DVD Corner

10 Recommended Jazz Albums

Jazz can be overwhelming to get into. Where do you even start? There’s so many different styles and sounds. I was always interested in the music genre and had enjoyed such acts as Louis Armstrong, Frank Sinatra, Benny Goodman, Dizzy Gillespie, and even the 90s swing revival, but had never really explored the genre in full. Lately, I’ve been doing a deep dive. There’s certainly a lot to cover as jazz spans multiple generations and genres. I’m only just scraping the surface, but it’s been a fun and educational journey. If you’re like me and are curious to explore jazz further, I have written up a list of 10 recommended albums to check out. This is by no means a comprehensive list. I could have easily added albums by Charles Mingus, Sonny Rollins, Bill Evans, and so on. Really, my advice is to do some research and poke around to see what sounds and genres you like be it Cool Jazz, Bebop, Jazz Fusion, Big Bands, solo pianists, etc. On to the list!

1. Miles Davis- Birth Of The Cool- Even if you know nothing about jazz you’ve likely heard of Miles Davis. There’s a reason for that- he’s that good. Not only was he an innovator, but his discography is huge and varied in style as he dabbled in all sorts of genres. This particular album is Cool Jazz flavored and it’s a great starting point to get into this iconic musician. 

2. Chet Baker- Chet Baker Sings- As chill of a vocal jazz album as you will find. 

3. Art Blakey And The Jazz Messengers- Moanin’- For the title track alone.

4. The Oscar Peterson Trio- Night Train- A great and accessible jazz album that taps into other genres. The highlight here is the rendition of the title track which you may recognize from “Back To The Future.” 

5. The Sorcerers- In Search Of The Lost City Of The Monkey God- This modern jazz band is a hip outfit of Leeds. This concept album feels like it was made for me. It’s basically a jazz-funk soundtrack for a pulp adventure movie that doesn’t exist. 

6. The Dave Brubeck Quartet- Time Out- It’s not hard to see why this is one of the best selling jazz albums of all time. An ultra cool record with songs in different time signatures. The biggest hit here is, of course, the ultra-popular “Take Five.” 

7. Vince Guaraldi Trio- A Charlie Brown Christmas- Tis’ the season for the perfect Christmas album.

8. Kenny Burrell- Midnight Blue- If you’re looking for a jazz guitarist led band, this is the album you’re looking for. 

9. Frank Sinatra and Count Basie- It Might As Well Be Swing- Frank Sinatra + Count Basie and his Orchestra + Arrangements by Quincy Jones. What else could you want?

10. Hank Mobley- Soul Station- The acclaimed saxophonist is joined by a hell of a band with Paul Chambers on bass, Art Blakey on drums, and Wynton Kelly on piano. One of the great hard bop albums.

December 3, 2025 - Posted by nicklyons1 | List | 10 Recommended Jazz Albums, A Charlie Brown Christmas, Art Blakey, Chet Baker, Count Basie, Dave Brubeck, Frank Sinatra, Hank Mobley, Jazz, Jazz Music, Kenny Burrell, Miles Davis, Oscar Peterson, The Sorcerers, Vince Guaraldi