I like jazz, but I'm by no means an expert on it. I like Miles Davis, Madhouse, Jaco Pastorius,(the best bassist ever!), Bob James, Earl Klugh, stuff like that.
Well, Coleman Hawkins and Louis Armstrong are really 2 artists that were pioneers for jazz in its early days. Both have left a huge legacy both in music and on the music so if you're interested in checking out some early jazz, they're a good place to start.