New "Mellow Jazz" Channel from AccuJazz

[AccuJazz]

Hey Organissimo, it's Lucas from AccuJazz letting you know about our newest channel. It's called "Mellow Jazz," and it's a celebration of the jazz ballad in all its glorious forms. Check out the main release below, or just cut to the chase.

To celebrate the softer side of jazz, AccuJazz Internet radio has introduced a new channel called "Mellow Jazz." Playing over 1,000 recordings of ballads by great jazz musicians, the channel is completely free to use and available 24 hours a day at AccuJazz.com.

Throughout its history, jazz has first and foremost been a music of explosive, infectious rhythms. It was the syncopated, "hot" rhythms of the first New Orleans jazz bands that heralded a revolutionary new style, not any new chords or innovative instrumentation. While swinging rhythm is a defining characteristic of jazz, there has always been a flip side to the music's insistent pulse: romantic, soul-searching balladry, presented at slow tempos. The focus in this style is more about creating a mood and telling a story than provoking a visceral physical response in the listener (though there are certainly countless instances of slow jazz ballads that swing like mad -- Oscar Peterson trio, anyone?)

Golden-toned tenor saxophonists like Coleman Hawkins and Ben Webster were early masters of the style, and every great jazz musician since them has incorporated ballads in to their repertoire. The relaxed, soulful, and romantic sound of a well-delivered jazz ballad has long been a hallmark of smoky jazz clubs, elegant dinner parties, and makeout sessions. Now, listeners wanting to create that mood need look no further than AccuJazz.com's "Mellow Jazz" channel.

Despite its seemingly narrow focus, the "Mellow Jazz" playlist is far from monotonous. Jazz musicians are never lacking in inventiveness, and their treatment of slower tempos is no exception. There's the sensous bossa nova of Stan Getz and Joao Gilberto, the ornate pianism of Erroll Garner and Ahmad Jamal, big band ballads by Basie and Ellington, and romantic vocals from Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald, Dianne Reeves and many more.

"Mellow Jazz" brings the total AccuJazz channel tally to 46, including such popular channels as "Piano Jazz," "Decade: 50s," "Straight Ahead," and "Jazz Fusion." As with all AccuJazz channels, listeners can customize their experience by pausing, skipping songs, and "deselecting" artists they would rather not hear. Listen now at AccuJazz.com.

[Dan Gould]

I am so glad to see what's on this channel, and more importantly, what's not.

I was afraid I was going to feel obligated to tear you a new one if Dave Koz or Boney James was among the featured artists.

[AllenLowe]

I don't know...the softer side of jazz -

you guys may need some musical Viagra -

or maybe some Organ enhancement meds -

suffering from pianist envy?

Edited August 7, 2009 by AllenLowe