The below list is taken from Len Lyons' book, "The 101 Best Jazz Albums" (1980). A much better examination of this list can be found at Core Jazz, but I'm just putting this here for easy reference.
1. Scott Joplin: Scott Joplin-1916 (Biograph BLP-1006)
2. Max Morath: The World of Scott Joplin (Vanguard SRV-310 SD)
3. Eubie Blake: The 86 Years of Eubie Blake (Columbia C2S-847, 2 LPs)
4. Luckey Roberts/Willie "The Lion" Smith: Luckey and the Lion/Harlem Piano (Good Time Jazz S10035)
5. James P. Johnson: The Original James P. Johnson (Folkways FJ 2850)
6. Fats Waller: Fats Waller Piano Solos, 1929-1941 (Bluebird AXM2-5518, 2 LPs)
7. King Oliver: King Oliver's Jazz Band, 1923 (Smithsonian Collection R-001, 2 LPs)
8. Louis Armstrong and Earl Hines: The Genius of Louis Armstrong, Vol. 1 1923-1933 (Columbia CG 30416, 2 LPs)
9. Louis Armstrong and Earl Hines: Louis Armstrong and Earl Hines, 1928 (Smithsonian Collection R-002, 2 LPs)
10. Bessie Smith: Nobody's Blues But Mine (Columbia CG 31093, 2 LPs)
11. Jelly Roll Morton: Jelly Roll Morton and His Red Hot Peppers, 1926-1927, Volume 3 (RCA France 731 059)
12. Jelly Roll Morton: Jelly Roll Morton, 1923-1924 (Milestone M-47018, 2 LPs)
13. Bix Beiderbecke: The Bix Beiderbecke Story: Bix and Tram, Vol. 2 (Columbia CL 845)
14. Fletcher Henderson and Don Redman: Developing an American Orchestra 1923-1927 (Smithsonian Collection R006, 2 LPs)
15. Duke Ellington: Rockin' in Rhythm, Duke Ellington and the Jungle Band, Vol. 3, 1929-1931 (MCA MCA-2077)
16. Duke Ellington: Duke Ellington - 1940 (Smithsonian Collection R-013, 2 LPs)
17. Duke Ellington: The Duke Ellington Carnegie Hall Concerts: January 1943 (Prestige P-34004, 3 LPs)
18. Duke Ellington: The Golden Duke (Prestige P-24029, 2 LPs)
19. Duke Ellington: Pure Gold (RCA ANL1-2811)
20. Count Basie: The Best of Count Basie (MCA MCA2-4050, 2 LPs)
21. Count Basie: 16 Men Swinging (Verve V-2-2517, 2 LPs)
22. Earl "Fatha" Hines: Another Monday Date (Prestige P-24043, 2 LPs)
23. Benny Goodman: Carnegie Hall Concert - 1938 (Columbia CSL-160, 2 LPs)
24. Charlie Christian: Solo Flight (Columbia CG 30779, 2 LPs)
25. Lionel Hampton: The Complete Lionel Hampton, 1937-1941 (RCA AXM6-5536, 6 LPs)
26. Lester Young: The Lester Young Story, Vol. 1 (Columbia JG 33502, 2 LPs)
27. Billie Holiday: The Billie Holiday Story, Vol. 2 (Columbia KG 32124, 2 LPs)
28. Art Tatum: The Tatum Solo Masterpieces, Vol. 3 (Pablo 2310-730)
29. The Woody Herman Orchestra: The Three Herds (Columbia Special Products JCL-592)
30. Charlie Parker: The Very Best of Bird (Warner Brothers 2WB 3198, 2 LPs)
31. Charlie Parker: Bird/The Savoy Recordings (Master Takes) (Savoy SJL 2201, 2 LPs)
32. Dizzy Gillespie: In the Beginning (Prestige P-24030, 2 LPs)
33. Dizzy Gillespie: The Original Dizzy Gillespie Big Band: In Concert (GNP Crescendo GNP-23)
34. The Greatest Jazz Concert Ever (Prestige PR-24024, 2 LPs)
35. Thelonious Monk: The Complete Genius (Blue Note BN-LA579-H2, 2 LPs)
36. Thelonious Monk: Brilliance (Milestone M-47023, 2 LPs)
37. Thelonious Monk: Pure Monk (Milestone 47004, 2 LPs)
38. Art Blakey: A Night at Birdland, Vol. 1 (Blue Note BLP-1521/BST-81521)
39. Horace Silver: Doin' the Thing: At the Village Gate (Blue Note BLP-4076/BST-84076)
40. Bud Powell (with Fats Navarro): The Amazing Bud Powell, Vol. 1 (Blue Note BLP-1503/BST-81503)
