Best Source For Quality Jazz CDs?

Check out the Concord Record label site.

I would NOT recommend trying to purchase anything from the Chesky site or from the company itself... Great recordings but I'll NEVER give them any money again - they really screwed me.

BMG Music Club always surprises me (in a good way) with the large amount of jazz they carry. Sound quality varies widely between titles, of course, but BMG cds are the same quality as cds sold anywhere else.

ECM Records in Germany have some exquisite sounding modern jazz CDs. Most of their releases are available in the US at places like Amazon, but some stuff can only be had in Europe. You can try Amazon.uk or directly from the company at www.ecmrecords.com

You might look at a thread I did on Miles Davis recordings, LP vs. CD. I compared Bitches Brew and Bags Groove CDs and Lps. Bottom line is, the more recent Blue Note remasterings are very good, either the Rudy van Gelder series or the 20 bit K2 series (which is related to the XRCD technology); the XRCDs can be good (but in my A-B of Bags Groove, came out second to the K2, though I really like the XRCD Bill Evans); and the newer Columbia remasterings of Miles Davis's material are very good. In fact, the best of the CDs gave the Lps a run for their money...they sounded different (somewhat), but not necessarily inferior. I did not find that to be true of the older Columbia CD of Bitches Brew (which I did not mention in the thread--it's really not very good).

I buy almost all of my jazz CDs on Amazon. There is a program on Amazon where you pay them a flat rate of something like $75.00/year and from then on don't pay postage (and what you get is second day delivery, I seem to recall). Since I'm a pretty serious CD addict, that's a very good deal...I don't have to order CDs in a bundle...I think of something I want, and just order it whenever I think of it. (Of course, that also explains part of why I order most of my CD's from Amazon...the other reason is because I like the access to customer reviews--and write some as well--plus there are usually interesting lists you can find that lead to new things to listen to).

Have a good time with it...

I'll second the Amazon suggestion ... particularly if you go "used". That can save a lot of money. Check out Verve records on verve.com ... they've assembled a number of other labels under one roof. Many of the "Jazz Round Midnight" series CD's are very well recorded. Here's something if you really like jazz piano: with the right equipment - something accurate and resolving - some of these recordings are nothing less than stunning. Generally, I go to the Verve site to research titles; then I purchase from Amazon. Good luck.