Smooth jazz? Screw that. You want to hear jazz? Crank this one up as loud as you can. (To be played LOUD):
Return to Forever. Chick Corea. Al DeMeola. Stanley Clark. Lenny White. Etc. My guitar playing younger BIL introduced me to this group and music style in the late 70s.
Not particularly "easy listening" which created the opening for "smooth jazz," in my view.
Elements of "fusion" were always around. And it is very cool. Steely Dan for example. The Doors. Jethro Tull. Van Morrison.
Jazz Fusion of jus Fussion
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jazz_fusion