mixing critique for smooth jazz listing

[niallyboy]

Hey All,

I presented this track awhile ago for constructive feedback, and few of you (plus a screener) felt it was was a little derivative of a tune which I won't now say. I've embellished-- and hopefully have hidden-- some of the unintentionally derivative motifs, so please let me know if it still rings a bell you can name. The tune is Why Do I Love You, found on my Taxi page.

Also, are the strings and/or sax too hot in the mix? Is the cut too retro?? Here's the listing:

CONTEMPORARY, SMOOTH JAZZ INSTRUMENTALS are needed by a very active Music Publishing Company for a number of great placements in TV shows and films. Give them sophisticated Instrumentals in the general stylistic ballpark of "Given It Up" by Richard Elliot, "Sunset Boulevard" by Boney James, "So Good" by Brian Culbertson, etc., etc., etc. All-Tempos and ensemble size recordings are welcome for this pitch. Quoting the source: "We're open to any saxophone-based, piano-based, trumpet-based, or flute-based Smooth Jazz, as long as it's performed incredibly well, with a true Smooth Jazz sound."

Thanks in advance for everyone's great ears,

Niall

[cameron]

Wow, nothing wrong with that track! Sounds great. Retro? Well, I'm 59 so anything after 1975 sounds current to me. I do hear a bit of a late 70s Bob James vibe, so perhaps that's what you mean by retro, but I can't say that I really know what contemporary smooth jazz sounds like.

The sax wasn't too hot at all, but the synth pad way in the background seemed to me like it could have been a tad louder earlier on the song... seems you brought it up as the song went on.. Perhaps that was intentional to allow the song to build, and of course it's a subjective thing rather than a flaw.

There's no substitute for musicianship, and you've got a ton of that.