You might benefit from buying the All Music Jazz Guide:
https://www.amazon.com/All-Music-Guide-Jazz-Definitive/dp/087930717X
It provides a useful overview and goes into various movements/styles as well as listing and reviewing tons of recordings on a variety of labels.
You might also check out The Penguin Jazz Guide: The History of the Music in the 1001 Best Albums:
As tempting as it is to type out a long list of my favorites, I have no idea of your tastes, so I won’t. You’ve received a wide range of suggestions, already. Spend some time exploring and you’ll discover what you like. Jazz is an incredibly varied and rewarding genre!
I will offer a tip regarding sonics. While Rudy Van Gelder is very well known, particularly for his work for Blue Note, do not neglect to check out the work of Roy DuNann for Contemporary. Here is a list :
It’s a long list! Here are a few well-regarded titles to start with:
Art Pepper Meets the Rhythm Section
The Curtis Counce Group
Sonny Rollins Way Out West
The Poll Winners (S. Manne, R. Brown, B. Kessel)
Benny Carter Jazz Giant
Shelley Manne and His men At the Blackhawk
FInally, I assume someone's already mentioned that the ECM label is well known for its sonics. The tricky thing is that, stylistically, the artists and recordings on that label cover a very wide range, from sweetly melodic to fairly dissonant.
I’d suggest Jan Garbarek’s Belonging, Keith Jarrett’s The Koln Concert, Pat Methey’s Bright Size Life and Crystal Silence by Gary Burton and Chick Corea as some good ones to start with.
Have fun!