41. Clifford Brown: The Quintet, Vol. 1 (EmArcy/Mercury EMS-2-403, 2 LPs)
42. Sonny Rollins: Saxophone Colossus and More (Prestige P-24050, 2 LPs)
43. Sonny Rollins: More from the Vanguard (Blue Note BN-LA475-H2, 2 LPs)
44. Dave Brubeck: Dave Brubeck's All-Time Greatest Hits (Columbia PG-32761, 2 LPs)
45. The Modern Jazz Quartet: European Concert (Atlantic SD 2-603, 2 LPs)
46. Miles Davis: 'Round About Midnight (Columbia CL 949/PC 8649)
47. Miles Davis: Porgy and Bess (Columbia KCS 8085)
48. Miles Davis: Milestones (Columbia CL 1193/PC 9428)
49. Erroll Garner: Concert by the Sea (Columbia CS 9821)
50. Cannonball Adderley: Coast to Coast (Milestone M-4703, 2 LPs)
51. Wes Montgomery: While We're Young (Milestone M-47003, 2 LPs)
52. Joe Pass: Virtuoso (Pablo 2310 708)
53. Oscar Peterson: In Concert (Verve - England 2683 063, 2 LPs)
54. John Coltrane: Giant Steps (Atlantic AT-1311)
55. Ella Fitzgerald: Mack the Knife (Verve VS-64041)
56. Sarah Vaughan: Sarah Vaughan and Count Basie (Roulette SR-42018)
57. Carmen McRae: The Greatest of Carmen McRae (MCA MCA2-4111, 2 LPs)
58. Betty Carter: Betty Carter (Bet-Car MK 1002)
59. Lambert, Hendricks, and Ross: The Best of Lambert, Hendricks, and Ross (Columbia C-32911 or JCS-8198)
60. Mose Allison: Seventh Son (Prestige 10052)
61. Miles Davis: Kind of Blue (Columbia PC 8163)
62. Miles Davis: Four & More (Columbia PC 9253)
63. Miles Davis: Miles Smiles (Columbia CS 9401)
64. Bill Evans: The Village Vanguard Sessions (Milestone 47002, 2 LPs)
65. Bill Evans: Intuition (Fantasy F-9475)
66. Charles Mingus and Eric Dolphy: The Charlie Mingus Jazz Workshop/Stormy Weather (Barnaby 2-6015, 2 LPs)
67. Charles Mingus: Passions of a Man (An Anthology) (Atlantic SD-3-600, 3 LPs)
68. Eric Dolphy: Copenhagen Concert (Prestige PR-24027)
69. John Coltrane: My Favorite Things (Atlantic 1361)
70. John Coltrane: Live at the Village Vanguard (Impulse A-10)
71. John Coltrane: A Love Supreme (Impulse A-77)
72. McCoy Tyner: Echoes of a Friend (Milestone M-9055)
73. McCoy Tyner: Enlightenment (Milestone M-55001, 2 LPs)
74. Herbie Hancock: Maiden Voyage (Blue Note BLP-4195/84195)
75. Herbie Hancock: Speak Like a Child (Blue Note BST-84279)
76. Herbie Hancock, Freddie Hubbard, Wayne Shorter, Ron Carter, Tony Williams: V.S.O.P.: The Quintet (Columbia CS-34976, 2 LPs)
77. George Russell: Outer Thoughts (Milestone M-47027)
78. Freddie Hubbard: Breaking Point (Blue Note BLP-4172/BST-84172)
79. Oliver Nelson: Three Dimensions: The Dedication Series, Vol. 3 (Impulse IA-9335/2, 2 LPs)
80. Toshiko Akiyoshi-Lew Tabackin Big Band: Insights (RCA AFL1-2678)
81. Miles Davis: Bitches Brew (Columbia PG-26, 2 LPs)
82. John McLaughlin: The Inner Mounting Flame (Columbia KC 31067)
83. The Crusaders: Scratch (Blue Thumb BTS-6010)
84. Herbie Hancock: Head Hunters (Columbia KC 32731)
85. Flora Purim and Airto Moreira: 500 Miles High/At Montreux (Milestone M-9070)
86. Chick Corea: Light as a Feather (Polydor PD 5525)
87. Chick Corea: Where Have I Known You Before? (Polydor PD 6509)
88. Chick Corea: My Spanish Heart (Polydor PD-2-9003, 2 LPs)
89. George Benson: Weekend in L.A. (Warner Brothers 2WB-3139, 2 LPs)
90. Chuck Mangione: The Best of Chuck Mangione (Mercury SRM-2-8601, 2 LPs)
91. Weather Report: 8:30 (Columbia PC-2-36030, 2 LPs)
92. Ornette Coleman: The Shape of Jazz to Come (Atlantic SD-1317)
