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

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.