Make a Jazz Noise Here

[Dancing Divertimentian]

As a newbie outsider I don't draw much distinction between smooth and cool. If it conjures up smoke filled basement bars with nodding hep-cats going "yah man" and features a lot of brush on the drums, then I probably won't like it.

We'll, that's just it. What you're describing is the definition of "smooth", or put another way, "lounge". Brubeck has none of these characteristics in his sound. So the two are not related.

[Dancing Divertimentian]

If you don't like this, I have nothing else to say..   
https://www.youtube.com/v/gwaFDFP7m_E

Wow, very cool, Karlo. Thanks.

[bwv 1080]

We'll, that's just it. What you're describing is the definition of "smooth", or put another way, "lounge". Brubeck has none of these characteristics in his sound. So the two are not related.

No that's cool.  Smooth is soprano sax, white wine and a hot tub. Lounge is Tom Jones in the Stardust Casino

[NJ Joe]

Lounge is Tom Jones in the Stardust Casino

A guy goes to the doctor and the doctor examines the guy and says, "I'm sorry to tell you this, but you've got Tom Jones Disease."
The guy says, "Tom Jones Disease? I've never heard of it. Is it rare?"
The doctor says, "It's not unusual."

[Mirror Image]

A guy goes to the doctor and the doctor examines the guy and says, "I'm sorry to tell you this, but you've got Tom Jones Disease."
The guy says, "Tom Jones Disease? I've never heard of it. Is it rare?"
The doctor says, "It's not unusual."

[bwv 1080]

A guy goes to the doctor and the doctor examines the guy and says, "I'm sorry to tell you this, but you've got Tom Jones Disease."
The guy says, "Tom Jones Disease? I've never heard of it. Is it rare?"
The doctor says, "It's not unusual."

Ha:)

Q. You are in a room with Kenny G, Stalin and Hitler and have a revolver with only two bullets, who do you shoot?

A. Kenny G twice 

[Ken B]

Interesting! I feel better about confusing cool and smooth, since there seems to be disagreement!
Was that video cool or smooth Karlo? I would say either tag fits, as an outsider looking in.

[bwv 1080]

Interesting! I feel better about confusing cool and smooth, since there seems to be disagreement!
Was that video cool or smooth Karlo? I would say either tag fits, as an outsider looking in.

No confusion, look at the Wikipedia articles I linked to.  The 1957 Miles album is Birth of the Cool, not birth of the smooth.  Smooth is an 80s and 90s phenomenon and marks the sorry end of fusion

[kishnevi]

think of it this way:  the radio station that says it plays smooth jazz goes by the moniker love 94

[Mirror Image]

Another example of Cool Jazz:

http://www.youtube.com/v/7s8mU2NUk0g

For me, Cool Jazz is mostly associated with the Pacific Coast jazz musicians. The music isn't as intense as their hard-bop counterparts on the East Coast. It still sizzles, but clearly in it's own way.

[Brian]

Cheap excuse to shoehorn in my favorite Tom Jones joke of all time:

http://www.youtube.com/v/aYIwPu50Fic

John/MI, that's a great track, thanks for posting it

[Mirror Image]

John/MI, that's a great track, thanks for posting it

Yeah, I loved when Chet didn't sing and thankfully there are many albums that just feature his fantastic trumpet playing.

[Mirror Image]

And here's who I might consider the 'Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers' of the Cool Jazz scene: Shelly Manne & His Men -

http://www.youtube.com/v/0oFLp4MzZvE

Love Conte Candoli's trumpet playing. Russ Freeman on piano and Richie Kamuca on tenor saxophone aren't slouches either.

[North Star]

Interesting! I feel better about confusing cool and smooth, since there seems to be disagreement!
Was that video cool or smooth Karlo? I would say either tag fits, as an outsider looking in.

It was anything but smooth, but actually Green & al. are more in the Hard Bop/Post Bop/Soul Jazz genre - on this one their playing just happens to be cool.

Brown & Roach here are a better approximation of the definition of Cool, I think - and Chet Baker, whom John mentioned, is a great example.

https://www.youtube.com/v/tpILJTxT1_s

[NJ Joe]

Here's some nice smooth jazz to help you start your day:

http://www.youtube.com/v/D7zEt8HBGBM

[Henk]

Here's some nice smooth jazz to help you start your day:

http://www.youtube.com/v/D7zEt8HBGBM

Nice indeed. Thanks.

Paul Taylor - Tenacity is also nice, more smooth. Just released.

[escher]

Brown & Roach here are a better approximation of the definition of Cool

I think that Brown was considered an hard bop musician.
This is cool:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=noVTbHmB76k

[North Star]

I think that Brown was considered an hard bop musician.

Cool Jazz & Hard Bop are anything but distinct, easily separable styles.

These should help Ken B:
History of Cool Jazz in 100 Tracks
Definitive Cool Discography

[escher]

Cool Jazz & Hard Bop are anything but distinct, easily separable styles.

well, cool is a style a lot more detached and measured, often more slow and cerebral, while hard bop is more "rough", fast and with an emphasis on the improvisation. After that, you're right that a lot of things that are not so easy to pigeonhole, but there's also a clear difference between players like Sonny Rollins, Clifford Brown or Horace Silver and a Tristano, a Jimmy Giuffre or a Paul Desmond (by the way, I love Desmond).

[San Antone]

I have trouble with the term "jazz" ...