''FCB Cool'' Returns Smooth Jazz Radio to Cleveland

RADIO ONLINE | Monday, August 21, 2023

''FCB Cool''

Since the 2019 end of "The Wave" in Cleveland, there has not been a concerted effort to target the market's large Smooth Jazz audience. The First Class Broadcasting Corporation, headquartered in Cleveland, is filling the void with its streaming radio station "FCB Cool." Soft launched in 2020, "FCB Cool" has cultivated a strong and loyal audience. The station has built a considerable distribution network, with availability on iHeartRadio, Audacy and TuneIn.

This month the station has released its own FCB Cool Radio app for iOS and Android devices. The station's growth has even led to working with artists like Gregory Porter, helping to promote his successful concert at Playhouse Square in 2022.

The foundation of FCB Cool's success is its unique take on the format. "We call it Smooth Jazz and Slow Jams," said First Class Broadcasting (FCB) CEO Darvio Morrow. "We realized that there is a considerable overlap between Smooth Jazz and R&B fans, so we carefully curated the format to tailor to that audience."

On FCB Cool it's common to hear Smooth Jazz mainstays like Boney James or Dave Koz next to some of today's R&B artists like Ella Mai or Lucky Daye as well as Soul or old school R&B acts like Earth, Wind and Fire or The Isley Brothers.

"Smooth Jazz has one of the most racially diverse fanbases of any musical genre," added Morrow. "As a Black owned company, we understand the importance of this music as a part of our cultural legacy. Traditional radio abandoned the format, but we still see the value in it, especially the Urban infused version that we've created."