I don't know about seminal, but hear are a few of the jazz albums I would
suggest to a friend looking to explore the music:
Geri Allen/Charlie Haden/Paul Motion- Etudes
Louis Armstrong/Ella Fitzgerald- Ella & Louis
Albert Ayler- Vibration
Count Basie- Atomic Basie
George Benson- It's Uptown
Art Blakey- Free For All
Lester Bowie Brass Fantasy- Serious Fun
Cyrus Chestnut- Revelation
John Coltrane- Blue Trane/Coltrane/A Love Supreme/Sunship
Andrew Cyrille- Metamusician's Stomp
Miles Davis- 'Round About Midnight/Kind of Blue/On The Corner
Santi Dibriano/Arthur Blythe/Billy Hart- 3-ology
Eric Dolphy- Out To Lunch
Duke Ellington- Black Brown & Biege/New Orleans Suite
Kahil El'Zabar/David Murray- Golden Sea
Booker Ervin- That's It!
Grant Green- Matador
Chico Hamilton & Euphoria- Arroyo
Roy Haynes- We Three
Julius Hemphill Sextet- Five Chord Stud
Dave Holland Quartet- Dream of the Elders
The Leaders- Unforseen Blessings
Booker Little- Out Front
Pat Matheny/Ornette Coleman- Song X
Charles Mingus- Mingus Ah Um/Mingus Presents Mingus
Thelonious Monk- Thelonious In Action
Eric Person- Prophecy
Max Roach- Brown & Roach Inc/Deeds, Not Words
Shirley Scott- Queen Of The Organ
Wayne Shorter- JuJu/Native Dancer/Alantis
McCoy Tyner- Expansions
World Saxophone Quartet- Revue
Lester Young- Complete Aladdin Sessions
If that wouldn't get 'em started, I don't know what would!!!!
Peace,
Jeffrey