Retro Smooth Jazz/Fusion mix: '80s & '90s classics!

Introducing the latest mix of retro smooth jazz & fusion from 1982-1992. This four hour playlist highlights some of my favorite cuts from the past, all from my archive of CDs & LPs. To me, this "era" was the peak for jazz/fusion music, later coined "smooth jazz", although to me it is much more than that blanket term. Once synthesizers hit the scene in the late '70s-early '80s, and other styles (funk, rock, R&B, etc) began fusing with traditional jazz styles, what was born was a new form of accessible yet progressive, vivid and contemporary sound that so many inspired artists evolved during that time of musical prosperity and creativity. I hope you enjoy this playlist of some of the best-of-the-best from the golden era!

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Playlist TIME STAMPS in comments below :)

[KJCMuzique]

00:01 "September Rain" ~ George Howard [CD: Love Will Follow, 1986]

05:27 "Easter Island" ~ Russ Freeman [CD: Nocturnal Playground, 1986]

10:55 "Journey" ~ The Wave [CD: The Wave, 1987]

15:21 "Song for Family" ~ Frank Gambale [CD: Brave New Guitar, 1986]

20:22 "The Beauty of It All" ~ Carlos Reyes [CD: The Beauty of It All, 1988]

24:50 "Ocean Breeze" ~ Emil Palame [CD: Home Free, 1990]

29:30 "Looking Up" ~ Choice [CD: Double Talk, 1986]

34:47 "Tequila Sunrise" ~ Lee Ritenour, Dave Grusin [LP: Tequila Sunrise OST, 1988]

38:51 "New York Street Walk" ~ Teruo Nakamura & Superfriends [CD: Wind Smile, 1990]

42:57 "Center of Gravity" ~ Max Groove [CD: Center of Gravity, 1987]

47:16 "Art Craft" ~ Hajime Mizoguchi [CD: A Pretty Dance, 1987]

52:03 "Flasher" ~ Uncle Festive [CD: Say Uncle, 1987]

56:44 "Intersection" ~ Marcos Silva & Intersection [CD: White & Black, 1989]

1:00:21 "Scratching The Surface" ~ The 'B' Team [LP: The Best of 94Q's Jazz Flavours, 1985]

1:05:04 "Sevilla Breeze" ~ Himiko Kikuchi [CD: Sevilla Breeze, 1988]

1:10:21 "Sunday Afternoon" ~ Vital Information [CD: Fiafiaga, 1988]

1:15:17 "This And That" ~ Wishful Thinking [CD: Way Down West, 1988]

1:21:07 "Samurai" ~ Reel To Real [CD: Through That Door, 1990]

1:25:15 "The Station" ~ Richard Smith Unit [CD: Puma Creek, 1986]

1:31:08 "Hands" ~ Tom Grant [LP: Night Charade, 1987]

1:37:37 "Tag, You're It!" ~ Oceans [CD: Ridin' The Tide, 1989]

1:42:08 "Obsession" ~ Velas [CD: Ilha Dos Frades, 1989]

1:46:18 "Lugares Cruzados" ~ André Sarbib [CD: Silêncio Das Águas, 1990]

1:51:41 "Up On The Hill" ~ Velas [CD: Ilha Dos Frades, 1989]

1:55:15 "Through The Lens" ~ Checkfield [CD: Through The Lens, 1988]

1:59:44 "If I Ever Change Your Mind" ~ Michael Paulo [CD: One Passion, 1989]

2:04:37 "Solo Flight" ~ Michael Dowdle [CD: Touch, 1989]

2:08:23 "Nocturnal Playground" ~ Russ Freeman [CD: Nocturnal Playground]

2:14:48 "Whispering Wings" ~ Brian Keane [CD: Common Planet, 1992]

2:20:12 "Concetta" ~ Emil Palame [CD: Home Free, 1990]

2:24:02 "It Can't Be Forever" ~ George Howard [CD: Love Will Follow, 1986]

2:29:04 "Anthem" ~ Daryl Stuermer [CD: Steppin' Out, 1988]

2:34:41 "The Winds of Change" ~ Oceans [CD: Ridin' The Tide, 1989]

2:39:05 "Destination" ~ Peter Moffitt [CD: Zoe's Song, 1987]

