''Softnotes'' is a multi-hour music television program created for

BET Black Entertainment Television (BET) is an American basic cable channel targeting Black American audiences. It is the flagship channel of the BET Media Group, a subsidiary of Paramount Global's CBS Entertainment Group. Originally launched ...

. It debuted in 1987, and was created and produced by Alvin Jones (THE UNSEEN VJ), the former host of '' Video Vibrations''. This program focused on the genre known as Smooth Jazz, mixing up R&B, Soft Rock, & Easy Listening videos. This also showed the growing diversity of BET, and paved the way for other Jazz-dedicated shows like ''Sound & Style with

Ramsey Lewis Ramsey Emmanuel Lewis Jr. (May 27, 1935 – September 12, 2022) was an American jazz piano, jazz pianist, composer, and radio personality. Lewis recorded over 80 albums and received five RIAA certification, gold records and three Grammy Awards ...

'' and ''Jazz Central''. Eventually, the program spun off the BET on Jazz digital cable channel, which is currently

BET Her BET Her is an American basic cable television network currently owned by the BET Media Group subsidiary of Paramount Global's CBS Entertainment Group. The channel originally launched in 1996 as BET on Jazz, a spin-off from BET with a focus on ...

. ''Softnotes'' remained on the air until 1991, and Paul Porter (Alvin Jones' successor for Video Vibrations) would host the remainder of the show until it went off the air in mid-late 1991. Artists like

Anita Baker Anita Denise Baker (born January 26, 1958) is an American jazz and soul singer. She is known for her soulful ballads, particularly from the height of the quiet storm period in the 1980s. Starting her career in the late 1970s with the funk ban ...

Kenny G Kenneth Bruce Gorelick (born June 5, 1956) is an American smooth jazz saxophonist, composer, and record producer. His 1986 album ''Duotones'' brought him commercial success. Kenny G is one of the List of best-selling music artists, best-selli ...

Najee Jerome Najee Rasheed (born November 4, 1957, New York City), known professionally as Najee, is an American jazz saxophonist and flautist. Early life Najee was born in the lower west side of Manhattan in New York City and lived his teenage years ...

Jeff Lorber Jeffrey H. Lorber (born November 4, 1952) is an American keyboardist, composer, and record producer. After six previous nominations, Lorber won his first Grammy Award on January 28, 2018 for Best Contemporary Instrumental Album for ''Prototype'' ...

, Freddie Jackson, and others had their music videos shown on the program.

References

BET original programming 1987 American television series debuts 1991 American television series endings {{US-music-tv-prog-stub