[Jeffrey T. MasonMember]

Once I walk away, all bets are off! Found out the new package is from Zone Radio Imaging, headed by Bruce Upchurch. Who knew the company was based in Phoenix of all places?

[dianablanton1984Member]

Not to be biased or anything, but the Zone Radio Imaging jingle for KOOL-FM just doesn’t sound right to me…

[kolossMember]

(whisper hd1)

Its not bad; it’s certainly not Jam; I think it sounds better than a lot of what others are doing now though, still has brass.
That fried out girl’s voice over certainly does not help

That jingle wants to be this one when it grows up…

JAM – DRQ by koloss8

[Jeffrey T. MasonMember]

I have no problem with the jingles in and of themselves. They’re very slick and sound like contemporary TM packages. However, I DO take issue with the “classic hits clash.” These jingles are produced similarly to TODAY’S hits. I don’t think they blend well with the songs KOOL plays. While it’s OK for jingles to “jump out of the radio” (Pro Radio demo – thanks Jon Wolfert), these just sound out of place to me.

I know Bruce reads this board. I’m not dissing your product! I just think it’s a mismatch for the format. But, what the heck do I know? I’m sure the PD is thrilled.

[mjb1124Member]

Perhaps I should withhold final judgment until I hear more of the package, but I too have mixed feelings. I don’t know if I’d say this TOH sounds completely out of place with 70’s/80’s hit music – it does at least have some brass as koloss noted. And it’s definitely not a badly produced jingle. But it doesn’t really capture the “classic top 40” sound that’s been heard on KOOL and other similar Classic Hits stations. I guess maybe KOOL is trying to move away from that, perhaps towards the more rock-based side of the “classic hits” format? I know WLS-FM has gone in that direction, though they’re still using classic JAM jingles at the moment.

In any case, I prefer the “classic top 40” sound, but I guess Bruce and company gave KOOL what they asked for. As far as JAM goes, they just recently another CBS Classic Hits station (KLUV) as a client, so I guess you win some and you lose some.

[Jeffrey T. MasonMember]

Some additional cuts recorded off-air…

94.5 KOOL-FM/Phoenix (new jingles 02/14/2013) by Jeffrey T. Mason

[mjb1124Member]

Yeah, the more I hear, the more I think these aren’t suited for the format. A few brass hits are all that distinguish this from a typical modern Hot AC or “Bob FM” type package. But I guess this is what the PD wanted. We do have to keep in mind that the original Hot KIIS resings for KOOL were done in the 80’s when that package was still quite modern. And even oldies packages like JAM’s Do It Again had rather modern production values for their era. I guess time has to march on, but I still think the retro top 40 sound works best on these types of stations.

[dianablanton1984Member]

The Zone jingles, in of themselves: not bad. But on a Classic Hits format, it doesn’t quite suit me too well. Oh well…. time to move on I suppose.

[945KBAYguy]

Wait a second, isn’t that top of the hour an updated and rerecorded version of the real sunny package from Thompson?

[945KBAYguy]

Yeah I did some more listening, This is a re done version of Real Sunny.

[Jeffrey T. MasonMember]

Yes, it sounds similar to that top hour talkover. It also sounds like the top hour from TM’s Motown Gold. The bed is formulaic. But, I’m pretty sure this package is a custom for KOOL.

[945KBAYguy]

With all due respect, I disagree. It would make sense, as Bruce also composed Real Sunny.
Kool-sunny Compared by Walter Huber

[Jeffrey T. MasonMember]

It’s certainly up Bruce’s alley, that’s for sure! Maybe he will read this and comment.

[mjb1124Member]

Yeah, it does sound like a remix of Real Sunny to me. Not too surprising since Radioscape gave a similar treatment to some of the Johnny Hooper Thompson cuts they inherited. I thought their KONO package worked a lot better for a Classic Hits format than this, though.

On another note, it seems that some of the JAM KOOL cuts are still on the air — in Albuquerque, that is! Have a listen to this jingle aircheck of KRKE, also going by “94.5 Kool FM”. Curiously, their Hot KIIS TOH jingle actually sings “K-O-O-L FM Albuquerque” (with the real legal ID being spoken over the ramp) — I’m guessing they must just had the city name sung specifically for them. Otherwise, it seems like they’re using the KOOL package from around 2008, with resings from “FM” among others..

94.5 Kool FM… Albuquerque! by mjb1124

[Jeffrey T. MasonMember]

The Hot KIIS cut is definitely different from ours in Phoenix. The call letters are a bit punchier on their version. But, those FM and Meltdown cuts are absolutely from the Phoenix master. One has to wonder if they ripped them off or actually relicensed them from JAM.

[TomNMemberAuthor]

What’s odd here is that the VO talent uses “KOOL 94.5” (or “the new KOOL 94.5”) as the positioner, but the jingles are “94.5 KOOL-FM”.

[mjb1124Member]

There’s a listing on ASCAP for a “KRKE Jingle Package” from JAM with the alternate title “KOOL-FM”. That probably means that they licensed the cuts, though I suppose that could just be for the TOH. But I’ve heard of stations licensing cuts previously sung for other stations before. I guess Jon could confirm/deny this.

And yeah, I did notice the discrepancy in the branding (the logo also says “KOOL 94.5”), though some voiceovers also refer to “KOOL FM”. Incidentally, according to Wikipedia, it seems like the station’s rebranding happened on February 14, which also seems to be the same day the Zone cuts debuted on KOOL Phoenix.

[Tracy CarmanMember]

http://www.zoneradioimaging.com

[ratnobMember]

Also, are they still in business, ZONE?

Seem to be, if the existence of the website is evidence, though the last ‘news’ update was Jan 2011.

[Tracy CarmanMember]

Yes — They ARE still in business.

[kolossMember]

I listened to more of these, and the TOH a dozen times or so; the logo melody does stick with you-and I like them, musically. They are very modern for an oldies station.

I think music has indeed moved on, oldies has moved on. We all have an image of what we remember or what we liked, or the first jingles we heard and want everything to be that way forever-
That said, things should always get better, not take a step back, as radio has unfortunately in so many ways; although-that could just be my view based on what I liked-once upon a time.

It is neat as jingle collectors we are -able to be- still hearing resung A LOT of what many of us grew up with; as in the clip of Kool (KRKE) Albuquerque above,
the vocals sound amazing- better than the originals-I am continually surprised hearing resings–

Ah well back to the 70s

[Jeffrey T. MasonMember]

I’m all for evolution. But, I’m not for clashing. KOOL’s playlist is centered in the 1970’s – with 60’s and 80’s mixed in. These jingles are produced like the music of TODAY. There’s a major disconnect from song to jingle to song. I like jingles that blend well with the music and bridge the gaps. Many other programmers want them to stand out and sound different. It all comes down to personal taste and philosophy.

[LenGroat]

“These jingles are produced like the music of TODAY. There’s a major disconnect from song to jingle to song”

Precisely!

And the people to blame are not the jingle company….. but the PD or ‘consultant’…..

[Jeffrey T. MasonMember]

Len, I wasn’t placing “blame” on anyone. I think the jingles sound great! I’m just saying they sound out of place on KOOL. Of course, I lost all my cred when I walked away from KOOL in November.

[passajou]

I think this Zone jingles are fantastic. I would like to hear more productions from this company.

[Author]

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