The Modern Jazz Quartet - The Best of The Modern Jazz Quartet

A superb collection from The Modern Jazz Quartet, one of the most distinctive and influential ensembles in modern jazz. Pianist John Lewis, vibraphonist Milt Jackson, bassist Percy Heath, and drummer Connie Kay created an unmistakable sound that combined the improvisational language of bebop with sophisticated composition and elements drawn from European classical music.

This Atlantic Jazz Anthology release brings together six standout MJQ performances recorded between 1952 and 1960, including the John Lewis compositions “Fontessa,” “The Golden Striker,” “Django,” and “Sketch,” alongside Milt Jackson’s “Bags’ Groove” and Ray Brown’s “Pyramid (Blues for Junior).” “Django,” Lewis’s celebrated tribute to guitarist Django Reinhardt, became one of the quartet’s defining compositions.

The recordings span an especially important period in the group’s development and include sessions recorded in New York, Hollywood, Sweden, and at the Manhattan School of Music. The back cover features extensive liner notes by noted jazz critic and historian Leonard Feather.