Many people seem to want to know about recordings they should have. This is one attempt to answer this sort of question. I don't think it is at all satisfactory, since there are thousands of recordings that are necessary. This list was generated by some of the subscribers to the
Jazz-L mailing list, compiled by Eric Saidel, and I have added links. The links are selected quasi-randomly. Look around on the web for much more on these and many other artists.
- Miles Davis: Kind of Blue
- John Coltrane: Giant Steps
- Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool
- Charles Mingus: Ah Um
- Oliver Nelson: Blues and Abstract Truth
- John Coltrane: Love Supreme
- Sonny Rollins: Saxophone Colossus
- Eric Dolphy: Out to Lunch
- Louis Armstrong: Hot Fives and Sevens
- Dave Brubeck: Time Out
- Miles Davis: Sketches of Spain
- Thelonious Monk: Brilliant Corners
- Wayne Shorter: Speak No Evil
- Henry Threadgill: Too Much Sugar for a Dime
- John Zorn: Masada - Alef
- Ornette Coleman: Shape of Jazz To Come
- Miles Davis: Porgy And Bess
- Duke Ellington and his Orchestra At Newport
- Dave Holland: Conference of the Birds
- Charles Mingus: Black Saint & the Sinner Lady
- Charles Mingus: Live At Antibes
- Thelonious Monk: Monk's Music
- Sonny Sharrock: Ask the Ages
- Cannonball Adderly: Somethin' Else
- Benny Carter: Further Definitions
- Ornette Coleman: Change of The Century
- John Coltrane: Blue Trane
- Duke Ellington: The Far East Suite
- Duke Ellington: Blanton/Webster Band
- Bill Evans: Waltz for Debby
- Gil Evans: Out of the Cool
- Dexter Gordon: Our Man in Paris
- Herbie Hancock: Maiden Voyage
- Joe Lovano: From the Soul
- Mahavishnu Orchestra: The Inner Mounting Flame
- David Murray: Ming
- Charlie Parker: The Dial Sessions
- Charlie Parker: Massey Hall
- Art Pepper: Meets the Rhythm Section
- World Saxophone Quartet: Plays Duke Ellington
- Count Basie: Atomic Basie
- Art Blakey: Moanin'
- Don Byron: Tuskegee Experiments
- Ornette Coleman: Dancing in Your Head
- Miles Davis: Miles Ahead
- Miles Davis: In a Silent Way
- Miles Davis: Nefertiti
- Jack DeJohnette: Album Album
- Eric Dolphy: Outward Bound
- Eric Dolphy: At the Five Spot , vol. 1
- Ella Fitzgerald And Louis Armstrong
- Stan Getz: Getz/Gilberto
- Stan Getz: Jazz Samba
- Charlie Haden: Ballad of the Fallen
- Charlie Haden: Liberation Music Orchestra
- Coleman Hawkins: Body and Soul
- Joe Henderson: Inner Urge
- Joe Lovano: Rush Hour
- John Mclaughlin: Extrapolations
- Charles Mingus: Blues And Roots
- Max Roach: Freedom Now Suite
- Horace Silver: Song for my Father
- Horace Silver: Blowin' the Blues Away
- Weather Report: Heavy Weather
- Weston, Randy: Spirits of Our Ancestors
- George Adams/Don Pullen: Breakthrough
- George Adams/Don Pullen: Live at the Village Vanguard
- Cannonball Adderley: (Sextet) Live in New York
- Louis Armstrong: And Earl Hines
- Art Ensemble of Chicago: Nice Guys
- Albert Ayler: Live At Greenwhich Village
- Count Basie: The Compete Decca Recordings
- Arthur Blythe : Lenox Avenue Breakdown
- Anthony Braxton : New York Fall 1974
- Don Cherry: El Corazon (with Ed Blackwell)
- Ornette Coleman: Free Jazz
- John Coltrane: Afro Blue Impressions
- John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman
- John Coltrane: My Favorite Things
- John Coltrane: Ole Coltrane
- Miles Davis: Miles Smiles
- Miles Davis: Walkin'
- Miles Davis: Milestones
- Miles Davis: A Tribute to Jack Johnson
- Duke Ellington: Money Jungle
- Don Ellis: Electric Bath
- Bill Evans: Portrait in Jazz
- Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Duke Ellington Songbook
- Errol Garner: Concert by the Sea
- Stan Getz: Focus
- Jimmy Giuffre: The Jimmy Giuffre 3
- Benny Goodman: Carnegie Hall Concert
- Grant Green: Feelin' the Spirit
- John Handy: Live at the Monterey Jazz Festival 1965
- Joe Henderson: So Near, So Far
- Woody Herman: The Thundering Herds
- Andrew Hill: Point of Departure
- The Quintessential Billie Holiday , Volume 4
- Dave Holland: Razors Edge
- Bobby Hutcherson: Dialogue
Other noteworthy recordings...
