it seems like nobody cares about jazz music anymore. they think its all about rap and pop rock or whatever but without jazz and legends like Ella Fitzgerald there would be no modern music scene. thats why i dig this Ella Fitzgerald album that just came out called "Love Letters From Ella". It has some collaborations with Count Basie and the London Symphony Orchestra. it sounds great too because its in hi-def audio. do yourselves a favor and check it out sometime: http://www.concordmusicgroup.com/albums/CCD-30213/

-john, umg

Jazz isn't really dead. If you are in any big city in this country, there are bound to be a plethora of nightclubs dedicated to booking jazz only acts. It is a thriving scene despite the fact that our television based commercial culture and the big brother record industry want to restrict our musical choices.

I can't really say much more on the subject because culture is in a large part responsible for labeling jazz as "incomprehensible" or "snobby". This is an unfortunate characterization and no doubt the residue of an educational system that wants to eliminate the arts from the curriculum. Most people I know who have formally taken up the study of a musical instrument appreciate jazz and the skill required to compose and play it. But another side effect is that some musicians who claim that they are jazz musicians have watered down the music to give it a more commercial appeal. Sometimes the results have been phenomenally good (e.g., Mahavishnu Orchestra, Herbie Hancock's Headhunters, Return to Forever) and at other times just abyssmal (e.g., Kenny G, David Sanborn, Jeff Lorber, etc) .

Your best source for info on jazz today is http://www.downbeat.com/

Other singers you should check out if you like Ella Fitzgerald are Billie Holliday, Elis Regina, Flora Purim, and Luciana Souza.