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History

The term 'acid jazz' was coined by a DJ in England years ago in response to the different groove of this new music when it hit the streets," K-Nee explained. "There was a movement called 'acid house, ' and 'acid jazz' was just sort of an off-the-cuff comment, I think. This music tends to be mellower, slower in tempo, and more soulful than traditional house music and a lot of other club music. It has the emotion that people tend to feel in great jazz music of the past. I don't know what the 'acid' is!"

In this tiny studio, among the stacks of CDs representing a long lineage of jazz greats-- Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, Bill Evans, Joshua Redman, Jon Scofield-- K-Nee adds a stack of his own in preparation for the evening's show. This time, the names are Massive Attack, Young Disciples, The Sneaker Pimps, Maxwell, Jill Scott, Mondo Grosso, Block 16, and Sun Ra. K-Nee asks his listeners to "feel the vibe, feel the groove." The phone rings, and a late-night voice asks for a favorite cut from a different show, or asks the identity of the previous artist. "There are some definite classics in this music," K-Nee said, referring to bands like Brand New Heavies, who in the early '90s London club scene made a mark with its slower, soulful, eclectic dance music.

The transfer of acid jazz over the Atlantic Ocean first hit New York City and quickly spread to other metropolitan areas like San Francisco.

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