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

Some very knowledgeable posts here already.  I'll just add my 5 recommendations -- you mentioned "smooth jazz," so here are some well recognized albums:

Breezin by George Benson

Duotones by Kenny G

The In Crowd by Ramsey Lewis

A Day in the Life by Wes Montgomery

Mister Magic by Grover Washington, Jr.

@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.

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