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
Brad Mehldau Trio, "House on Hill" and "Day Is Done"
Bill Evans, "Sunday at the Village Vanguard"
Oscar Peterson Trio, "We Get Requests"
Keith Jarrett Trio, "Standards Vol. 1" (or the new boxed set, "Setting Standards")

For guitar:
On the Telarc label, two collections by David Russell: "Spanish Legends" and "Reflections of Spain."

John Williams has a nice collection called "Latin American Guitar Music."

On the Naxos label, get the works of Barrios Vols. 1 and 2 -- budget price, excellent sonics, superb playing. Naxos also has a collection called "Cavatina" -- a very nice compilation, mostly Spanish or Latin American. Another nice anthology on Naxos, with modern composers, is "Latin American Guitar Music," played by Ricardo Cobos.

If you're feeling adventurous, try various solo guitar discs on Naxos -- for example, there's an excellent disc of works by Villa-Lobos. I experimented with works by Leo Brouwer and really like his music. Naxos has a guitar "Laureate Series" featuring guitarists who have won major competitions playing mixed programs -- a great way to discover some wonderful music.
Bill Evans Trio
Paul Desmond Trio
Three Sounds Trio
Just to name some of my favorites.

I'd have to look at my collection to see whom else I have
playing spanish guitar other than: Jim Hall, and Paul Williams. There are so many acoustic guitar players out there that are pretty good.

Look at what they are playing. If you like Bill Evans you will love the other two and there are so many more. Oscar Peterson, Monty Alexander, and more. Look for them playing standards. If they are playing songs you are familiar with from composers like Gershwin, etc. You normally have a pretty good set. I have been doing this for years and I only have a couple hand full of recordings I don't like. I'm speaking of 50's and 60's vintage jazz only.
Oh I forgot The Ray Brown Trio. He is on several labels and almost all of his recordings are pretty good.
Spanish Guitar,
grisha goryachev
Narciso Yepes

I am a novice to jazz and you can't go wrong with the Bill Evans trio.