J.J. Johnson Quintet and Boppers
Sonny Rollins Quartet
Modern Jazz Quartet
Miles Davis
Thelonius Monk
Milt Jackson
Paul Desmond
Jerry Mulligan
Chet Baker
Art Farmer
Art Blakey
Charles Mingus
Clifford Brown/Max Roach Quintet
John Coltrane
Ahmad Jamal
Chick Corea
Blossom Dearie
Dinah Washington
Ella Fitzgerald

We like CDs here, we just need a $10,000 CDP for listening. Just kidding.

Don't let "A Love Supreme" put you off 'trane. I think that was his absolute worst album. (Yeah, I've got the sucker also).

There's already a good list up, I'd add the following artists:
Wes Montgomery
Cannonball Adderley
Kenny Burrell
Warren Vache'
Tal Farlow
Dave Brubeck
Paul Desmond (without Brubeck)
Stan Getz
Joe Lovano
Ed Bickert
Bill Mays (pianistist)
Gene Harris
Russell Malone

Some great labels are Verve and Concord. Almost anything they do is good.

On the edge of "smooth jazz" but often very good:

Dave Gruisin
Lee Ritenour
Steve Gadd
Peter White
Bob James
Earl Klue
Chris Botti

Most of those guys move in and out of "Smooth Jazz". The GRP label has universally great sound. Here are a couple of albums that "real jazzers" can also like:

"Cannon Reloaded" and all-star tribute to Cannonball Adderley on Concord
"A Twist of Motown" on GRP. This is a great, incredibly well recorded, modern take on Motown classics.

Dave

Oops! I forgot Johnny Hartman!