Smooth Gospel
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The mellow, adult-contemporary end of soul gospel: silky mid-tempo grooves and ballads with warm electric piano, soft synth pads, fretless bass, light percussion and, often, smooth-jazz saxophone. Vocals are polished and controlled, favoring tone and tasteful runs over shouting, and arrangements prize a relaxed, sophisticated groove. Closely related to quiet storm and smooth jazz, the style is built for adult listening and reflective worship. The mood is serene, refined and comforting.
History
Smooth gospel developed as the soul-gospel tradition met adult-contemporary and smooth-jazz production in the 1990s, with Fred Hammond's polished urban worship, BeBe & CeCe and CeCe Winans' crossover ballads, and Yolanda Adams' sophisticated vocals defining the sound. Saxophonist Kirk Whalum and pianist Ben Tankard brought instrumental smooth-jazz gospel to the format, and Commissioned's ballads supplied a blueprint. Marketed to adult urban and inspirational audiences, smooth gospel became a staple of Sunday-morning radio and quiet-time listening, a deliberately gentle counterpart to the choir's fire.
Defining artists
Essential listening
Sources
- Deborah Smith Pollard, When the Church Becomes Your Party (2008)
- Bil Carpenter, Uncloudy Days (2005)
- Billboard Gospel and Smooth Jazz chart histories