Jazz recommendations for a beginner?

A couple things, there are different styles of Jazz and though you may find you like some in each category, you may prefer one style over another.

There are some that may try and make you feel guilty for liking Diana Krall, I too enjoy her music and that is what matters; if you enjoy the CD of hers that you own, buy others and enjoy.

On the same token, there are 'Jazz police' that may want to 'arrest' you if you like Smooth Jazz, again, if you like it buy it and enjoy. I too own the acclaimed Kind Of Blue CD and I don't enjoy it either.

Some others to look into, Eva Cassidy, Chris Botti, FourPlay, Larry Carlson.

Goto to http://www.bmgmusic.com and search for those you have interest in, if they carry those titles you can play short clips. (Some others on here may know better sources for sampling.) My local Barnes and Noble allows you to play segments of tracks of CD's you are interested in purchasing.

This is an excellent thread on the subject, particularly Sdcampbell's contributions:

http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?gmusi&976325372&read&3&4&

Helped me quite a bit.

Ben, just what in your estimation defines traditional jazz? I'm curious, not that I don't appreciate Davis, Coltrane, etc, but I certainly found them to be an acquired taste, and not necessarily mainstream, either now or in the era when they performed.

I'm kinda in the same camp with Ben. If you didn't like "Kind of Blue", then your are more aligned with "Singers/Songwriters". I would suggest you try Eva Cassidy, "Live at Blues Alley", Michael Franks, "Art of Tea and/or Sleeping Gypsies". Jazz has a lot of styles. Find out where you fit and jump in !!

For a taste of traditional Jazz, log on to fantasyjazz.com. Under "Various Artist", Fantasy Jazz remastered 12 samplers from their sub labels....orginal jazz clssics, riverside, prestige, swingville, debut, bluesville, contemporary, Pablo, fantasy, galaxy, specialty, jazztime.

I collected all 12 at S.F. Ameoba Records used $7.95 ea. Great way to get a Taste of Jazz!