THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, January 21, 1996 TAG: 9601190136
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY CRAIG SHAPIRO, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Long : 118 lines
LAST MARCH, if someone had asked Neil McEvoy about Akira Jimbo, he would've guessed it was a spicy entree on the menus of fancy restaurants in New Orleans' French Quarter.
Thanks to a steady diet of WJCD-FM (105.3), the contemporary jazz outlet that signed on 10 months ago last week, he now knows Jimbo is recognized as one of the top percussionists in the field. He also knows Acoustic Alchemy, Sade and David Sanborn, and has become an especially big fan of Larry Carlton and Russ Freeman and the Rippingtons.
McEvoy, who tunes in at home in Chesapeake and on his commute to the Naval Air Station, used to consider himself a classic-rock guy.
``Now when I go into a record store,'' said the 42-year-old computer network technician, ``there's a 90 percent chance I'm coming out with contemporary jazz.''
WJCD program director Maxine Todd and operations manager Steve Crumbley were just as certain that Smooth Jazz CD 105.3 would get that kind of reception in Hampton Roads. But the natty, smooth-as-silk Crumbley can barely sit still when he recalls the day they sat down with the president and CEO of the U.S. Radio Group, which owns WJCD, WOWI-FM and WSVY-AM/FM.
It was Feb. 14 of last year at the home office in Philadelphia. The meeting started at 10:15 and didn't end until 3:45. Crumbley calls it ``The Valentine's Day Massacre.''
``We went up there with slides, projections, books - everything,'' he said. ``It was the longest day of my life. But they said, `Regardless of what we think, anytime you have the whole team behind you, you're going to knock some doors down. Go kick some . . . ' ''
Crumbley laughed. ``Because the reverse was, `If you don't . . . ' ''
``The reverse'' never entered into it.
Operating on the old WMXN signal, WJCD introduced the format - a mellower, more structured style of jazz - on March 17, and immediately struck a chord. When the spring Arbitrons came out in August, the station stunned the competition, vaulting to No. 1 among listeners ages 25-54, the most coveted of all advertising demographics. 103 JAMZ was right behind at No. 2.
In the summer book, WJCD showed it was no one-trick pony, not only cementing its hold on the 25-to-54 demo, but moving to No. 2 among listeners 12 and up, the bragging-rights category. WOWI, the market's longtime leader, was No. 1.
The important fall Arbitrons will be released Monday. Having shepherded WJCD so far so fast, is Crumbley, who oversees day-to-day operations at all three stations, anxious about Round 3?
``We have a sense of confidence,'' he said. ``It's not arrogance, we just believe in it. This company has a proven track record. Talk of the bubble bursting is not even part of our conversations.
``When the whole team feels it, there's a will that says nothing can stop you. That's what we have.''
The atmosphere at WJCD, even on a hectic day when engineers were setting up new studios for WOWI and WSVY, reflects Crumbley's low-key self-assurance.
A splash of colorful mums and pruned shrubs lines the sidewalk leading to the one-story, wood-and-brick building behind the Police Operations Center on Virginia Beach Boulevard. A mirrored mosaic of a jazz quartet hangs in the foyer. The lobby, tastefully done in shades of purple and beige, and dominated by an inviting leather sofa in the same hues, is dotted with paintings of jazzmen and gold and platinum records recognizing 103 JAMZ sales achievements.
It all says ``success,'' and it's all by design.
Literally.
``Good radio is driven by research,'' said Todd, relaxing in her office following an on-air shift. ``Smooth Jazz,'' a painting by local artist Ted Liles, hung behind her. Fattburger guitarist Steve Laury provided the background music.
``In September (1994), Steve and I started looking for a viable format to serve an adult-oriented audience. Contemporary jazz was taking off across the country.''
The first indication they had that the format might work in Hampton Roads was when 103 JAMZ started playing the saxophonist Na'jee on its evening ``Quiet Storm'' program. The next day, Crumbley said, the switchboard would light up with requests.
He and Todd then visited stations in Miami, New York and Washington, D.C. They met with local listeners.
``We basically knew the demographic and direction that we wanted to go,'' Todd said. ``Contemporary jazz is a pretty attractive format. It transcends age, gender and race, and it has the 25-to-54 demographic on its side.
``It works when you can sign on and be as familiar possible. You can't be too eclectic. We didn't want to come out of the box and be all-instrumental.''
Thus, Todd, who developed her taste for R&B while working at urban outlets WHRK and WDIA in Memphis, the city's No. 1 and 2 stations - and both owned by the U.S. Radio Group - programmed Anita Baker and Luther Vandross with saxmen Sanborn and Kenny G. She mixed in the Crusaders, Herbie Hancock and acid jazz.
When Smooth Jazz CD 105.3 made its first big ratings splash, she and Crumbley weren't too surprised. They also expected to do better across the board in the summer, but placing so high among younger listeners was the icing.
Todd attributes it to a strong marketing campaign and being new to the dial. ``It's a one-on-one sort of thing. We're making noise in a quiet sort of way.''
Crumbley has his own theory.
``Generation X'ers are different from the yuppies,'' he said. ``When we were growing up, it was either rock 'n' roll or Motown. Kids today have a variety of choices, and they use them. They don't stay with one type of music.''
And that bodes well for WJCD's future, Todd said. More record labels, recognizing the viability of the format, have expanded their rosters, so there's little chance of the music getting stale.
``I honestly haven't found a downside,'' she said. ``Certainly, the jazz police - the purists - might demand John Coltrane or Stan Kenton, but there's a place for them in the market. There's so much out there.
``We've found that we have to stay close to the format. What works here might not work in New York. What works in New York might not work in Chicago. We have our own signature sound, and that makes WJCD work here.'' ILLUSTRATION: Color photo
CHRISTOPHER REDDICK/The Virginian-Pilot
Maxine Todd is program director and Steve Crumbley is director of
operations at WJCD.
by CNB