help me find quality classic jazz?

Hmmm. You want jazz made between 1930 and 1950, but you don't want Swing, Big Band, or Bebop. What's left?

Seriously, the suggestions above are good ones. I'd encourage you to push the envelope a little. Try some small-group swing, like Benny Goodman's quartet and sextet recordings, or "Great Ellington Units"--subsets of the 40s Ellington band.

And push into the 50s as well. Early Bill Evans and Ahmad Jamal trios, while informed by bop, still have a quite traditional feel.

I can't guarantee you'll like all of this, but it's always good to try something new. Ya never know.

Not much of a jazz afficionado myself, but I do like Paul Desmond/Gerry Mulligan's "Two of a Mind" ... alto and baritone saxes - each soloing, and then weaving together in contrapuntal harmony, unobtrusive backbeat, string bass.

1962 performance; on the Victor Jazz label (digital remaster)

Tracks
- All The Things You Are - Kern/Hammerstein
- Stardust - Carmichael/Parrish
- Two of a Mind - Desmond
- Blight of the Fumblebee - Mulligan
- The Way You Look Tonight - Fields/Kern
- Out of Nowhere - Heyman/Green

Thanks guys,

I find it hard to express exactly what I am looking for having never found it. Putting the years down was a bad idea, I do not care what year but like simple classic mellow sounds that have a jazz type quality. I am not especially big into the blues or big band etc...

I do have Blues and the Abstract Truth by Lester Young and it is very good but a little faster and more upbeat than my current tastes.

Thank you Rob and Tubemeiser for the Ben Webster recommendations I will go listen if I can find them.

Bomarc What Evans do you recommend? Again I like slow, most of his stuff is faster if I am right in my memory banks :)

all the best,

Phil

Gee, when I think Evans, I don't think fast at all. My favorite is Waltz for Debbie.

Another idea: Ketih Jarrett, The Melody At Night With You. It's second-tier Jarrett if you're a Jarrett fan, but might be right up your alley.

I have given this some thought over a nice glass of wine. I did limit myself to the year criteria, but I submit for your consideration:

Gene Ammons: Boss Tenor (1960) (possibly an exact match for what you are looking for)

Gerry Mulligan: Gerry Mulligan Meets Ben Webster (1959) (highly acclaimed session, lots of great relaxed sax, including baritone)

Duke Ellington: Duke Ellington & John Coltrane (1962) (not big band, just sax, piano, bass, and drums. beautifully introspective)

Zoot Sims: Blues for Two with Joe Pass (no drums but a lot relaxed breathy sax and guitar interplay) (1982)

Dexter Gordon: Ballads (1960s)

These are slightly more uptempo:

Paul Desmond: Two Of A Mind (with Gerry Mulligan and Jim Hall)

Sonny Rollins: Saxophone Colossus (1950s) (a classic and very tuneful)

Stan Getz: Jazz Samba (great sax, and with Charlie Byrd on Guitar I dont think you can go wrong).

Have Fun!