Changing music tastes, recommendations welcomed

so long and short, old rocker looking for new stuff. Still like my Floyd and Sabbath, but looking for more instrumental , introspective music with great lyrics and beautiful musicianship. I've about worn out my Dire Straits, a few others I listen to like Fleetwood Mac, etc.

I know what your thinking, but I can't go full Jazz, it's OK but my interest quickly fades. I like some of it, the faster paced stuff like Brubecks Time Out . One of the last LP's I picked up was a mint Traffic, On the Road . The last song, Low Spark of High Heeled boys on all of Side 4, just blows me away (still need to listen to the rest), but the Saxaphone, Steve Winwoods piano, the subtle drums and keyboard, guitar, OMG, it gives me the chills.

Looking for more of this type of music, not sure the genre, Jazz/Rock Fusion? Also like some Motown, Ben E Kings original cut of Stand by Me, or Marvin Gaye's What's Going On but the ones I'm looking for are hard to find in a used record store.

What are some hidden gems fitting the above criteria that are maybe hiding in plain sight. Great music that flies under most peoples radar?
suggestions much appreciated.

 

Instrumental, introspective music try classical. Tchaikovsky symphonies will get you started.

 

Since it sounds like you stopped listening to new music in the Seventies...


How about Radiohead?
Try “ OK Computer “.
(Great lyrics, beautiful musicianship? Yes.)

Sorry, I cannot recommend anything from this century

 

How about early Chicago? Here is one of my favorites.

Chicago - Feelin' Stronger Every Day.

 

Jazz-Rock Music Genre Overview | AllMusic

 

Camel....moonmadness

Steely Dan.....aja

George Benson....breezin

Pat metheney group

 

How are you on Joni Mitchell? Her late 70's jazzy stuff has terrific musicianship. And the whole lovely, thoughtful lyrics and singing thing goes without saying.

 

I don't understand how your tastes are changing? I'd say Floyd et al are well described as "instrumental, introspective music with great lyrics and beautiful musicianship". You mean you want more of the same?

 

Sounds like you are ready for Porcupine Tree.

 

I was thinking of recommending Pat Metheny & Lyle Mays!

 

Why not pull your chair up to the big table and have a real meal.

Beethoven's symphonies, piano sonatas, and late quartets
Chopin's preludes
Corelli's concerti grossi
J. S. Bach's organ music, Brandenburg concertos, Matthew Passion, and Art of Fugue
Dvorak's symphonies
Mozart's piano sonatas, late symphonies, and operas
Vivaldi's concertos

 

You might want to check out a sub-genre known as kozmigroov ~ it spans from about late-60s to mid-70s before virtually evaporating in the corporate-programme nightmare. Check out the A-list suggestions here:

freeform.org : Kozmigroov A-List

Some of this material can be a bit tricky to hunt down ~ as expected in this ultra-square world we live in, some of the best albums have never been on CD or are out of print. You may have to resort to needledrops in a few cases, if you can find a kind soul who will assist !

 

The middle section of this song with its flute and sax, sounds like something Traffic would have done.

 

Pat Metheny So Falls Wichita
Zappa The Grand Wazoo


...more coming.

 

A lot of progressive rock dips into the jazz influence heavily, including King Crimson and the Canterbury bands like Soft Machine, Gong, Caravan, Hatfield & the North, Matching Mole, etc. European bands like Magma, Area, Agitation Free and the mighty Can also experimented along these lines in the 70s. Some of Zappa's more instrumental oriented albums like Hot Rats or The Grand Wazoo as well as his best live stuff might hit the spot. Other recommendations along the lines of the OP include: Spirit (first four albums, particularly Sardonicus), Family, Santana (Caravanserai is classic fusion, as is the live Lotus), Jack Bruce (Harmony Row, Songs for a Tailor), John Martyn (Solid Air and One World, which featured his Island label mate Steve Winwood). This was the kind of stuff that I went for years back when I wanted to go deeper with the classic album era of the late 60s/70s, some of it at least and I keep (re)discovering more. . .

 

Might I recommend the following.
1) Jeff Beck - Blow By Blow
2) Stevie Ray Vaughn - Texas Flood
3) Neko Case - Blacklisted
4) Wes Montgomery- Bumpin
5) Brian Eno - Music For Airports
6) Daniel Lanois - Shine
7) Marty Stuart and his fabulous superlatives- Way Out West
8) The House Of Love - "Butterfly " self titled
9) The Church - Starfish
10) Michael Landau - Tales From The Buldge

 

Melanie de Biasio No Deal from 2013. One of the best sounding modern records I've heard. Not exactly rock, and not exactly jazz either, but with some of the same dark atmosphere that framed the later Talk Talk records, and the Mark Hollis solo, and with the ghost of Billie Holiday on lead vocals. Really beautiful record from any angle, songwriting, vocals, musicianship, highly recommended...

Melanie de Biasio: “No Deal”

 

I don't really like new music but try Mars Volta they make great particular music.

 

Here's some current acts I recommend that are heavy in different ways

JC Satan
Suuns
GOAT
7 Horse

 

David Bowie - Low
The National - High Violet
The Cure - Disintegration
Talk Talk - The Colour of Spring
Van Morrison for something with a jazz bent but still quite melodic?

I don’t know if these fit the bill, but they came to mind.

 

No lyrics but excellent musicianship and very long tracks...try The Necks. This is my personal favourite.

 

Something along these lines perhaps?

 

Look for some Acid Jazz. There's a series of these.
Get some Reggae. "Harder they come" and "Rockers" soundtracks are good intros.
Check out 70s soul. Get some Didn't It Blow Your Mind and Blaxploitation series.
And Fusion.

 

I find the best way in for introducing rockers to jazz is Coltrane's My Favorite Things. If you like Traffic's jazz workouts, you'll like this one.