A fair number of "youngsters" come to mind (quotes because when you're 40 everyone seems young) - Brad Mehldau, Matthew Shipp, Joshua Redman, Ingrid and/or Christine Jensen, the Sex Mob, the Bad Plus, even cross-overs like the Chicago Undergound Duo/Trio/Quartet - but I agree that "young" and "jazz" don't go hand in hand these days. My sense is that the record companies have no idea how to sell jazz instrumentalists anymore, so they've gone the route of trying to create superstar cross-over acts like Diana Krall, Norah Jones, Cassandra Wilson, etc, rather than pure jazz artists. I think music without words is pretty difficult for most (although some of the popular techno belies that I suppose), and jazz has evolved (or deconstructed) to a point where it can be pretty strange to the average set of ears. Not to many pianists sounding like Bill Evans out there any more.

However, head down to the Rex on Monday night and check out the open stage, you'll see a mix of players and listeners that'll remind you that jazz still lives among young musicians (maybe the most exciting music to play....after punk of course) and young music fans - the Humber College set, the dweeby jazz guys with the glasses, the bad hair, and the nervous twitches, are still as prevalent today as they were in the forties.