The State of Jazz

Interesting question!

I'd say times change, including the standards.

Jazz sought new directions and largely wandered away from those standards years ago. Meandered away might be a better term, towards a lot of jamming to demonstrate a groups ability to work together and play off each other.

"Standards" always originate with popular songs. Those still come about these days but in a different form than in past years that produced modern day standards. SOme of that, the ones that are most accessible to the most, will continue to be popular I suspect. Unfotunately, I can't think of any single artist since The Beatles perhaps that produce a large portion of the times standards.

I think the internet and information age changes the game forever, making it increasingly harder for any single act to dominate on a large scale, like say The Beatles last did years ago.

Jazz? Are you serious?
What kind of 50 years or whatever standards?
Jazz is not not not about standards! Standart is Jazz's enemy and not only Jazz. It's for any style of music including classical as well. It's about maximum creativity and Diana Krall is only repeating what's already being done. There are large number of talented jazz musicians that aquired their own style, introduced new scales or combination of scales and Diana, sorry sorry isn't one of them at all. The 'except Diana, Norah or Kenny G' jazz alphabet is HUGE so listing of artists is pointless. The number of recommendation on jazz performances is also HUGE here in the previous posts.
Jazz also has history and herritage approaching span of classical music and has big future as well. Jazz will be forever jazz if it will be different and it is nowdays and it will always be in the future.
Jazz is pleasant and worthy due to the talented performers that acquire improvisational and technical abilities. If you're tired of listening of how Diana Krall's same thing is recorded on different albums and versions, you should really start researching great labels such as ECM, CMP, Verve, Celluloid, CTI, Prestige, Riverside, Roulette etc.
The number of talented jazz musicians is growing every day and you need to keep that State of Jazz by visiting festivals, going to live concerts and buying different jazz records not only Krall or Norah Jones.

Standards (ie song standards) serve a purpose for jazz and other musicians I would think, but few originate in the world of Jazz anymore.

The purpose is to have a well known or "standard" point of reference for different artist's to tackle and do their unique thing with that people can recognize and compare with other interpretations.

A lot of jazz focuses on improvising around a main theme, like that which a well known "standard" tune provides. Improvisation is probably most inherent in Jazz compared to other genres. So standards play a particularly important role in the world of JAzz, but one that other genres share as well, but perhaps usually to a much lesser degree.

What are now known as Jazz Standards, were IMO pop songs of the day. Any good Jazz band can and does "Jazz up" pop songs. One that comes to mind is Mile Davis version of "Time After Time". I suspect there are many more . . .

The targeted audience has a significant role. I played in a band for a while, and we had some members who worked diligently at creating new music and arrangements. During our gigs, the audiences were always very polite with the new stuff. It was the standards, however, that they really liked and wanted more of. Artists who want to sell jazz recordings have to consider the targeted market. A successful musician (in terms of recordings sold) will have good marketing in addition to good musicianship. Yes, even the standards of classical music had a money trail!

I think Mapman is correct in that the volumes of information available via the internet make it very difficult for the audiences to quickly elevate some pieces as standards. I suspect it may take a while before the standards from today's generation separate themselves from the rest. Even then, it may not be a clear separation.

I think some "magic" has to take place for a piece to become a standard. It isn't just about creativity, or the musician, or the tune. It isn't just about the recipient, or the story being told. There isn't a simple formula. There is a connection somewhere though. Perhaps the changing of tastes have created an environment where the connections are very few and far between...