ACCOUSTIC guitarist Earl Klugh is one of the true pioneers of smooth jazz.

Yet, he was unknown to the mainstream until rebel rapper Tupac Shakur sampled his 1976 song Living Inside Your Love.

For Klugh, a Detroit native who had toured and recorded extensively with the likes of guitar great George Benson, getting the thumbs-up from the rap icon was a major compliment.

“That was very nice, sampling is another avenue of extending an artiste’s career. It made me feel like I’m keeping up with the youngsters,” Klugh told the Observer.

Klugh and his band will perform on closing night of the Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival, which takes place January 26-28 at the Trelawny Multi-purpose Stadium. He said it will be his second appearance in Jamaica, having played in Montego Bay during the 1990s.

Now 58, Klugh is best known for Living Inside Your Love and his 1979 album, Heartstring. Another highly-rated set is Collaboration which he did with Benson. His distinctive playing can be heard on Overjoyed, a big hit for Stevie Wonder in 1985.

Klugh has been performing since the early 1970s when the first tones of smooth jazz were being heard in the music of Rhythm and Blues artistes like Donny Hathaway and Roberta Flack.

The genre exploded later that decade with jazz purists like super producer Quincy Jones embracing its radio-friendly feel. Jones’ camp included singers James Ingram, Patti Austin and the Johnson Brothers, all of whom had a jazz background.

Klugh believes the sound he helped nurture became a victim of the times in the 1980s as the music business made the revolutionary move from vinyl to compact disc.

“Once CDs became popular people were expecting hours of music and that wasn’t necessarily good for musicians like me who are used to making albums lasting 35-40 minutes,” he explained.

The mainstream format seemed to suit a new wave of smooth jazz instrumentalists who emerged in the 1990s. Saxophonists Kenny G, Gerald Albright and Najee had million-selling albums, while singers such as Will Downing delivered well-received efforts that made the Billboard magazine charts.

By the end of that decade, however, major labels had had their fill of light jazz performers. Despite the significant drop in sales, Klugh says there is a place for smooth jazz artistes once they deliver suitable music.

“Once it’s good it will sell. People are still looking for quality music,” he said.

Though many of his contemporaries have gone the commercial route, Klugh stays true to the music he was weaned on. He still listens to his favourite guitarists who are Jimmy Burrell, Pat Metheny and the fabulous Benson.

He does not record as much as the old days when he released the obligatory annual album. His last studio effort, The Spice of Life, was released in 2008.