Jazz 101: Ten Starter Tracks for the Jazz Novice

Unless your last name is Marsalis, its a pretty safe bet that you were not born a jazz fan. More likely, you came to the music after having cut your teeth on more immediately accessible genres pop or rock, country or hip-hop. You still love and listen to them, too, but as you matured you came to understand the deeper rewards jazz possesses.

Of course, such transitions take place gradually there is a process of discovery involved, wherein a listener finds a bridge artist or track. Generations of British and American youth, for example, have become blues fans via their love of Eric Clapton or Led Zeppelin. Jazz is no different someone or something has to lift you from Neil Diamond to Django Rheinhardt or from Dave Matthews to Miles Davis. This, I would argue, is among smooth jazzs worthier attributes.

Given the state of jazz these days another would-be death knell was sounded in the Wall Street Journal over the weekend true fans should not sit back and just hope people stumble across that aforementioned bridge. Better to take a proactive stance in bringing more listeners to jazz by providing the likely converts in your life with a sampler, an introductory soundtrack.