[Start Here] Jazz Masterpieces: A Must-Listen Album Selection
What kind of impression do you have of the musical genre known as jazz?
You might think of it as somewhat stylish, or perhaps a bit intimidating and highbrow.
The history of jazz, which includes many subgenres, can’t be summed up easily—and of course, it’s not just music from a bygone era.
This time, for those who are interested but don’t know where to start, we’ve picked out a selection of classic, standard albums that have gone down in jazz history—perfect as your first listen.
Be sure to check them out!
- The Royal Road of Jazz: Classic modern jazz masterpieces. Popular tracks you should listen to at least once.
- Hall of Jazz: Classic Blue Note Records. Recommended jazz albums.
- [For Beginners] Classic Modern Jazz Albums: Recommended Records to Start With
- [Jazz Intro] Classic Jazz Tracks Recommended for First-Time Listeners
- [Western Music] Classic jazz guitar albums: recommended records you should listen to at least once
- A roundup of classic Western jazz-funk albums—from staples to the latest releases
- [BGM] Delicious Jazz Classics You’d Want to Hear in a Restaurant [2026]
- A roundup of famous jazz standards featured in the hugely popular jazz manga BLUE GIANT
- [2026] Jazz piano masterpieces: from standards to recent favorites
- Introduction! A collection of recommended masterpieces and standard numbers for jazz beginners
- Classic swing jazz tunes. Recommended popular songs.
- Jazz Piano Masterpieces: From Classic Essentials to Contemporary Favorites
- Classic Dixieland jazz tunes. Recommended popular songs.
Start with this one: Jazz masterpieces. A must-listen album selection (71–80)
What Difference A Day MakesDinah Washington
A song written in 1934 by María Grever, the first Mexican songwriter to achieve success.
Its original title was “Cuando Vuelva a Tu Lado,” and Stanley Adams gave it the English title “What a Difference a Day Makes.” This version by Dinah Washington won a Grammy Award.
Just The Two Of UsGrover Washington Jr. & Bill Withers
Grover Washington, who died of a heart attack in 1999, is a highly respected jazz saxophone player.
Bill Withers is a singer-songwriter known for works such as “Lean On Me” and “Ain’t No Sunshine.” Will Smith produced a rap version of this song in 1998.
Broken Hearted MelodySarah Vaughan
A song produced by Hal David together with composer Sherman Edwards.
It became one of Sarah Vaughan’s biggest hits, and in the UK it was the only song of hers to reach the Top 10 on the charts.
It has become an essential part of her concert repertoire.
Brilliant CornersThelonious Monk
In every music genre, there are artists who weren’t widely recognized during their active years but were later reappraised.
Thelonious Monk, now celebrated as a giant among jazz pianists, is surely one of them.
The fact that Clint Eastwood—renowned as an actor and director and known as a devoted jazz fan—produced the documentary Thelonious Monk: Straight, No Chaser in 1988 speaks volumes about Monk’s influence.
Monk was known for a distinctive playing style that seemed to deviate from conventional music theory, and at the time, there were aspects that traditional jazz fans found hard to understand.
If you listen to Brilliant Corners, released in 1957 and often cited as one of his masterpieces, you’ll be struck by his overwhelming individuality: the curious use of dissonance, the tempo changes, and the seemingly abrupt shifts in musical development across the tracks.
Monk was also a gifted composer, and while his forward-thinking style may feel a bit challenging to those new to jazz, I recommend setting aside preconceptions and simply enjoying the freedom of the music he unfolds on this album.
Straight No ChaserThelonious Monk
Another genius pianist of the bebop era is Thelonious Monk.
Known for his eccentric behavior—such as suddenly spinning around on stage during performances—he was a born maverick who created pieces with innovative rhythms and harmonies that were extraordinarily advanced for their time.