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

Here are some classic Bossa Nova titles which go down very smoothly:

Stan Getz / Charlie Byrd - Jazz Samba

Stan Getz / Luis Bonfa - Jazz Samba Encore!

Stan Getz / João Gilberto - Getz / Gilberto

 

 

The Modern Jazz Quartet 'Pyramid' or 'the last concert', but just about all their stuff is good.

I find they have some structure in their compositions and since you said you don't like disjointed; this may well be your cuppa.. 

The Dave Brubeck 'Tine out' suggestion is also in this vein, I believe the general category for this type of jazz is California Cool.

I like the MJQ recommendations made above, but, they may not be as accessible as the "Time Out' recommendation.  Still, it is hard to say what will connect with any one listener.  I had a friend who I lent some jazz CDs to as an introduction.  Just as a joke, I included Coltrane's "Interstellar Space" and it turned out to be the album he most liked.

I also like the suggest Samba recordings.  There is a lot of interesting South American jazz worth exploring.  I recommend Gato Barbieri's "Latin America: Chapter 1."  The track named "India" is a good track to sample.

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@larryi

Still, it is hard to say what will connect with any one listener.

Yes. I’ve recommended music plenty of times to friends. Sometimes, they’re enthusiastic; other times, they show surprisingly (to me) little enthusiasm. There’s a lot that goes into our preferences and while we may be able to come up with objective rationales, I believe much of what drives them is unconscious.

Much as I’ve tried, I’ve never been able to handle Gato’s abrasive screeching. It’s like fingernails on a blackboard to my ears. On the other hand, there are other sax players whose altissimo overblowing doesn’t affect me in the same way. Why? Who knows?

@fthompson251

I am currently listening to some Billy Cobham, I remember listening to him late nights when I was in college. WLAV out of Grand Rapids MI. Also "Hey Joe" by Markusphillippe, Sweet Emotion by Leo Kottke and Mike Gordon. Also "Heard it through the Grapevine" by Bill Frisell. This is stuff I like.

Now I’m really confused. When you bring up Aerosmith in a thread that’s ostensibly about Jazz, you’ve lost me! One of the main differences between Rock and Jazz is the latter's harmonic sophistication. Perhaps this is the stumbling block for you-- you can't actually hear what's going on. This would definitely make it difficult to appreciate Jazz.