BellaOnline Forums Books and Music Blues & Jazz Recommendations please on starting a jazz library

I really do enjoy some of the classic jazz and smooth jazz. I have a few CD's now. I have Dave Brubeck Time Out Take 5, John Coltrane a Love Supreme, Chuck Magione Feels so Good, one of the Charlie Brown Vince GUaraldi albums and a best of Peggy Lee.
What else should I have in my budding collection? What are some of the most important pieces in jazz history?

Grab anything by the following people:

Duke Ellington
Ella Fitzgerald
Billie Holliday
Django Reinhardt
Charlie Parker
Lester Young
Louis Armstrong
Stuff Smith

It's always a nice idea to start with a good Jazz collection album or album set. Listen through, see who you like the sound of, and go from there.

Megan has made some excellent suggestions. I would add Gerry Mulligan (esp. with Chet Baker), and Stan Getz.

I agree, Jewel! The thing about jazz is it's so hard to pick favorites, especially from the golden years....

I can't imagine any jazz collection without Charles Mingus and Miles Davis, two giants way ahead of their time.

[color:"purple"]Yea, Billie Holiday is an absolute songbird. I love the sweet vocals accompanying jazz beats. Also a classic is Ella Fitzgerald. A newer counterpart, Madeleine Peyroux is one of personal favorites.

Also, in another vein, Herbie Hancock is a master. And of course Miles Davis. Have fun! [/color]

Music is like food it functions like a bowl of oatmeal on a cold winter day warms you up and starts you off on the right "foot-note"!

"jazz and blues" to me are the same just on different sides of the street....or sidewalk. Can't have one without the other, so if I were to start a collection of jazz, blues would have to be mixed in and go along for the ride. Here are some of my favorites:
THELONIOUS MONK piano
REGINA CLARK jazz violin
JOSHUA REDMAN saxophone
BETTY CARTER jazz singer
CHARLIE PARKER "BIRD" saxophone

Blues:
B.B.KING guitar
ARETHA FRANKLIN known for "soul" but sings the "blues"
VARIOUS ARTISTS the blue note years "organ and soul"
ENJOY....Jazzy Geri

Miles Davis !

Ella Fitzgerald does have the jams. SHe is like the coolest person to have in the library. I work at umgd and when I need those jazz cravings I totally would go to Ella for satisfaction. Hard core women she is.

Website: (www.myspace.com/ellafitzgerald)

You gotta check out "Smooth Ones" and "Late Night Rendezvous" by Rendezvous Entertainment. Its a compilation of some really famous smooth jazz albums... Its great over a summer barbeque or a glass of wine!
I'm getting into jazz myself, and this is a pretty easy listen