I think it was something from a compilation album of 1920s-30s jazz and ragtime that I checked out from the library when I was 12. (I was a decidedly uncool kid) Cab Calloway, Whispering Jack Smith, etc. But hearing John Coltrane's Psalm was probably what truly converted me later on.

Other than the pop jazz I got into at the beginning, such as Jamie Cullum, it was artists like Coltrane that got me into "real" Jazz.

I had this song on my ipod for years, but it clicked one night when I was on vacation fresh out of high school and this song came on shuffle. I was sitting on the beach in Florida (gulf shores along the panhandle) by myself looking up at the stars, and this song came on. I will never forget that moment, not only because this song was so relaxing, but I was going through **** at the time and this was a positive moment in my life. an epiphany type of moment if you will.




For a stretch, this song became my favorite after that night.



I don't like this one as much as I use to, but still good stuff.

Like this a lot

This was the last jazz album purchased by my father, who was a jazz drummer. I still have a strong spiritual and emotional connection with it.

Not specifically jazz but reciting the lyrics over and over again in and out of the car as a child (around 5-6 yo) was definitely my entry into the world of Jazz/Jazz Fusion etc






Another main contender would be

I can't really remember. I know the first jazz album I got ecstatic about was Eric Dolphy's Out To Lunch, which is still one of my favorite jazz albums.
There was a point where I was buying lots of Miles Davis albums but found after a while that he didn't quite scratch my itch. Then there was Coltrane, Ornette Coleman, Sun Ra, Thelonious Monk, Anthony Braxton, John Zorn, Charlie Parker and Charles Mingus.

Yeah! :D

For the most part I'd say I feel the same about Davis

Miles has a lot of jazz that set the stage for things like standard bop and cool jazz which don't sound innovative after years of people building on his ideas, so context is important in that sense. I agree that he has a lot of incredibly overrated material though (*cough* Kind of Blue *cough*) and there are better jazz artists out there (Coltrane will always be king). Then there's stuff like In a Silent Way, Miles Smiles, Sketches of Spain, Live-Evil, and above all, Bitches Brew. ****in Bitches Brew man. If you only check one of his albums out it's gotta be that one. I'm gonna go listen to it now.

I see Kind of Blue as being Miles' 4'33". It was a big step for him, but much like John Cage, it followed him everywhere he went despite him sprawling out and trying many many different things throughout his lengthy career. I'm certain there's a Miles album for everyone.

The first piece of jazz I truly loved was probably Louis Armstrong's "What a Wonderful World," which was played for me in elementary school and I still it find beautiful today. When I got older and wanted to hear more jazz music I picked up Kind of Blue at a used CD store-- it was a safe and predictable pick but it introduced me to jazz music without putting me off. I got it around Christmas too so it was really comfy and inviting and matched the mood of the times. What Frownland said feels very true, about how that album has followed Miles everywhere. For instance the CD I own pitches it as one of the most important jazz records ever. Makes sense it would be my first, and probably many other people's first, foray into the genre.

Bitches Brew.

Regardless of genre, it's one of my top ten albums.