SOFTNOTES was a multi-hour music video block created for Black Entertainment Television

Black Entertainment Television

Black Entertainment Television is an American, Viacom-owned cable network based in Washington, D.C.. Currently viewed in more than 90 million homes worldwide, it is the most prominent television network targeting young Black-American audiences. The network was launched on January 25, 1980, by its...

. It debuted in the fall of 1987, and was created & produced by Alvin Jones (THE UNSEEN VJ), former host of Video Vibrations

Video Vibrations

Video Vibrations was a multi-hour long video block that showcased some of hottest music videos. It is also among one of BET's early video shows. The show debuted on BET in October 1984 and continued through the 1997. In 1997, it was changed to Vibrations.-Hosts:The show's host consisted of a VJ who...

. This video block focused on the genre known as Smooth Jazz, mixed up with R&B, Soft Rock, & Easy Listening videos. this also showed the growing diversity of BET

Bet

Bet or BET may refer to:* A wager in gambling* Basic Economics Test * Bet , the second letter in many Semitic alphabets, including Aramaic, Hebrew, Phoenician and Syriac* Brunauer-Emmett-Teller isotherm. See BET_theory...

, and paved the way for other Jazz dedicated shows like "Sound & style w/Ramsey Lewis

Ramsey Lewis

Ramsey Emmanuel Lewis, Jr. is an American jazz composer, pianist and radio personality. Ramsey Lewis has recorded over 80 albums and has received seven gold records and three Grammy Awards so far in his career.-Biography:...

, and Jazz Central. Eventually the program would spin off the BET on Jazz digital cable channel, which is currently Centric. 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, Kenny G, Najee, Jeff Lorber, Freddie Jackson, and numerous others had their videos shown on the program.