Here’s a list of essential albums, in my opinion, that cover a variety of different styles of jazz. I’d be disappointed if you didn’t like most of them. Some you’ll know, no doubt, but they’re classics for a reason and the list would be incomplete without them.
Alice Coltrane - Ptah, The El Daoud
John Coltrane - Ballads
John Coltrane - Olé
John Coltrane - A Love Supreme
Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers - Moanin’
Dexter Gordon - One Flight Up
Lee Morgan - Sidewinder
Lee Morgan - Search for the New Land
Andrew Hill - Point of Departure
Donald Byrd - Ethiopian Knights
Donald Byrd - Slow Drag
Donald Byrd - Electric Byrd
Matthew Halsall - Fletcher Moss Park
Miles Davis - A Kind of Blue
Miles Davis - In a Silent Way
MIles Davis - Jack Johnson
Miles Davis - Bitches Brew
The Brad Mehldau Trio - Blues and Ballads
The Bill Evans Trio - Explorations
Grant Green - Alive!
Tony Allen - A Tribute to Art Blakey
Tony Allen & Hugh Masekela - Rejoice
Good list.
I don’t consider my self a ‘jazzer’ but I have about 50% of those on vinyl.
Gives me a few more to have a listen to, in particular I have no Donald Byrd at all.
Glad to read your thoughts on the Basie LP as it’s in my pile with Tony on pfm along with Carlos Santana & Mahavishnu John McLaughlin - Love Devotion Surrender.
The three that I listed and the three that Chris mentioned should get you started. I’m a big fan and, in terms of numbers of albums owned, he follows closely on from Miles Davis and John Coltrane in my collection.
