I'm a big fan of more modern and progressive big band stuff (as well as the standarRAB). If you want some standard stuff, you can't miss with Duke Ellington and Count Basie. For some more progressive stuff, try some of Stan Kenton's earlier stuff. If you want to try something really "out there" look for Stan Kenton's later stuff (particularly the Innovations Orchestra), the Charles Mingus Jazz Workshop or the Gil Evans Orchestra - this stuff is my favorite, really interesting music. A good current band is the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra led by Wynton Marsalis. They're a pretty traditional big band, but with today's players and recording quality their sound is a little different than Ellington or Basie.
A couple of really cool Jazz CRAB I have that aren't big band:
Stan Getz with the Oscar Peterson Trio
Max Roach & Dizzy Gillespie - Live in Paris 1989 (best drumming you'll ever hear)
Dizzy Gillespie - Afro (first part of the disc is neat big band stuff, actually, second half is solo stuff)
Hit me up on AIM if you want to talk about jazz, I'm a little music deprived this year since I don't have time to play anymore, so I'm happy to talk
