Dizzy gets busy with his horn of choice.

Photograph: David Redfern/Redferns/Retna Ltd.

Jazz first flourished as raucous party music in the Storyville district of New Orleans. The music had an illicit, on-the-down-low vibe—after all, Storyville was a red-light district—but from Day One it was all about having a good time, which makes it almost chromosomally attractive to kids. Want to get your tots jazzed up? Listen here.

Count Basie, Ella Fitzgerald and Joe Williams, “Party Blues”
Joe and Ella go on a swingin’ date, escorted by the peerless Count on keys. The scat-tastic shoo-bee-doos bounce from every corner of the joint. All three giants are in peak party form, and we defy anyone from five to 85 to remain seated.

Ray Brown, John Clayton and Christian McBride, “Taco with a Pork Chop”
A three-bass hit recorded live, this track captures a trio of virtuosos in a deep Latin groove. Twenty-four bars of slapping and slamming pay off at the delightfully delicious chorus. All together now: “TACO WITH A PORK CHOP!”

Duke Ellington, “East St. Louis Toodle-Oo”
The haunting opening chords creep by, giving way to the sinuous wah-wah trumpet. Then up kicks the jaunty, juicy baritone solo, all W.C. Fields waddling by in scuffed spats. Duke’s optimistic 1926 “jungle sound” still transports today.

Slim Gaillard, “Laughing in Rhythm”
Though it’s often difficult to tell whether Slim was laughing with us or at us, the man had a contagious sense of fun. This track is simple enough: Slim and his merry band chuckle in sync to a loping beat, quite possibly stoned out of their gourdaroonis. (Also worth a listen: “Potato Chips.”)

Dizzy Gillespie, “In the Land of Oo-Bla-Dee”
Few figures in jazz history towered quite as high—or exuded such hepcat mirth. On this track, written for Dizz by Mary Lou Williams, we’re treated to the coolest fairy tale ever. Our hero is wooed by a beautiful princess, meets her sisters (a giantess and a three-eyed freak) and narrowly escapes being tricked into wedding one of them.