After decades of presenting Smooth Jazz in New York either as a Producer for NY based Marquee
Concerts, or as a Promoter, the founder of the CD101.9 Smooth Cruise is bringing live “Contemporary
Jazz” and R&B to New Jersey.
Rich Engel a New Jersey resident has for decades, been involved with Smooth Jazz in NY with a particular
concentration on the “Smooth Cruise” a two-hour music sailing on the Hudson River, with a view of the
New York City skyline.
With the advent of Covid 19, the Smooth Cruise ended operations after the summer of 2019. Recognizing that approximately half of the passengers on the Smooth Cruise New York were making the trip from N.J. to see the top names in Adult Contemporary Jazz and R&B, it seemed apparent that a void
existed.
With too few venues in New Jersey offering live nationally recognized Smooth Jazz and R&B artists, the
creation of Smooth Jazz New Jersey now exists. The mission is to bring live nationally recognized
contemporary Jazz and R&B music to venues in New Jersey.