Pretty big statement to make. Depends on whose memories you're talking about, David. Also whose lives and feelings you're talking about, and exactly how those lives and feelings have been spoken to.
Speaking for myself, pop in general has created a higher percentage of crap than jazz has, and much of the crap in the jazz world has come when jazz has tried to enter the pop world at the expense of the music.
All of this is a matter of opinion. You have yours and I have mine. I just wanted to weigh in and say that the statement you've made is a big one and open to a lot of discussion. More than I want to take on in detail.