The problem with Alleya's perspective is assuming too much from one era based on what really amounts to a small number of artists but no applying that modern times, which is kinda disingenuous. Ooh yeah, jazz really is so good, I mean check out guys like Armstrong, Ellington, Bassie, Davis- you can't touch that. Then you realize you only named 4 guys and modernly you've got significant artists like Animal Collective, Conor Oberst/Bright Eyes,
Radiohead,
M.I.A.,
Elliott Smith, etc who all manage to be highly talented AND not entirely derivative of jazz/blues/classical (some of those listed are far from those genres).
http://www.rough-trade.com/images/An...lectiveWEB.jpg