July 7, 2001... a date living in infamy

If you happen to be my jazz-hating daughters, that is.
That sunny Saturday marked my official entry into the world of jazz CD collecting. Before stepping into the Virgin Records megastore in San Francisco that day, I would occasionally listen to Charlie Parker or Duke Ellington, but I did not have what could be considered a jazz CD "collection."
I stepped inside the record store that day and confined myself to the jazz section. I decided I wanted a trio of "anchors" for what I decided would become a budding collection.
I chose:
* "Kind of Blue" by Miles Davis -- the modal jazz classic that some considered the greatest album ever made
* "The Best of Chet Baker Sings" -- the elegant statement of 1950s cool
* "Getz/Gilberto" by Stan Getz and Joao Gilberto -- the towering bossa nova achievement by one of America's top tenor saxophone players and Brazil's most amazing guitarist.
My collection grew from there, thanks in part to my joining a jazz CD club.
If you are looking for three entry points into jazz, however, I would still recommend those treasures I found in San Francisco.