Jazz Piano Trio / Spanish Guitar


Hello All,
I'm looking to broaden my musical pallet and I'd like to take some baby steps into jazz trios (piano, bass, drums). Please recommend some artists (groups?) that are easily accessible to virgin ears. I'd like to still hear a melodic line somewhere in the song, so nothing to avantgard or "free jazz"ish.... and of course sonic beauty is important as well, so I guess I'd be biased to more recent recordings.
I'm also looking for some recommendations of Spanish guitar artists. NO flamenco please, (yikes, too crazy for my tastes)..... just some beautiful Spanish guitar artists with albums that contain tracks that are solo guitar AND tracks with soft accompaniment.

"Momma let that boy play some rock and roll. Jazz is much too crazy, he can play that when he's old"

Guess I'm there, hehe :(
tgyeti
Bill Evans, a premier jazz pianist. Bill Evans Trio recorded by Riverside. Waltz for Debby is a good recording to start with.

Tommy Flanagan - A trio with Peter Washington & Lewis Nash on a release called "Lady Be Good" by Verve is a good place to start.

Gene Harris & the Gene Harris Quartet on the Concord Label

Ahmad Jamal - He has some late recordings on Telarc which are Trios and excellent listening.

Oscar Peterson, another premier pianist, with the Oscar Peterson Trio. I perfer his earlier recordings on Verve. "We Get Requests" is a good place to start. He did a bunch of stuff for Telarc as well.

Andre Previn has some great 'Dinner Jazz' recordings with Mundel Lowe on Guitar and Ray Brown on bass (NO drums!). I think Previn is a far better jazz musician (pianist) than folks might be aware from his later years prominence in conducting, performing, and writing classical music.

And for 'Spanish' guitar artists, I don't know, but for some classic jazz guitar don't over look Joe Pass.

Hope that helps a bit. All are very assessible.
For the Guitar, check out the LAGQ - Los Angeles Guitar Quartet. Personally, I like the Flamenco excitement. The LAGQ is definately more subdued than the Flamenco.

Also, check out a great CD by Nils Lofgren - Live Acoustic. He is/was a guitarist for Bruce Springstein. This is really one of the best guitar CDs. It is tough to get and you should search for it used as I think it is sold out everywhere in the world new. It is one of the best albums I own, a great recording with great music - an excellent demonstration of guitar.

If you want, send me your e-address and I can e-mail you one song from the album for you to listen to (in WAV).
Good suggestions - here are a couple more pianists of high calibre...

Dave Grusin - Homage to Duke - very nice classic Duke Elllington stuff - very melodic. Not your pretty Jazz trio stuff but more meaty material.

Dave Brubeck

Guitar ;-

Gipsy Kings is some pop stuff - if you trying to get into Spanish music from rock/pop then they are good (slower type of flamenco).

Paco de Lucia