I know I haven't sold anyone on Jazz yet but my favorite album is Miles Davis Kind of Blue. It was rated the twelfth best album of all time according to Rolling Stones top 500 albums of all time.
http://dj-funktual.hubpages.com/hub/...ms-of-All-Time
John Coltrane and Cannonball Adderley made up part of Miles' group This group was labeled the first great quintet.
Also from Miles Davis in the top 500 was Miles Davis Bitches Brew, the album that really started Fusion Jazz and Miles Davis Sketches of Spain an Jazz collaboration based off of Spanish classical music.
I play them often.