Jazz from 1957 to 1967 was the most definitive.

Orpheus10, I'll go you one better and give you a dollar and lay some heavy jams on you.

"The Complete Vee Jay Lee Morgan-Wayne Shorter Sessions."

This one is tragically out of print. I don't own it and I've been sick ever since I heard some of this national treasure and found out I couldn't purchase it. Can't find it anywhere but it is an awesome set of music. I don't know about the sound quality but I heard a cut on Radioio.com Jazz Standards and flipped. Can't find it anywhere.... By the way, if you aren't one of the fortunate ones who owns this, much or all of it can be found on Grooveshark, so at least I get to hear this fabulous music. Please check out the track "Calloway Went-That-Away." I love it and I think you will too. http://listen.grooveshark.com

Also, it gets me too when people throw around the word "Jazz" and say they like Jazz and listen to it but don't pay homage to the Hard Bop era. The Hard Bop era personifies Jazz.

Nicotino: I also think things came to a peak with miles smiles. However, for me I truly understand Ben Websters sadness when his (my) type of music was out of vogue and he didn't get to play with the kind of players he used to. He didn't play with the harmonic intricacy of miles' groups but nobody could touch his tone and most didn't have his "soul". - Jim

Orpheus10 have you seen this? Sweet, and one of the great standards.

Senor Blues

IMO: it's Hard Bop to Bitches Brew Really it's Miles Davis. Miles IS Jazz' Beethoven. Where Louia Armstrong is Bach, and basie is Mozart...Miles is a GOD. I guess that lets you know I like Beethoven. ahhh?
Some folks dismiss Miles playing..but he had a knack for getting together THE players. Future greats before the event. Like he KNEW.
If I could only have one artist to keep on my desert island.. in Jazz.. it would be Miles Davis.

Elizabeth, Miles is the greatest no matter what some of the critics and "experts" occasionally have said about Ellington, Bird (Charlie Parker), Satchmo (Louie Armstrong),who I love and other artists. This thread would not be complete without a special mention of Miles' as the architect of imo the Definitive period of Jazz. (Hard Bop) Miles put together great personnel, brought out their best and they meshed into great and "Definitive bands." The first and second Great Quintets are testimony to this. When it comes to Jazz, yes Miles is a god. Miles is the Definitive artist of Jazz.