Jazz recommendations for a beginner?

Female vocal: "Clap hands, here comes Charlie" Ella Fitzgerald

Trio: "Sunday at the Village Vanguard" Bill Evans Trio

Sax: "Way Out West", Saxaphone Colossus" Sonny Rollins

Horns: "Sketches of Spain" Miles Davis (arrangements by Gil Evans)

Quartet: "Time Out" Dave Brubeck

Jazz "supergroups": CTI records, w/ engineering by Rudy Van Gelder put out some recordings in the 60's and 70's featuring folks like Hubert Laws, George Benson, Ron Carter, etc. These were some interesting works. Some live, some studio. I don't know if they have ever been released on CD however.

First of all, thanks all of you guys for the kind suggestions. It seems that the perception of most of you has been that I prefer vocals over instrumental, but actually I feel is the contrary. Yes, I liked Krall but actually I felt more atraction for Barber, and what I really really liked was tracks 2 and 11 (I forgot the track names) on Cafe Blue, does anyboby can tell me what kind of jazz (if it is jazz) is this? I also remembered that my Stereophile CD 3 had one jazz track ("Nevermind" from "Killer Bees" album with Airto Moreira and the Gods of Jazz), so I played that track yesterday at night and felt that kind of jazz is what I really like since it was similar (to me) to those tracks (2, 11) on Barber's cd. But I'm open minded for other kind of jazz that you think I could appreciate now, vocals or instrumental.

I agree with some of you that mentioned that about "taste adquired", and I don't argue "Kind of Blue" is a super album (the best for some of you) and that I might love it in the future, it's just that as a beginner I'm not ready to appreciate it yet, I found it somewhat repetitive.

Thanks again guys, I'm confident that you will put me on the right track with your suggestions. Any more recommendations?

jorge you can bet you will love "kind of blue" in the future.I'm also kind of new to jazz and I remember my first live show about 6 yrs ago, it was Terrence Blachard Quintet I tell you I left that place with a headache.There was so much stuff going on within those five guys that is was incredible.As you listen and learn more you will appreciate what those guys are doing and how difficult it is to reach a level of playing that high, hell you might event get into Tim Berne or John Zorn stuff, i know i did and I can get enough of it

Yes, I was thinking female vocals too Jorge. Two of the very best instrumental jazz albums I've purchased over the past year that you might enjoy are:

"Achirana" on ECM usually listed under Vassilis Tsabropoulos

"Detail" by Marc Ducret on Winter & Winter

The latter is rather progressive and edgy improvisational jazz guitar and is a wonderful recording if you like that kind of music.

Marco

PS OK, I'm editing my post after coming home and listening to cuts 2 and 11. I do enjoy both those cuts as well and would strongly suggest the Achirana CD I mentioned above. The Ducret is just a bit more edgy and if you prefer the more traditional it may be more hard to swallow. I love it, but realize it is not for everyone. To add to those two after listening to the cuts you liked I'm also reminded of another recent favorite that is rather unusual and hypnoticly melodic in a similar way to the cuts you mention, but a bit more sedate: Anouar Brahem "Le Pas du Chat Noir" on ECM also....just gorgeous!

I second the Crusaders. Try there Healing the Wounds and the latest Rural Renewal. If you like that, then try Wilten Felder last solo cd or Joe Sample's 'Best Of.' Also try Joe Becks' Back to Beck cd. You can get it for 3 bucks from Acoustic Sounds or Amusic Direct.