Just glancing over the collection I have here at work:

Don Byron - Bug Music (a must have)
Buddy Rich - Big Swing Face
Willie Bobo - Spanish Grease & Uno Dos Tres 1-2-3
Antibalas Afrobeat Orchestra - Who is This America
Mingus Amungus - Isms
The Articles - Flip F'real (awesome jazz covers by a ska-jazz combo)
Joe Henderson - Mode for Joe
Charles Mingus - Mingus Ah Um
Count Basie - One O'Clock Jump (best Laserlight $5 CD I've ever bought)
Stan Kenton - Cuban Fire!
J.J. Johnson - Say When

I also have a weakness for cheezy lounge music (we had a lot of Henry Mancini LP's in my house growing up)

I dig the full big band sound, but prefer the later stuff I think I have nearly every Kenton recording either on LP or CD. Given the choice of Benny Goodman or Artie Shaw, I'd pick Arie, Miles Davis or Gerry Mulligan, I'd pick Gerry, The Duke or the Count, I'd pick the Count. Rippingtons or Bela Fleck, I'd choose to shoot myself .