93. Ornette Coleman: Free Jazz (Atlantic SD-1364)
94. Cecil Taylor: Unit Structures (Blue Note BST-84237)
95. Cecil Taylor: Silent Tongues (Arista AL 1005)
96. Sun Ra and his Arkestra: Live at Montreux (Inner City IC-1039, 2 LPs)
97. Anthony Braxton: The Montreux/Berlin Concerts (Arista AL 5002, 2 LPs)
98. Keith Jarrett: The Koln Concert (ECM 1064/65, 2 LPs)
99. The Art Ensemble of Chicago: Nice Guys (ECM 1-1126)
100. Oregon: Out of the Woods (Elektra GE 151)
101. Air: Air Lore (Arista AN-3014)
By Artist:
Air: Air Lore (Arista AN-3014)
Anthony Braxton: The Montreux/Berlin Concerts (Arista AL 5002, 2 LPs)
Art Blakey: A Night at Birdland, Vol
Art Tatum: The Tatum Solo Masterpieces, Vol
Benny Goodman: Carnegie Hall Concert - 1938 (Columbia CSL-160, 2 LPs)
Bessie Smith: Nobody's Blues But Mine (Columbia CG 31093, 2 LPs)
Betty Carter: Betty Carter (Bet-Car MK 1002)
Bill Evans: Intuition (Fantasy F-9475)
Bill Evans: The Village Vanguard Sessions (Milestone 47002, 2 LPs)
Billie Holiday: The Billie Holiday Story, Vol
Bix Beiderbecke: The Bix Beiderbecke Story: Bix and Tram, Vol
Bud Powell (with Fats Navarro): The Amazing Bud Powell, Vol
Cannonball Adderley: Coast to Coast (Milestone M-4703, 2 LPs)
Carmen McRae: The Greatest of Carmen McRae (MCA MCA2-4111, 2 LPs)
Cecil Taylor: Silent Tongues (Arista AL 1005)
Cecil Taylor: Unit Structures (Blue Note BST-84237)
Charles Mingus and Eric Dolphy: The Charlie Mingus Jazz Workshop/Stormy Weather (Barnaby 2-6015, 2 LPs)
Charles Mingus: Passions of a Man (An Anthology) (Atlantic SD-3-600, 3 LPs)
Charlie Christian: Solo Flight (Columbia CG 30779, 2 LPs)
Charlie Parker: Bird/The Savoy Recordings (Master Takes) (Savoy SJL 2201, 2 LPs)
Charlie Parker: The Very Best of Bird (Warner Brothers 2WB 3198, 2 LPs)
Chick Corea: Light as a Feather (Polydor PD 5525)
Chick Corea: My Spanish Heart (Polydor PD-2-9003, 2 LPs)
Chick Corea: Where Have I Known You Before? (Polydor PD 6509)
Chuck Mangione: The Best of Chuck Mangione (Mercury SRM-2-8601, 2 LPs)
Clifford Brown: The Quintet, Vol
Count Basie: 16 Men Swinging (Verve V-2-2517, 2 LPs)
Count Basie: The Best of Count Basie (MCA MCA2-4050, 2 LPs)
Dave Brubeck: Dave Brubeck's All-Time Greatest Hits (Columbia PG-32761, 2 LPs)
Dizzy Gillespie: In the Beginning (Prestige P-24030, 2 LPs)
Dizzy Gillespie: The Original Dizzy Gillespie Big Band: In Concert (GNP Crescendo GNP-23)
Duke Ellington: Duke Ellington - 1940 (Smithsonian Collection R-013, 2 LPs)
Duke Ellington: Pure Gold (RCA ANL1-2811)
Duke Ellington: Rockin' in Rhythm, Duke Ellington and the Jungle Band, Vol
Duke Ellington: The Duke Ellington Carnegie Hall Concerts: January 1943 (Prestige P-34004, 3 LPs)
Duke Ellington: The Golden Duke (Prestige P-24029, 2 LPs)
Earl "Fatha" Hines: Another Monday Date (Prestige P-24043, 2 LPs)
Ella Fitzgerald: Mack the Knife (Verve VS-64041)
Eric Dolphy: Copenhagen Concert (Prestige PR-24027)
Erroll Garner: Concert by the Sea (Columbia CS 9821)
Eubie Blake: The 86 Years of Eubie Blake (Columbia C2S-847, 2 LPs)
Fats Waller: Fats Waller Piano Solos, 1929-1941 (Bluebird AXM2-5518, 2 LPs)
Fletcher Henderson and Don Redman: Developing an American Orchestra 1923-1927 (Smithsonian Collection R006, 2 LPs)
Flora Purim and Airto Moreira: 500 Miles High/At Montreux (Milestone M-9070)
Freddie Hubbard: Breaking Point (Blue Note BLP-4172/BST-84172)
