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Is improvisational jazz to impressionism art as smooth jazz is to realism art?

So, I’ll acknowledge up front, I’m an engineer. Civilian and Warfighter lives can be in the balance depending on whether our company products perform as required or not. As a result, I try very hard to drive the entropic world we live in towards black and white as much as possible. I need to put order to chaos. When i look at art, impressionistic art requires a lot of mental work to make sense of. I just don't see it or get it, appreciate it or like it. I also find, as hard as i may try to enjoy improvisational jazz, that i don't get it, appreciate it, or like it. Instead, I love Realism art and instrumental smooth jazz!!
Reading from Audiogon forum pages for a couple of years now, i feel like i should feel inferior because 1. I don’t appreciate the free flow of expression that is improvisational jazz and 2. I love that there is a tune and thread in smooth jazz. I love the guitar artistry of Chuck Loeb, Chris Standring, and Acoustic Alchemy; the trumpet expressions of Rick Braun, Cindy Bradley, and Chris Botti; and the bass works of Brian Bromberg. 
I’m curious if there are many others out there that equate order (or lack there-of) in their music tastes to that of their taste in the visual arts?
Also, are there many other music lovers who would rather enjoy a good smooth jazz listening session than improvisational jazz?  If so, who do you listen to?
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aewarren
643 posts
 
Actually a misnomer. It's neither smooth nor jazz.
But I think the OP is on to something. The elevator in my building has a picture on the wall that would qualify as realism. And smooth jazz comes from the speaker next to it.
vinylzone
288 posts
 
... as smooth jazz is to paint by numbers.
estreams's avatar
estreams OP
6 posts
 
I don’t mind those who feel compelled to make fun of my enjoyment of the smooth jazz genre. We are each individuals who have been shaped by how our parents raised us and then by the life and environment we have lived in after we left the nest. If my musical enjoyment is considered “paint by numbers” by some then that’s their prerogative to judge me.  I do feel however that judging others based on our own personal experiences and norms is kind of selfish and a seems to be a source of some of the problems our society currently faces. Why cant we just get along? I wont judge you and you dont judge me; deal?
One last thought, and this may be the most important. My lovely wife of 41 years enjoys the smooth jazz artists I’ve discovered and will spend time with me in my mancave enjoying early morning coffee and smooth jazz. This is the only time she’ll come sit and listen to music with me. That is a treasure no critic can critique. 
whart's avatar
whart
3,037 posts
 
Just like any other genre, it breaks down at a certain point. You could go into funk, or fusion, traditional or period, and within period (much respect to the players I mentioned above-- the people that made these recordings in many cases were the real unsung heroes); you like what you like. 
As I mentioned, I got back into jazz in say the last 5 years largely because I was enjoying the music, both composition and performance (as well as the recording) of more offbeat stuff. My direction isn't yours or anyone else's. But it affords me with an entire body of material that I've found rewarding through further research and listening. As well as the acquisition of older copies of records or at least a preferred reissue if one exists. 
estreams's avatar
estreams OP
6 posts
 
@edcyn, i love your observation “If the music speaks to me on an emotional level I'll listen to it no matter how noisy, crooked or straight it might be. For me it's the art not the science that counts.”  To me, that hits the nail on the head. 
@stuartk, you are a deep thinker, who tries to see things from an others perspective, which i love. Thank you for you insights.  
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