Having an ear for Jazz

To the thread starter,

You have described my sutuation to a tee.

I began listening to music (rock, pop, soul, gospel, blues) when I was given a transistor radio at age 11 ("Cool Jerk", Working in a Coal Mine", "Devil with a Blue Dress On"). By 15 I began listening to jazz with one of my first rock album purchases, Edgar Winter's "Entrance". Same time frame I began playing in my high school jazz band, so was also heavily influenced by my jazz performing teacher. Since then my appreciation of jazz and rock has grown. One has not replaced the other. I've never appreciated "noisy sounding music", whether it was rock, jazz, or any other genre.

I grew up in the 60's so my listening was always classic rock, blues, folk.
I dabbled in jazz, listening to all the more easy listening jazz artists.
The more I listened the more adventurist I got.
About 3 years ago, I went on the interent and googled
the top 50 jazz albums of all time.
I made a point of buying the top ten.
I am a confirmed jazzaholic now.
Miles Davis, Coltrane, Monk, Oscar Peterson.
I still have a great love for the stuff I grew up with too.
I feel sorry for music listeners who never venture out to appreciate other types of music.
They are missing out on some exciting wonderful music and great artists.
Glen

There used to be a New Age radio station in Chicago back in the 80’s. I know that New Age music isn’t the subject here, but for me, it served as a bridge the day I met an older gentleman in an Audio shop. In the course of conversation, and he asked me about my musical interests. I mentioned jazz was among my interests and he told me we had something in common. As I rolled down the list of New Age jazz that I liked, he had the most amused look on his face. He wound up inviting me to his home for a listening session, and it was there that I got my real introduction to jazz. He and his friends were a big part of the Chicago jazz scene starting in the 50s. Their stories are almost as good as the music.