I want to get your take on this subject. [[and I hope we can agree to disagree. Let's not start any verbal insults towards one another,on this thread please)

Smooth Jazz format seems to still exist in certain areas on the map. [[it has returned back on the airwaves here in Chicago) Here's the problem I have with the format. They place music by artist like Chris Botti,Boney James,Kenny G, etc;and then throw in artist like Mike McDonald,Celine Dion,Anita Baker,Phil Collins,Luther Vandross,Stevie Wonder, Michael Bolton etc;
I know the difference between a smooth jazz artist from a pop or soul artist,but to combine all 3 genres of music and call it "smooth jazz ?" PLEASE !

The artist who's music should be played on these so called 'smooth jazz" formats,but are widely ignored is a huge slap in the face.
Ex. [[early CTI material George Benson,Grover Washington Jr.Bob James)
Weather Report [[besides "Birdland")
Tom Scott
Stanley Turrentine
Return to Forever
Tom Browne
Kool and the Gang [[besides "Summer Madness")
The Crusaders [[besides "Street Life")
George Duke [[early material from the 70s -early 80s)

I hope you get my drift. The Smooth Jazz format doesn't work for me,because they play the "usual suspects" and mixes pop and soul/R&B artist in their format,while they puposely omit the artist who's music could fit into the format.

When the format first started, it was pretty good,and I enjoyed what I was hearing. Then all of the sudden,it changed dramatically and I couldn't listen to it anymore.

The fusion/contemporary jazz was huge in the late 60s,early to mid 70s,with the CTI, Blue Note,Kudo,Tappan Zee,etc; and it leaned more towards a rockish to R&B FUNK groove mixed in. [[maybe that's why smooth jazz won't play them) lol

My question is do you like contemporary jazz/jazz fusion or do you prefer smooth jazz?
Please state your reason,why you like or dislike either format.

There's a reason why I'm posting this,and I hope you will understand in the end where I'm coming from.
Thanks

[[Notice,I didn't mention Straight Ahead,Bop,Mainstream or Free Jazz, because that's a different subject,and a different style of jazz, which I by the way love ! )