Best smooth jazz albums?

I'm not quite sure what you mean by smooth jazz, but if I were to take the phrase literally, and given that you are new to this hobby and apparently new to jazz as well; why not start with truly great music which is also smooth as you can get, and will definitely make your system AND your heart sing. My recommendations: Shirley Horne "Here's To Life" fabulous romantic vocals, Paul Desmond "The Complete RCA Victor Rcordings" smoothest alto sax ever, Bill Evans "Village Vanguard Sessions" wonderfull introspective piano trio, "John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman", Clifford Brown "With Strings" great trumpet ballad playing, Frank Sinatra with Antonio Carlos Jobim. Just a few to start with. Enjoy.

You can't forget the group 4 Play and the late great Grover Washington Jr.

Check out Pat Metheny/Charlie Hayden -Under the Missouri Sky
Also earlier Pat Metheny -American Garage, Offramp,80/81

Hi. Frogman has already made the point I intended to make: why not listen to some REAL jazz. For most serious jazz enthusiasts (which I have been since the late 1950's), the term "smooth jazz" is an oxymoron. In short, smooth jazz isn't -- isn't jazz, that is. If you go back 2-3 months into the Audiogon archives, you will find a long thread on jazz, and I made 5 or 6 entries talking about jazz and some of the great, classic recordings. If your intent is to become more accustomed to good jazz that is listenable, you might want to start with recordings by some of the mainstream jazz piano, jazz guitar, and jazz vocal masters. Piano: Errol Garner; Art Tatum; Bill Evans; Marian McPartland; George Shearing; Michel Petrucciani; and Abdullah Ibrahim. Guitar: Django Reinhart; Tal Farlow; Wes Montgomery; Charlie Byrd; Jim Hall; and Joe Pass. Vocalists (women): Billie Holiday; Ella Fitzgerald; Sarah Vaughn; Carmen McRae; Ernestine Anderson. Vocalists (men): Jimmy Rushing; Joe Williams; Jon Hendricks; Mark Murphy; and Bobby McFerrin. This grouping should will expose you to a variety of styles, and you can take it from there.

Fourplay is great. The earlier albums are the best but there all great albums(cd). George Duke (after hours)great cd. Enjoy!