Who was your first

in the 1960's when I started listening.. I disliked Jazz. Never did learn better until I watched Ken Burn's Jazz on PBS. I watched it again on DVD and fell in love with the Jazz form. I guess I never understood what Jazz musicians were doing until watching the series on TV. Now my main listening is to Jazz and Classical. (I have thankfully pretty much gotten over Rock and Roll.)
(8^Q....

Jazz Crusaders in the mid 70's. Heard them at a college party during an "altered state". The first jazz to insinuate itself in a rock & roll mindset and stick.

Duke Ellington
Fats Waller
later Miles Davis
Dizzie Gillespie

It was the early 1980's. I was in my car and a song came on the college radio station by John Coltrane. The song was "Soultrane," from the Prestige album of the same name.I've been a jazz lover ever since.

Miles