This is the perfect kind of music to listen to when enjoying a wicked good cappuccino or latte. Most of these recommended CDs are instrumental – some may have one or two tracks with vocals. It’s the kind of music you listen to as background mood setting music. The more relaxing jazz has piano as the primary instrument. The more upbeat, yet still relaxing, jazz as saxaphone – usually has a more ‘romantic jazz’ feel to the music.
Peter White – Caravan of Dreams (1996) – Listen
An awesome ‘relaxing jazz’ CD. Has a little bit of funk, but still very relaxing and happy. Gentle and guitar based.
Chris Botti – Midnight Without You – CD (1997)
Relaxing trumpet jazz. The first track, The Steps Of Positano, is perfect. Some tracks have vocals. You MUST hear the first track though.
Get a 30 second sample here.
Midnight Coffee -Bert Dalton
A very mellow traditional jazz CD. Sounds like the intro music to some gourmet cooking show. Recommended, although it is a bit on the melancholy side at times.
Jazz Cafe – Between the Lines
Great guitar jazz – relaxing smooth jazz – amazing that you can get this for under $3.
Additional Relaxing Jazz:
Paul Brown – The City – CD – (2005)
Guitar based jazz – has that sultry feel to the music. Songs like Old Friends, Winelight (Grover Washington Jr. cover), and The City (one version with vocals, one without)
Paul Taylor – Hypnotic – CD (2001)
Clarinette based jazz – a bit funky and relaxing at the same time – songs like Dream State, Tuesday Afternoon, and Sunshine. Recommended because its mostly instrumental – only one vocal track to skip over. Vocals usually make the jazz less relaxing.
This one is also a GREAT relaxing jazz CD – Rick Braun – All it Takes
