I would argue that jazz is largely viewed as background music now. People go to a jazz club to...talk. If they wanted to listen to the music they'd go to a rock

I would argue that jazz is largely viewed as background music now. People go to a jazz club to...talk. If they wanted to listen to the music they'd go to a rock concert. Edit: Another thought, maybe a large segment of modern jazz is uninspired renditions of the old greats, and maybe that's why people don't give it much credence? I don't go to a lot of jazz clubs, so I can't really say. Perhaps more people would listen to modern jazz if it was so groundbreaking it knocked them off their feet...unfortunately that honor seems to go to rock, hip-hop, electronica, and such these days.