To be at one with your instrument, where your musical thought is so linked to what you're doing it's as natural as breathing: this is one of the goals of a jazz musician. The great ones exhibit it on such a high level you can actually see it, which is probably why Miles Davis stated he could judge how good a musician was by how he stood, or how he held his horn. Of all the examples of this, none is more obvious than Django, so in a sense this is not just something everyone should hear, but everyone should see.
[ This is not a comprehensive list, nor is it representative of the "most important" or "best." Instead, following Duke Ellington's adage that the greatest music and musicians are "beyond category", I'm starting 2020 by sharing 100 jazz tunes I feel everyone should have the chance to hear--really just tunes and performances that I love. ]
