Which do you prefer: jazz such as Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie or so called smooth jazz which is really pop flavored. Check out the playlist for nac/smoothjazz on www.rronline.com to see what I'm talking about. I've listened to many an argument between jazz purists and smooth jazz fans over this stuff. I prefer the smoother stuff although some of it is awful, unimaginative and clearly made to make money. George Benson is an example of an artist who has recorded both types of music. For the most part, his early albums were straight jazz and sold poorly. After Breezin in 1976 he went smooth and sold well (his looks went smooth too as he has had an awful lot of cosmetic surgery). I have no problem with his smooth stuff or with him singing something he almost never did before 1976.

Al Jarreau is another one I've heard jazz purists argue over; they say he can do pure jazz but has wasted his talents doing middle of the road music.

One guy I know got incensed because he knew someone who called up the local smooth jazz station CD101.9 and requested a jazz record that wasn't smooth and the DJ started telling on the phone that he hates the station because they won't let him play that kind of music.

I don't really prefer one over the other, I love all forms of jazz. I have both types of jazz in my record/CD collections. Though without traditional jazz, there would be no smooth jazz. As for the state of jazz music today, about 75% of it is "smooth jazz" & that's why it gets more airplay on Jazz/R&B radio stations.

I like both kinds of jazz.

both altho i think i listen to more smooth jazz per year then jazz