George Benson: Weekend in L
George Russell: Outer Thoughts (Milestone M-47027)
Herbie Hancock, Freddie Hubbard, Wayne Shorter, Ron Carter, Tony Williams: V
Herbie Hancock: Head Hunters (Columbia KC 32731)
Herbie Hancock: Maiden Voyage (Blue Note BLP-4195/84195)
Herbie Hancock: Speak Like a Child (Blue Note BST-84279)
Horace Silver: Doin' the Thing: At the Village Gate (Blue Note BLP-4076/BST-84076)
James P
Jelly Roll Morton: Jelly Roll Morton and His Red Hot Peppers, 1926-1927, Volume 3 (RCA France 731 059)
Jelly Roll Morton: Jelly Roll Morton, 1923-1924 (Milestone M-47018, 2 LPs)
Joe Pass: Virtuoso (Pablo 2310 708)
John Coltrane: A Love Supreme (Impulse A-77)
John Coltrane: Giant Steps (Atlantic AT-1311)
John Coltrane: Live at the Village Vanguard (Impulse A-10)
John Coltrane: My Favorite Things (Atlantic 1361)
John McLaughlin: The Inner Mounting Flame (Columbia KC 31067)
Keith Jarrett: The Koln Concert (ECM 1064/65, 2 LPs)
King Oliver: King Oliver's Jazz Band, 1923 (Smithsonian Collection R-001, 2 LPs)
Lambert, Hendricks, and Ross: The Best of Lambert, Hendricks, and Ross (Columbia C-32911 or JCS-8198)
Lester Young: The Lester Young Story, Vol
Lionel Hampton: The Complete Lionel Hampton, 1937-1941 (RCA AXM6-5536, 6 LPs)
Louis Armstrong and Earl Hines: Louis Armstrong and Earl Hines, 1928 (Smithsonian Collection R-002, 2 LPs)
Louis Armstrong and Earl Hines: The Genius of Louis Armstrong, Vol
Luckey Roberts/Willie "The Lion" Smith: Luckey and the Lion/Harlem Piano (Good Time Jazz S10035)
Max Morath: The World of Scott Joplin (Vanguard SRV-310 SD)
McCoy Tyner: Echoes of a Friend (Milestone M-9055)
McCoy Tyner: Enlightenment (Milestone M-55001, 2 LPs)
Miles Davis: Bitches Brew (Columbia PG-26, 2 LPs)
Miles Davis: Four & More (Columbia PC 9253)
Miles Davis: Kind of Blue (Columbia PC 8163)
Miles Davis: Miles Smiles (Columbia CS 9401)
Miles Davis: Milestones (Columbia CL 1193/PC 9428)
Miles Davis: Porgy and Bess (Columbia KCS 8085)
Miles Davis: 'Round About Midnight (Columbia CL 949/PC 8649)
Mose Allison: Seventh Son (Prestige 10052)
Oliver Nelson: Three Dimensions: The Dedication Series, Vol
Oregon: Out of the Woods (Elektra GE 151)
Ornette Coleman: Free Jazz (Atlantic SD-1364)
Ornette Coleman: The Shape of Jazz to Come (Atlantic SD-1317)
Oscar Peterson: In Concert (Verve - England 2683 063, 2 LPs)
Sarah Vaughan: Sarah Vaughan and Count Basie (Roulette SR-42018)
Scott Joplin: Scott Joplin-1916 (Biograph BLP-1006)
Sonny Rollins: More from the Vanguard (Blue Note BN-LA475-H2, 2 LPs)
Sonny Rollins: Saxophone Colossus and More (Prestige P-24050, 2 LPs)
Sun Ra and his Arkestra: Live at Montreux (Inner City IC-1039, 2 LPs)
The Art Ensemble of Chicago: Nice Guys (ECM 1-1126)
The Crusaders: Scratch (Blue Thumb BTS-6010)
The Greatest Jazz Concert Ever (Prestige PR-24024, 2 LPs)
The Modern Jazz Quartet: European Concert (Atlantic SD 2-603, 2 LPs)
The Woody Herman Orchestra: The Three Herds (Columbia Special Products JCL-592)
Thelonious Monk: Brilliance (Milestone M-47023, 2 LPs)
Thelonious Monk: Pure Monk (Milestone 47004, 2 LPs)
Thelonious Monk: The Complete Genius (Blue Note BN-LA579-H2, 2 LPs)
Toshiko Akiyoshi-Lew Tabackin Big Band: Insights (RCA AFL1-2678)
Weather Report: 8:30 (Columbia PC-2-36030, 2 LPs)
Wes Montgomery: While We're Young (Milestone M-47003, 2 LPs)
