OK, I don´t want to see the board turn into a jazz (aaarggh!!!) or classical forum but it´s valid enough IMHO for a melodic rock fan to ask others of like minds IF they listen to stuff of that ilk and if so, what they listen to.

I don´t want to get too introspective about this but both jazz and classical music does have a bearing on melodic rock. Where would Richie Blackmore or Yngwie Malmsteen to name just two be without Bach?! You want a classical recommendation? Get Yngwie´s "Concerto suite for electric guitar and orchestra" and see how well rock guitar can go with classical music. That album is amazing.

I will be honest. I hate 99% of jazz but just about every rock drummer of note probably has been influenced (directly or indirectly) by jazz at some point. Truly great players are very familiar with the wild time signatures oft used in jazz and quite honestly jazz drum technique is usually considered the gold standard by musicians. Think Mike Portnoy, Neal Peart, Shane Gaalaas - those three names spring to mind when I think of rock drummers who show jazz influences in their playing.