Crossover Jazz
Also known as jazz-pop, pop-jazz
A polished, commercial branch of jazz that became especially visible in the 1970s, crossover jazz often trades sharp edges for melody, groove, and a wider radio reach.
Origins and context
The genre name is used for jazz recordings shaped for broader pop and R&B audiences, especially in the 1970s and early 1980s.
History
The label took shape in the 1970s as jazz artists and producers looked for ways to reach listeners beyond the core jazz audience. AllMusic describes the style as a set of jazz-pop combinations that became more visible once electric jazz had proved commercially viable, while also noting that some records marketed this way drift so far toward pop that they are better described as instrumental pop. In practice, the term is often attached to recordings by artists such as George Benson and Grover Washington, Jr., whose 1970s and early-1980s releases helped define a smoother, more accessible branch of jazz. Benson’s Breezin’ is widely cited as a breakthrough crossover success, and Apple Music notes that it became the first album by a jazz artist to go platinum while topping pop, jazz, and R&B charts; Washington’s Mister Magic is similarly presented as a soulful, R&B-tinged jazz record that still keeps its improvisational center.
Notable artists
- GBGeorge Benson
- GWGrover Washington, Jr.
Essential listening
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Explore connected genres
Sources and further reading
- Crossover Jazz Music Style Overview
- George Benson artist page
- Apple Music
Grover Washington, Jr.'s Mister Magic is presented by Apple Music as a mid-1970s record with a soulful, R&B-aware production feel that still preserves strong soloing.
- Grover Washington, Jr. artist page