Sirius 72, the “Pure Jazz” channel, is an oldies station. Sometimes it takes a while to break the radio code, even if you’re an old radio guy. Matt Abramowitz, the Sirius jazz programmer, told me they’re merely playing the “best” cuts so casual Sirius channel surfers will get a truly great experience if they try out Pure Jazz. Which is to say, We play the hits. I was the old jazz fan, hoping a dedicated jazz station would bring me up to date on the new artists and their output, since I haven’t spent much time with jazz, or had access to a jazz station, for years. What I’ve realized is that Pure Jazz sounds just like the jazz station I worked for in 1959. I feel like I’m in a time warp when I listen. They’re playing the great contemporary jazz of the late 50s because that’s what jazz sounded like before rock-n-roll took over the creative function in popular music. Can it be the music hasn’t moved on since then? Yes it has. But you won’t hear that stuff on Pure Jazz. When radio wants to play it safe, it plays the oldies, only. Just the hits. Satellite radio is just commercial radio without the commercials.

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