There’s a part of me that truly despises most smooth jazz. Some of this deep seeded abhorrence I harbor for the genre may be due in part to the “purist” side of the brain, while some of it may be attributed to it’s association with elevator music, which as well all know, is heard in such unnerving places as the good ol’ doctor’s offices. That place always gives me the creeps. The irony of all this is today’s “smooth jazz” centerpiece features one song I do remember hearing in elevators, hotel lobbies, convenience stores in the airport and while on hold with the local cable company on the phone. And simply put, I fucks with it. The atmospheric vibe of it is super chill, and for DJ Shok to flip it into something as sincere as DMX’s Slippin’ is moving. The other two songs featured here are probably too funky to be considered “background music.” Nonetheless, Grover Washington Jr.’s Feels So Good, arranged by the one and only Bob James, is proof (at least to me) that not all smooth jazz is eerie fluff that makes you want to pull your own wisdom teeth out instead of waiting in the lobby of your dentist and having enough self control not to throw a chair at the ceiling speakers.
Grover Washington Jr. – Moonstreams
