MIDI backing tracks live pretty much ever since they were invented. Nobody accuses these artists of cheating; using a backing track allows these bands and countless others to enhance the audience experience. At the other end…

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What is Smooth Jazz & where is it now? 

Smooth jazz is a musical style that grew out of jazz fusion and is heavily influenced by R&B, funk, rock, blues and pop music styles (separately, or, in any combination). Modern derivatives of the genre include the more-recent New Adult Contemporary format of broadcast radio. "Smooth jazz" has been successful as a radio format; however, in 2007, the popularity of the format began to slide. Consequently, it was abandoned by several high-profile radio stations across the U.S.A., perhaps most notably by WQCD…

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Steve Oliver Smooth Jazz guitar 

Just got Steve Oliver’s "one night live" DVD - very inspiring! He performs as a duo with a percussionist & uses technology a lot like I do for backup and different musical sounds ;-)

Smooth Jazz 

Hey everyone, You may know (or not) that I've played many different styles of music over the years but...there is some about the contemporary (smooth) jazz genre that just kills me! For the most part, I'm not keen on many other forms of jazz - I just like the soft, cool, non noisy, no nonsense feel of smooth jazz. It’s really not jazz...just contemporary verity music with a jazzy feel. I'm working hard on booking Vineyards & Wine bars here in Oregon playing YOU GUESSED IT "Contemporary (Smooth) Jazz ;-)