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"Jazz" is like saying "Rock" - lots of ground to cover.
I like different styles for different reasons. I've also played different styles for different reasons. I started out with guitarists like Wes Montgomery and Charlie Christian, then spread from there. I like modern/fusion in small doses, preferring swing and bop. Some big band stuff is just sick as well. There are a few "must have" albums, but getting a good compilation albums ("Best of.." or "Jazz Masters..." is a great way to start:
Giant Steps - Coltrane
Kind of Blue - Miles
Sketches of Spain - Miles with Gil Evans (one of my favorite albums of all time)
Ah Um - Charles Mingus
Find compilations for:
Herbie Hancock (earlier stuff)
Wayne Shorter
Charlie Parker
Theolonius Monk
Art Tatum
Django Reinhardt
Horace Silver
AC Jobim
Count Basie
Dizzy Gillespie
Duke Ellington
Dave Brubeck
Bud Powell
Jimmy Smith
Clifford Brown
and it goes on and on. I think you need to listen to the "heart" of jazz (40's-50's) so that you can see where other things come from. The earlier stuff can be interesting as well (going back to ragtime).
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