Why Doesn't Contemporary Jazz Get Any Respect?

"Music is History. if you don't understand that, then we will never see eye to eye."

OK, against my better instincts, I'll play. You seem to refer to 'history' a lot in your posts. Music HAS history, music CAN be historic. To suggest music IS history suggests that it's over. Based on the opinions you've expressed here and elsewhere it may very well be possible that music IS over, for you. Understand that I'm not trying to see eye to eye with you, I know what I know. Each time you post it becomes more apparent that you're really not the musicologist you think you are.

I know that a large percentage of audiophiles are older guys that primarily listen to the music of their past, absolutely nothing wrong with that. My love of music pulls me in a different direction, a direction where music is ageless and youthful creativity and energy exists in abundance.

Waiting for that rapier-sharp wit of yours to manifest itself!;)

And i'm waiting for you to provide that short list of the new crop of jazz and blues greats. And answer all the questions I asked. I answered yours.

Kenny G is the first to admit his music is Not jazz. I would add that most smooth jazz is really just instrumental pop music and does not contain the harmonic elements of jazz. Some sounds alright, most I do not care for but I respect your right to enjoy it (or even rap!). I would not criticize someone who is successful and talented enough to sell records and fill auditoriums... Pat metheny a truly advanced jazz musician and composer once gave a scathing review and condemnation of Kenny G, especially his reworking of a Louis Armstrong tune . Google it, its pretty wild....

Chazro, don't waste your time.

In recent years (since this thread was started more than 10 years ago!), I have become a big fan of Chris Botti. I have attended a number of his performances (at McCarter Theatre in Princeton as well as the Blue Note after Christmas), and I have the Blu-rays of his LA and Boston performances. I especially like his treatments of "The Look of Love," one of my favorite songs. (My favorite -- with Lisa Fisher, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MU0wvr9-o-I)

I acknowledge that purists may regard Kenny G and Chris Botti as more pop than jazz, but I do enjoy their performances. I know they are different from the bebop style, but to me this is just semantics.