These are some of what I consider to be the most important and accessible Jazz albums for those new to Jazz music. Most of these recordings are classics but I also have included some new releases towards then end of the list as well.
1. Louis Armstrong Plays W.C. Handy: Louis Armstrong
2. Hot Five and Hot Seven Sessions: Louis Armstrong
3. Kid Ory Plays W.C Handy: Kid Ory
4. Jelly Roll Morton and His Red Hot Peppers: Jelly Roll Morton
5. Sarah Vaughan with Clifford Brown
6. Study In Brown: Clifford Brown
7. Bird and Diz: Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie
8. Open Sesame: Freddie Hubbard
9. The Cooker: Lee Morgan
10. Straight, No Chaser: Thelonious Monk
11. Genius Of Modern Music Vol 1 and 2: Thelonious Monk
12. At the Blackhawk: Thelonious Monk
13. Underground: Thelonious Monk
14. The Amazing Bud Powell: Bud Powell
15. Sonny Side Up: Dizzy Gillespie, Sonny Stitt, Sonny Rollins
16. Sonny Stitt at the D. J. Lounge
17. Maiden Voyage: Herbie Hancock
18. John Coltrane & Johnny Hartman
19. At the Pershing: Ahmad Jamal
20. Inner Urge: Joe Henderson
21. Art Pepper Meets the Rhythm Section
22. The Art Pepper Quartet
23. + Eleven: Art Pepper
24. Soul Station: Hank Mobley
25. A Night at the Village Vanguard: Sonny Rollins
26. Night Train: Oscar Peterson
27. Somethin Else: Cannonball Adderley
28. Blue Train: John Coltrane
29. My Favorite Things: John Coltrane
30. Live at the Berlin Philharmonie 1969: Sarah Vaughan
31. Lullabies of Birdland: Ella Fitzgerald
32. Lady in Satin: Billie Holiday
33. Lady Sings the Blues: Billie Holiday
34. Jazz As Played in an Exclusive Side Street Club: Nina Simone
35. Indestructible: Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers
36. Moanin: Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers
37. Caravan: Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers
38. Time Out: Dave Brubeck
39. Saxophone Colossus: Sonny Rollins
40. The Shape of Jazz to Come: Ornette Coleman
41. Ah Uhm: Charles Mingus
42. Kind of Blue: Miles Davis
43. Seven Steps to Heaven: Miles Davis
44. My Funny Valentine: Miles Davis
45. Dig: Miles Davis
46. The Complete Dial Sessions: Charlie Parker
47. Out to Lunch: Eric Dolphy
48. Our Man in Paris: Dexter Gordon
49. Go: Dexter Gordon
50. Smokin at the Half Note: Wes Montgomery
51. In the Wee Small Hours: Frank Sinatra
52. No One Cares: Frank Sinatra
53. The Hottest New Group in Jazz: Lambert, Hendricks, & Ross!
54. Fast Livin' Blues: Jon Hendricks
55. Midnight Blue: Kenny Burrell
56. Idle Moments: Grant Green
57. Sunday at the Village Vanguard: Bill Evans
58. Evans in England: Bill Evans
59. How My Heart Sings: Bill Evans
60. Overseas Tracks: Tommy Flanagan
61. The Blues and The Abstract Truth: Oliver Nelson
62. Speak No Evil: Wayne Shorter
63. First Set, Second Set and Third Set: Cedar Walton
64. Eastern Rebellion 1
65. Dial 'S' For Sonny: Sonny Clark
66. Cool Struttin: Sonny Clark
67. 6 Pieces Of Silver: Horace Silver
68. Duke Ellington & John Coltrane
69. Count Basie and the Kansas City 7
70. Tippin' The Scales: Jackie McLean
71. Sings The Winners: Anita O’Day
72. All The Sad Young Men: Anita O’Day
73. Prayer Meetin': Jimmy Smith
74. Groovin' At Smalls Paradise: Jimmy Smith
75. Skyline: Ron Carter, Jack Dejohnette & Gonzalo Rubalcaba
76. Returns – Live: Return to Forever
77. Trilogy 1 and 2: Chick Corea
78. Live At The Village Vanguard: Wynton Marsalis
79. The Secret Between the Shadow and the Soul: Branford Marsalis
80. Four MFs Playin' Tunes: Branford Marsalis
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