I love jazz because... I was first exposed to jazz by watching the Ed Sullivan Show. Ed often had jazz acts on his show and I was amazed by the music. Dizzy, Armstrong, Sarah Vaughan, Herb Alpert, many more. One musician I met personally was Jerry Lee Lewis (not a jazz musician, I know) while drinking beer at the Palomino Club in North Hollywood and waiting for Emmy Lou Harris to play. I bought him a beer and shot. The best show I ever attended was the first Playboy Jazz Festival in the Hollywood Bowl The first jazz record I bought was, probably, Ella and Oscar. Although it could have been The Modern Jazz Quartet. Or Larry Coryell, My advice to new listeners... Or whatever else you have in mind.