2:45:01 "Grusin's Groove" ~ Harvey Mason [LP: Stone Mason, 1982]

2:50:17 "Save The Sunlight" ~ Cecil Welch & The Most Necessary Touch [CD: Prazz, 1988]

2:54:52 "Everything's Gonna Be Alright" ~ Hollis Gentry [LP: Neon, 1987]

3:00:02 "By George" ~ Tom Grant [CD: Just The Right Moment, 1985]

3:03:39 "Rendezvous" ~ Sadao Watanabe [CD: Rendez-Vous, 1984]

3:08:42 "Puma Creek" ~ Richard Smith Unit [CD: Puma Creek, 1986]

3:13:42 "Air Pudding" ~ Sam Cardon [CD: Impulse, 1989]

3:20:36 "Little One" ~ Tony Guerrero [CD: Different Places, 1989]

3:27:35 "Helen Ann" ~ Richard Smith Unit [CD: Puma Creek, 1986]

3:33:20 "Circles In The Sand" ~ Andrew White [CD: Conversations, 1984]

3:37:00 "China Cove" ~ Dream Patrol [CD: Phoning The Czar, 1988]

3:42:13 "Paradise Cove" ~ Russ Freeman [CD: Nocturnal Playground, 1986]

3:46:34 "Ridin' The Tide" ~ Oceans [CD: Ridin' The Tide, 1989]

[Featheon]

Now that Smooth Jazz Nation Power stopped uploading, I think I’ve found my new daily driver.

[marissabillups]

Thank you for uploading the music again, Kyle. I miss the smooth jazz sound from the 80s/90s. It brings me back. 90s nostalgia.

[andrewj]

Steve Smith would be proud to know you included @ 1:10:21 "Sunday Afternoon." I thank you as well! Was this track ever on the airwaves that you know of? Thanks again!

It's nice George Howard is included as well. He was such a fantastic saxophone artist.

[errolbaptiste]

Thank you for the amazing instrumental tracks of Jazz Fusion during the 1980s and 1990s from my late teenage years and twenties.

[paultsmith]

Great music right here. Takes you back to the good ole days of smooth jazz/fusion

[niXity]

1:00:21 Such a great one. 1 in the morning, finishing up some work and going on vacation after that.

[minamiyamoto]

Thanks for reminding us the great sounds of an almost faded era.
It brings back a lot of both sweet and bitter.
Thanks a lot, pal, for your fine work and splendid upload ! ! !

[Woter_X]

This is that smooth jazz I heard when I was 5

[tendraftsdeep]

Love love your stuff here Sir! I was a jazz and 80's new wave kid. Got into Kitaro, The Rippingtons, Pat Metheny, Andreas Vollenweider late 80's, Miami Vice, Sade, Sting, this is home here. I keep these playlists going all around the house, kitchen tv, etc. Great to see you upload, most of the stuff I see is from couple years ago. Keep on rockin all us cool cats!

[charlesgrey]

Aaah, a breathing moment in this upside down world with music spherics from my younger days 🎶💖👌 Thnx4Upld👍

[Dano]

You've done it again, dude! Reconnected me with an old favorite from my lost tape collection...at 1:31:08. Tom Grant "Hands". It's been a long time. Didn't know any information about the song. Just remembered that groove. Huge thanks!!! NEVER would have found this tune again. Greatly appreciated!👍

[lxmx]

Excellent compilation, almost four hours of happiness, thank you very much.

[CountAudio]

I’ve got this playing while checking my local forecast about every ten minutes.

[henrysaizofficial]

Your mixes bring so much joy to the global JZ family, thank you Kyle ❤

[bigben]

Brings me back to when I first got into jazz fusion, 1987! Love that song journey but can’t find it for jack! Lol

[steve]

Got it Kyle, Enjoying the sounds!Thank you for another great compilation of tunes from “ The Era”

[jazzista]

Kyle: listening while having a Macallan 15 at home! What a nice selection. Thanks for bringing great memories.

[SIMONHEAT]

An amazing selection and mixc of the coolest and freshest sounds from the best music era ever, as always Kyle.
Awesome work.

Can't wait for you 3rd solo album.
And damn, please, upload Michael Dowdle-Touch, full album!

[marlonhouston]

Kyle man this is a great session. Thank u my brother. 👍🏾