Exam season is quickly approaching and that means hard-core studying sessions with some pretty dope Spotify playlists. And while some of you may opt for an instrumental modern pop or lofi hip hop playlist to study to, classic smooth jazz is something you should also consider.
Hold up. You might be wondering, what exactly is smooth jazz?
You’ve probably heard smooth jazz being played in the elevator, hotel lobbies, on the phone when you’re put on hold or even on the Weather Channel. Dating back to the 1970s, the smooth jazz genre reached its peak popularity in the mid-1990s. Smooth jazz is a down-tempo genre of music mainly utilizing the saxophone, guitars, trombones and other low-sounding instruments. More often, songs in this category are just instrumentals that give a calming and even nostalgic feeling, setting the mood of good and chill vibes. It’s the perfect genre to listen to while studying because it’s lighthearted, easygoing and meant to be background music to a busy day. That being said, here are some five classic smooth jazz tracks you should listen to while studying for exams.
Side note: If you’re interested in learning more about smooth jazz, I highly recommend watching this informative Vox video.
- “Mister Magic” – Grover Washington Jr
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This is a must-listen for any jazz lovers or if you’re new to the smooth jazz genre. Released on February 7, 1975, “Mister Magic” rocked the charts with its simple guitar opening and infectious saxophone melody. Clocking in at just over nine minutes, the song is perfect while taking notes from your history textbook or while skimming over your notes for the upcoming math exam. Even once exams are over, this instrumental masterpiece is ideal for any Sunday morning.
- “Breezin’” – George Benson
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The guitar in this song! That’s all I have to say. But seriously though, the 1976 jazz guitar piece is a classic. In fact, the entire album itself is a three-times-platinum winner, bringing Benson commercial success and multiple Grammys. “Breezin’” makes you feel like you’re floating on air and truly provides that relaxed atmosphere needed to continue studying for your English elective exam. When things are looking tough and you feel like you want to quit, this is the smooth jazz track for you.
- “Feels So Good” – Chuck Mangione
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Perhaps you’ve already heard this song before without knowing the name as it played in 2016’s Doctor Strange when Strange performs brain surgery at the beginning of the film. As someone who used to play the trumpet and flugelhorn, I must say that I am pretty partial to this song, enraptured by its iconic melody. Not to mention the guitar solo in the middle of the song! “Feels So Good” is best to listen to when you’re already in a bit of a studying groove, helping keep the momentum going until the very end.
- “Bali Run” – Fourplay
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This is also a pretty solid song to listen to while preparing for a hectic exam season. As the opening track of the band’s debut album Fourplay, “Bali Run” is the upbeat opening track that will make you motivated to finish reviewing the flashcards that you made for the science exam. With its quiet start, the song slowly crescendos while simultaneously adding new layers on top of the groovy beat until it peaks with everyone playing the catchy melody. The 1991 album itself was extremely popular, spending an astonishing 33 weeks at No.1 on the Billboard Contemporary Jazz chart, making it an instant classic amongst jazz enthusiasts.
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“The Moment” – Kenny G
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Arguably the face of smooth jazz, Kenneth Gorelick, best known as Kenny G, hit his stride in the 1980s and 1990s with songs like “Songbird” and “Silhouette”. Having grown up with the sound of Kenny G, “The Moment” triumphs as the soprano sax softly serenades you as the sun starts to set, signalling the end of the day. Listen to this song when you get to the end of your study session to cool off and take a chance to relax.
Want even more smooth jazz artists to listen to? Here are a couple of other must-listen-to musicians to satisfy that smooth jazz craving:
Bob James, Sade, Dave Koz, Boney James, David Sanborn, Anita Baker, just to name a few!
And there you have it! With its cool rhythms, complex riffs and slick solos, smooth jazz is awesome to listen to while getting in some deep-focused studying sessions. Smooth jazz is clean, sophisticated, simple, intriguing and more importantly, it’s just nice to listen to. Good luck on your exams!