I've found that changing the 'style' I use for songs is an absolute necessity, if only for my OWN sanity .... How many times can you play the same tune the same way? After a while you might as well be on auto-pilot .. or MIDI ...
I often switch from a latin beat to a swing, 3/4 to 4/4, rock to latin, replace the usual beat with raggae, etc. .... Even if people are dancing, the switch from a ballad to a jazz swing or rock can spark the party ...
And to think that Buffet has copied ME in going from rock to carribean on "Brown Eyed Girl" .... I KNEW I should have had a copywrite on that ....
I've got a kn6000... Anyone out there have "smooth jazz" styles they can share ... or a website where I can find some? ...
thnx,
t.

PS to UD .... UNfortunately, here in RI we don't have a good Jazz or smooth jazz station to listen to anymore ... BUT, I get down to the NYC area fairly often , and I don't think 'CD 101.9' had bought a new CD in 15 years .....
Back in '92 I worked most of the year in the Mt. Laurel area and used to love to listen to the jazz station out of Temple.....
t.

"Smooth Jazz" stations have made their way nearly everywhere I go. It's a nice step-up from Muzak without getting into the Pop format, so it's aimed at offices at lot. This wide-spread public exposure to "familiar songs done in unfamiliar ways" is a great opportunity for us.

Essentially, I take the "contemporary" approach with everything I do, or everything I can get away with! That includes as much Christmas music as possible but also includes older favs such as Summer Breeze (Upbeat Modern), Fly Like An Eagle (Hip-Hop) and Killing Me Softly (Bossa Nova). This is one way to really set yourself apart from your non-arranger competition, and my experience has been that the audiences enjoy hearing tunes they already know performed in new and creative ways.

Having discussed this in the past, I was looking for your response Pro .... I believe in the other thread I also mentioned that I do a number of Beatle tunes as instrumentals in bossa or other more modern styles ... Works for me
t.

Tony: yes, this subject has come up before. I do The Beatles "And I Love Her" in bossa-nova style, which is a natural for that song anyway. What other Beatles songs do you do ?

Yet 2 more examples. Just listen to Andrea's (Dreamer) arrangements of Moonlight Serenade in a Latin... and Can't Help Falling in a Reggae. Both work really well.

Are they any smooth jazz players here?

Does anyone of you know band like Fourplay, Spyro Gyra, Special EFX and etc.???? Just curious!!!!!!!!!

Micco

Pro .... "Michelle", and "Yesterday" both work well ... on "Yesteray" I use a pan flute for a lead... gives a nice effect.. also try "Fool on the Hill" ...and I've played around with "Something" using a slow rhumba style (just drums and bass back-up) but I haven't got it where I want it yet ...

Micco .. Fourplay and Spyro are two of my favorite listening groups ... I really like Bob James, Larry Carlton, Lee Ritenour, etc .... Do you have any 'smooth jazz styles that can be used on a technics kn6000? ....
t.

I guess I'm a "smooth jazz" player. I do "Morning Dance" by Spyro Gyro and also some Bob James, Ivan Lins, Grover Washington Jr, David Foster, Lee Ritenour, Al Jarreau, Jobim, to name a few off hand. I listen to The Rippingtons and old Weather Report stuff but I try to stay borderline mainstream with my live music. There's a new superstar tribute album to Ivan Lins out featuring "She Walks This Earth" with vocals by Sting that's on the smooth jazz stations. This song has been nominated for a Grammy reportedly, which is great because I love playing it.

BTW .... I think slow Latin rhythms (rhumba, samba, bossa, etc.) played with understated back-up ... guitar, bass drums, generally work with with most ballads ... The rhythm itself is quite sensual, and just adds to the mood of the tune ....
One that comes to mind immediately is "All The Things You Are".. On the kn6 I play it with grand piano on R1, Vibes/Guitar on R2 and use the block chord setting on 'technichord' .... all of a sudden I'm the Geaorge Shearing Quartet!!!

PS: ... wasn't it UB 40 who did Neil Diamond's 'Red Red Wine' and Elvis' 'Falling in Love' in raggae? .....
t.

[This message has been edited by tony mads usa (edited 12-03-2002).]