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10 Jazz Albums Every New Listener Should Hear First

Think jazz is too complicated to get into? Start with these 10 essential albums that have inspired generations of listeners and musicians.

Ready to begin your jazz journey?

With thousands of recordings to choose from, finding the right starting point can feel overwhelming. This video highlights 10 essential jazz albums recommended as ideal entry points into the world of jazz.

From timeless masterpieces to groundbreaking recordings, these albums showcase the beauty, creativity, and diversity of jazz history.

John Coltrane’s handwritten outline for “A Love Supreme”

Louis Armstrong - High Society (1956)

Ella Fitzgerald smiles as she walks at the fashionable Via Veneto in Rome, April 8, 1961. Ella was on a tour of Europe for a series of performances with the “Jazz At The Philharmonic” band.

AP Photo by Umberto Savemini

Stan Getz And Strings – Cool Velvet

Cool Velvet is a studio album by American saxophonist Stan Getz, recorded and released in 1960 on Verve Records.

Houston Person – Goodness!

Goodness! is the sixth album led by saxophonist Houston Person, which was recorded in 1969 and released on the Prestige label.

Happy Birthday to Maestro Keith Jarrett!

Keith Jarrett – The Köln Concert

The Köln Concert is a live solo double album by pianist Keith Jarrett recorded at the Opera House in Köln, West Germany, on 24 January 1975 and released on ECM Records later that year. It is the best-selling solo album in jazz history and the best-selling piano album. In 2025, the Library of Congress deemed the album “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant”.