I recently sent a "basic starter" list for anyone who wants to get into jazz but did not learn the historical lineage and vocabulary. This list is by definition not comprehensive or definitive, but may offer you some interesting paths while providing a solid foundation on where we all came from:
Hope this helps in your quest:
LOUIS ARMSTRONG
Hot Fives and Sevens (4 cd set)
COUNT BASIE
Atomic Basie
Straight Ahead
April In Paris
DAVE BRUBECK
Time Out
ORNETTE COLEMAN
The Shape of Jazz To Come
JOHN COLTRANE
Giant Steps
A Love Supreme
CHICK CHOREA
Light as a Feather
MILES DAVIS
Porgy and Bass, with Gil Evans orchestra
Birth of the Cool
Kind Of Blue
Tutu
BILL EVANS
Waltz For Debby
Conversations With Myself
ANTONIO CARLOS JOBIM
Girl from Ipanema - the Jobim Songbook
Getz/Gilberto
DIZZY GILLESPIE
Bird and Diz
Groovin' High
COLEMAN HAWKINS
Body & Soul
KEITH JARRETT
The Koln Concert
Facing You
My Song
Staircase
LYLE MAYS
Lyle Mays
PAT METHENEY
Pat Metheny Group
American Garage
First Circle
Secret Story
THELONIUS MONK
'Round Midnight
Straight, No Chaser
Misterioso
CHARLIE PARKER
Yardbird Suite, The Ultimate Charlie Parker Collection
With Strings, The Master Takes
OSCAR PETERSON
Live At Zardi's
DJANGO REINHARDT
L'Essentiel
The Best Of Django Reinhardt - Reinhardt & Grappelli
FRANK SINATRA
...At The Sands, with Count Basie and his Orchestra
Only the Lonely
ART TATUM
The Standard Sessions, 1935-1943
The Complete Pablo Solo Masterpieces (OR any of the 7 volumes available individually)
The Complete Pablo Group Masterpieces
TOOTS THEILEMANS
Only Trust Your Heart
WEATHER REPORT
Heavy Weather
Hope this helps in your quest:
LOUIS ARMSTRONG
Hot Fives and Sevens (4 cd set)
COUNT BASIE
Atomic Basie
Straight Ahead
April In Paris
DAVE BRUBECK
Time Out
ORNETTE COLEMAN
The Shape of Jazz To Come
JOHN COLTRANE
Giant Steps
A Love Supreme
CHICK CHOREA
Light as a Feather
MILES DAVIS
Porgy and Bass, with Gil Evans orchestra
Birth of the Cool
Kind Of Blue
Tutu
BILL EVANS
Waltz For Debby
Conversations With Myself
ANTONIO CARLOS JOBIM
Girl from Ipanema - the Jobim Songbook
Getz/Gilberto
DIZZY GILLESPIE
Bird and Diz
Groovin' High
COLEMAN HAWKINS
Body & Soul
KEITH JARRETT
The Koln Concert
Facing You
My Song
Staircase
LYLE MAYS
Lyle Mays
PAT METHENEY
Pat Metheny Group
American Garage
First Circle
Secret Story
THELONIUS MONK
'Round Midnight
Straight, No Chaser
Misterioso
CHARLIE PARKER
Yardbird Suite, The Ultimate Charlie Parker Collection
With Strings, The Master Takes
OSCAR PETERSON
Live At Zardi's
DJANGO REINHARDT
L'Essentiel
The Best Of Django Reinhardt - Reinhardt & Grappelli
FRANK SINATRA
...At The Sands, with Count Basie and his Orchestra
Only the Lonely
ART TATUM
The Standard Sessions, 1935-1943
The Complete Pablo Solo Masterpieces (OR any of the 7 volumes available individually)
The Complete Pablo Group Masterpieces
TOOTS THEILEMANS
Only Trust Your Heart
WEATHER REPORT
Heavy Weather