Ok, I know I like SOME jazz, but I don't really know what artists to delve into.
Here's what I like:

* Guitar, trumpet, piano
* more simplistic song structures (verse/bridge/chorus/solo, etc), with vocals---more of an emphasis on 'the song' as opposed to the virtuosity of the players
* slower, chord-based guitar parts
* more minor key, downbeat stuff

And here's what I'm not looking for:

* long, freeform jams
* guitar parts that have lots of fast, single notes

Sorry if this is kind of vague---any suggestions?

I loves me this album...

you may be right. No, maybe my description of what I'm looking for isn't that great, but this Billie Holiday song would be an example:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=h4ZyuULy9zs

That's what I'm talkin' about. Is that type of song and playing a particular type of jazz, or part of a subset, or movement....? What other artists were/are working in a similar vein?

Thanks--I checked out some Jimmy Smith stuff on youtube--I may explore him a bit more.

Try Wes Montgomery. One of the great jazz guitarists of all time, but he wasn't flashy, just very, very tasteful.

Thanks---great suggestion. One of the few jazz cds I have is one of his recordings, and I do like his playing. What a great guitar tone he had, too---warm, thick, mellow.

He played with his thumb.

One day, when I retire from the rock guitar godhood , I plan to take up jazz guitar and play as much like Montgomery as possible.

Yeah, granted, Smith is not a guitarist, but anyone interested in "jazz" should give him a listen...

I would also suggest, anything from "The New Mastersounds", in particular:


"This Is How We Do"