Top 5 Best Jazz CDs to Own (2026)

Details: First and foremost, Quincy Jones is a musician, composer and arranger of some of the finest music of the 20th Century, and this 4 CD Set houses his very finest work. Eight original albums released by Jones on Mercury and other labels between 1960 and 1963, on which he was leader or co-leader, remain, certainly for jazz fans, the great man's finest hour. This set includes these integral albums in their entirety and in pristine re-mastered form, complete with full musician lists and release details, to make for perhaps the best collection yet of Quincy Jones's jazz recordings which pre-date almost everything this giant of a man remains most famous for.Tracklist: Mau Mau Work of Art The Little Bandmaster Up in Quincy's Room Wildwood Evening in Paris Elephant Walk Tia Juana Walkin' Stockholm Sweetin' Evening in Paris Sermonette A Sleepin' Bee Boo's Blues The Birth of a Band Moanin' I Remenber Clifford Along Came Betty Tickle Toe Happy Faces Whisper Not The Gypsy A Change of Pace Tuxedo Junction Lester Leaps in Ghana Caravan Everybody's Blues Cherokee (Indian Love Song) Air Mail Special They Say It's Wonderful Chant of the Weed I Never Has Seen Snow Eesom The Quintessence Robot Portrait Little Karen Straight No Chaser For Lena and Lennie Hard Sock Dance Invitation The Twitch Soul Bossa Nova Boogie Stop Shuffle Desafinado Manha de Carnaval Se E Tarde Me Pardoa On the Street Where You Live Samba de Una Nota So Lalo Bossa Nova Serenata Chega de Saudade Comin' Home Baby Gravy Waltz Desafinado Exodus Cast Your Fate to the Wind A Taste of Honey Back at the Chicken Shack Jive Samba Take Five Walk on the Wild Side Watermelon Man Bossa Nova U.S.A Baby Elephant Walk Charade Dreamsville Bird Brain Days of Wine and Roses Mr. Lucky The Pink Panther Theme (I Love You and) Don't Forget It Soldier in the Rain Odd Ball Moon River The Theme from Peter Gun

Details: Goddess: Composer, singer, producer, and multi-instrumentalist Laufey continues her story with Bewitched: The Goddess Edition, an expanded version of her 2023 critically celebrated and GRAMMY-winning sophomore album. Since the release of Bewitched, Laufey has proven how staying true to oneself can result in creating a space where people can find themselves. Bewitched has been wildly successful around the world, appearing on multiple year-end best-of lists, sparking an immediately sold-out tour and reaching No. 1 on Billboard's Jazz charts. The Goddess Edition features four brand-new original songs including lead single "Goddess". The expanded package CD includes an 8-panel poster.Tracklist: Dreamer Second Best Haunted Must Be Love While You Were Sleeping Lovesick California and Me Nocturne (Interlude) Promise From the Start Misty Serendipity Letter to My 13 Year Old Self Bewitched Track 15 Track 16 Track 17 Goddess

Details: A new Kind of Blue with the GREATEST SOUND EVER! Cited frequently as the greatest, most influential and possibly largest-selling jazz album of all time, this definitive reissue showcases classic tracks remixed from the original 3-track masters (in fact, the first 3 songs are now in their correct pitch). Highlights include bonus track (a rare alternate of "Flamenco Sketches"), new liner notes (in addition to the original notes by Bill Evans) and previously unseen photos.Tracklist: So What Freddie Freeloader Blue in Green All Blues Flamenco Sketches Flamenco Sketches (Alternate Take)

Details: Arguably Mingus's greatest recording! Featuring John Handy, Booker Ervin, Jimmy Knepper, Horace Parlan, Dannie Richmond and many others, tracks include "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat," "Better Git It in Your Soul," "Fables of Faubus," "Jelly Roll" and other classics. This 20-bit digitally remastered edition boasts 3 bonus tracks, 6 tracks in unedited form for the 1st time, brilliant new liners, and great, rare session shots!Tracklist: Better Git It in Your Soul Goodbye Pork Pie Hat Boogie Stop Shuffle Self-Portrait in Three Colors Open Letter to Duke Bird Calls Fables of Faubus Pussy Cat Dues Jelly Roll Pedal Point Blues GG Train Girl of My Dreams