Why Doesn't Contemporary Jazz Get Any Respect?

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.

Chris Botti had been on the BLUE project that is a blend of progressive rock, jazz and acid.
Kenny G is just cool lookin' dude with soprano sax.

is this smooth?http://www.soundliaison.com

I find the albums accessible but maybe there is a little too much depth to the music to be considered smooth jazz.
Carmen Gomes Inc;''Thousand Shades of Blue'' is a fantastic live in the studio album.4 instruments;voice,guitar,upright bass,and drums(cajon replacing the drums on the lovely title track).Everything is there great separation,stereo imaging,depth and balance.
The version of Bruce Springsteen's I'm on Fire is a musical and audiophile masterpiece,check out how the snare drum and the haunting guitar voicing complement but never cover up each other.
On the 2nd album,Poul Berner Band's lovely Elvis Presley tribute: Road to Memphis,
you've got tr.6 ''the Colonel''Michael Moore's sax enters oo.45 with just the sound of air,as if he is right there up close in front of you,so intimate.
Again only 4 instruments; guitar at 8 o'clock,sax at 11,bass at 1 o'clock and 2nd guitar at 4 o'clock.the sound stage is almost 3 dimensional.
On the 3rd album Torn,best described as a blues ballad album,you got everything an audiophile album should have (i.m.o.)placement, depth,separation,naturalness,the feeling of being there with the band visible in front you.And musically I find it a great album as well,a beautiful mix of covers and very well composed originals.