Can you recommend Jazz for some one that doesn't like Jazz?


Let me explain, I have tried to like jazz for over 30 years. I rarely find something I like. To me it sounds too disjointed, like everyone is trying to out do the others and they are all playing a different song. I know there has to be some good instrumental smooth jazz artists I am missing. If you have any suggestions of whom to try let me know. Some that are on my Jazz playlist is Pat Metheny-"It's for you"   Bill Frisell _"Heard it through the grapevine"  Holly Cole, George Benson... for an example of things I do like.

 

I'd love to have a 100 song Jazz playlist. So what'ch got for me?

Thanks

128x128fthompson251

@fthompson251

I’m right there with you. It’s like I’m supposed to like Miles Davis but the music is just meh to me. I appreciate the technical ability but it all just sounds like people playing scales.

That said I do find myself drawn to the quite a bit of it just not all the hard core

Cannonball Adderley Nancy Wilson
Oscar Nelson Blues And The Abstract Truth
Paolo Fresu Alma
Paolo Fresu Mare Nostrum
Lady Blackbird
Sidsel Endresen, Bugge Wesseltoft Out Here. In There (which gets kinda out there but grows on you)
and then classic jazz singers Ella, Sara, Dinah Washington and not really jazz but has to mentioned Etta James

 

This is great everyone and thank you for all the suggestions, I got some homework to do! I should have not described my wishes as smooth jazz, that isn't correct. Some I have already added to the Jazz playlist are Kenny Burell, Wes Montgomery, Ron Carter, Stanley Turrentine and Bob Brookmeyer. THANK YOU!

@fthompson251 -

Since you mentioned Ron Carter, check out the duet recordings he did with Houston Person.

Chemistry

Dialogue

Now's the Time

Interesting thread as I also find Jazz confusing. I like George Benson Breezing, Vince Guaraldi Peanuts (big childhood fan), and some 1939-1940s jazz I heard in movies. Never warmed up to Bill Evan’s, Miles Davis, or thus type of seemingly “Freeform” jazz - some trumpet solos just sound awful/irritating, lacking melodies. I tried to look up jazz genres, there were over 30 - totally confusing. So I gave up digging into jazz for now as I have plenty of other favored genres to explore: rock, classical, vocals, soundtracks, big band, etc.