November 6, 2009 in Features

Smooth Jazz Society is on a musical mission

Cindy Hval Correspondent

Barry Aiken, center, and NorthPoint perform Saturday at Windows. Courtesy of Barry Aiken
(Full-size photo)

When Dolores Gonzales moved to Spokane from Los Angeles, she didn’t miss the traffic or the hectic lifestyle of Southern California, but she did miss the music.

“In bigger cities, smooth jazz is the music of choice for mature adults,” she says.

So five years ago, she and a co-worker launched the Smooth Jazz Society of the Inland Northwest.

Smooth or contemporary jazz emerged in the ’70s, pioneered by musicians like Kenny G, Michael Bolton and George Benson.

“It’s a younger jazz with more of an R&B beat,” says Gonzales. “The reason it’s been so slow to catch on here …

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