Smooth Jazz
Apple Music
Smooth jazz as we know it came from the personal aesthetic of producer Creed Taylor, who in the '60s began fusing cool jazz with sophisticated pop. His work with acts like Wes Montgomery, Freddie Hubbard, and George Benson incorporated elements of R&B and funk into jazz improvisation. By the '70s and '80s, Bob James, Al Jarreau, and Grover Washington Jr. perfected the style.