[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 here: Classic jazz masterpieces. A must-hear album selection (1–10)
Köln, January 24, 1975, Part IKeith Jarrett
Keith Jarrett’s The Köln Concert is a landmark album that expanded the possibilities of jazz piano.
Recorded in Germany in 1975, this album embodies the essence of improvisation.
The sound world woven by Jarrett’s delicate touch and bold phrasing stirs the listener’s heart.
The stories from the recording session are fascinating as well, and his performance—turning a poorly prepared piano to his advantage—is breathtaking.
It’s a must-listen not only for jazz fans but for anyone seeking to be moved by music.
The freely flowing playing, as if the piano itself were dancing, is sure to resonate with you.
St. ThomasSonny Rollins
Saxophone Colossus is a perfect album title for a giant of jazz saxophone—a truly legendary figure! Released in 1956, this work is regarded as one of the most important albums in jazz history.
As mentioned, it’s a signature record by Sonny Rollins, a leading jazz saxophonist, and a pinnacle of modern jazz born in the 1950s.
Rollins, who even embarked on an 80th-birthday tour in 2010 and can rightly be called a living encyclopedia of jazz, offers here a performance that’s both bold and warm, vividly evoking his younger days.
It’s an album that should be considered essential in every sense.
St.
Thomas, which Rollins himself created based on an English traditional song, is among the most popular tracks on the album and has continued to be covered by many musicians as a jazz standard.
For those who want to savor the sound of the tenor saxophone, or those just stepping into the world of jazz, this is a work I highly recommend as your first listen.
Cool Struttin’Sonny Clark
Introducing a classic that shines in the history of jazz: Sonny Clark’s “Cool Struttin’.” Released in 1958 on Blue Note Records, this album embodies the essence of hard bop.
Centered on Clark’s piano, it features superb performances with Art Farmer’s trumpet and Jackie McLean’s saxophone intertwining beautifully.
From the title track “Cool Struttin’” onward, every piece boasts a refined sense of groove.
Cool yet passionate, this music is sure to capture your heart.
[Start with this one] Jazz masterpieces: a must-hear album selection (11–20)
Full HouseWes Montgomery
One of the legendary jazz guitarists who had an enormous influence on subsequent artists is Wes Montgomery, born in 1923.
Though he grew up in a musical family, he reportedly couldn’t read music and didn’t start practicing guitar until he was around 20.
Self-taught, he became known for his distinctive style of picking with just his thumb and for extensively using octave playing—a combination that reshaped the history of jazz guitar.
His 1962 album Full House features a very cool cover that focuses on Wes’s hands as he plays.
With contributions from saxophonist Johnny Griffin and pianist Wynton Kelly, this record is a true classic etched into jazz guitar history.
It brims with the engaging tension unique to live recordings, while boasting an ensemble precision that rivals studio albums—still astonishing today.
Spanning standards to Wes’s original compositions, it’s an ideal album for enjoying the fundamentals of jazz guitar.
I’m a Fool to Want YouBillie Holiday
In the history of jazz vocals, Billie Holiday—remembered as a legendary figure—returned to Columbia Records in the twilight of her career to make Lady in Satin in 1958, a work that shines with special brilliance as the last album released in her lifetime.
Backed by a 40-piece orchestra and sumptuous strings, the album departs from her once-clear tone, offering a deeply affecting expression etched with the hardships of life.
Wrapped in Ray Ellis’s luxurious arrangements, the standards she sings here are all masterful performances that fully showcase Holiday’s emotional depth.
Though opinions were divided at the time, the album is now reappraised as a masterpiece that most vividly captures her soul, and it’s a must-listen for anyone seeking the essence of jazz vocals.
Autumn LeavesCannonball Adderley
Nicknamed “Cannonball,” reportedly from his hearty appetite, Cannonball Adderley was a quintessential alto saxophonist who won wide popularity both for his work with Miles Davis’s group and for a crossover sound that reached beyond jazz.
While contributing to classics like Miles’s masterwork Kind of Blue and the experimental Bitches Brew, he also pursued a solo career; in 1961, Cannonball’s Bossa Nova—a collaboration with Brazilian great Sérgio Mendes—became a hit.
Adderley showed his versatility in the realm of soul jazz as well, and his 1958 solo album Somethin’ Else is widely regarded as a record effectively directed by Miles Davis.
Among the many Blue Note releases, this is a towering classic and a foundational title.
There are countless highlights, but the wistful, perfectly balanced ensemble on the jazz standard Autumn Leaves stands out—its poised, luxuriant sonorities epitomize mature, adult jazz and are simply mesmerizing.
It is an ideal choice as a first album for anyone beginning to explore jazz.
Ghosts: First VariationAlbert Ayler
Even the Japanese title ‘Spiritual Unity’ alone hints at a religious exaltation and profound spirituality—this is a landmark of free jazz.
Recorded in 1964 and released the following year by tenor saxophonist Albert Ayler, who pushed the most radical forms of expression in the 1960s, Spiritual Unity is a shock to the jazz system despite its minimal trio of Gary Peacock on bass and Sunny Murray on drums.
Beginning with simple themes rooted in gospel and marching tunes, the music swiftly dismantles tonality and rhythm, plunging into a torrent of sound where screams and prayers intersect—nothing short of breathtaking.
Released on the independent label ESP-Disk, the album initially sparked polarized reactions, but over time it has secured an unshakable reputation as a “scripture of free jazz.” For listeners unaccustomed to jazz, some moments may feel challenging, but I hope you’ll set aside theory and simply revel in the joy of surrendering to this sonic experience.