The Modern Jazz Quartet (MJQ) was a jazz combo established in 1952 that played music influenced by classical, cool jazz, blues and bebop. The Quartet consisted of John Lewis (piano), Milt Jackson (vibraphone), Percy Heath, and various drummers, most notably Kenny Clarke and Connie Kay. The group grew out of the rhythm section of Dizzy Gillespie's big band from 1946 to 1948, which consisted of Lewis, Jackson, and Clarke along with bassist Ray Brown. They recorded as the Milt Jackson Quartet in 1951 and Brown left the group, being replaced on bass by Heath. During the early-to-mid-1950s they became the Modern Jazz Quartet, Lewis became the group's musical director, and they made several recordings with Prestige Records, including the original versions of their two best-known compositions, Lewis's "Django" and Jackson's "Bags' Groove". Clarke left the group in 1955 and was replaced as drummer by Kay, and in 1956 they moved to Atlantic Records and made their first tour to Europe.
The Complete Last Concert is a double CD live album by American jazz group the Modern Jazz Quartet featuring performances recorded at Avery Fisher Hall in 1974 and released on the Atlantic label originally as a double album The Last Concert (1975) and More from the Last Concert (1981) before the complete edition was released in 1988.
"Bags' Groove" is a jazz composition by Milt Jackson. It was first recorded by the Milt Jackson Quintet on April 7, 1952 for Blue Note Records, later released on Wizard of the Vibes. Lou Donaldson, John Lewis, Percy Heath and Kenny Clarke were on that date. Next was the Mat Mathews quintet with Herbie Mann, Bud Powell, Mat Mathews again, a bootleg version by the Modern Jazz Quartet, the Lighthouse All-Stars, bassist Buddy Banks' quartet and then Jay Jay Johnson and Kai Winding. Other important recordings include those by Ray Bryant, Oscar Peterson, Al Haig, George Russell, and Mal Waldron.
The Comedy is an album by American jazz group the Modern Jazz Quartet featuring performances recorded in 1960 and 1962 and released on the Atlantic label.
Pyramid is an album by American jazz group the Modern Jazz Quartet featuring performances recorded in 1959-60 and released on the Atlantic label.
The Modern Jazz Quartet at Music Inn Volume 2 is a live album by American jazz group the Modern Jazz Quartet featuring performances recorded at the Music Inn in Lenox, Massachusetts, in 1958, with guest artist Sonny Rollins appearing on two numbers, and released on the Atlantic label.
The Modern Jazz Quartet is an album by American jazz group the Modern Jazz Quartet featuring performances recorded in 1957 and released on the Atlantic label.
The Modern Jazz Quartet at Music Inn is a live album by American jazz group the Modern Jazz Quartet featuring performances recorded at the Music Inn in Lenox, Massachusetts in 1956, with guest artist Jimmy Giuffre appearing on three numbers, and released on the Atlantic label.
Collaboration is an album by American jazz group the Modern Jazz Quartet with Brazilian guitarist Laurindo Almeida featuring performances recorded at Webster Hall in 1964 and released on the Atlantic label.
Jazz Dialogue is an album by American jazz group the Modern Jazz Quartet with a big band featuring performances recorded in 1965 and released on the Atlantic label.
Blues at Carnegie Hall is a live album by American jazz group the Modern Jazz Quartet featuring performances recorded at Carnegie Hall in 1966 at a benefit concert presented by The Manhattan School of Music and released on the Atlantic label.
Live at the Lighthouse is a live album by American jazz group the Modern Jazz Quartet recorded by Wally Heider at the Lighthouse Café in 1967 and released on the Atlantic label.
Plastic Dreams is an album by American jazz group the Modern Jazz Quartet, augmented by a brass section on three tracks, recorded in 1971 and released on the Atlantic label.
The Legendary Profile is an album by American jazz group the Modern Jazz Quartet recorded in 1972 and released on the Atlantic label.
In Memoriam is an album by American jazz group the Modern Jazz Quartet recorded in 1973 and released on the Little David label.
Blues on Bach is an album by American jazz group the Modern Jazz Quartet recorded in 1973 and released on the Atlantic label. The album includes five arrangements by John Lewis of pieces by Johann Sebastian Bach, interspersed with four original blues pieces "on" [the name] "Bach"—in keys that spell out in order the name B-A-C-H.
Reunion at Budokan 1981 is a live album by American jazz group the Modern Jazz Quartet featuring performances recorded at their reunion concert at the Nippon Budokan in 1981 and released on the Pablo label.
For Ellington is a tribute album by American jazz group the Modern Jazz Quartet featuring performances of compositions associated with Duke Ellington recorded in 1988 and released on the East West label.
MJQ & Friends: A 40th Anniversary Celebration is an album by American jazz group the Modern Jazz Quartet featuring performances recorded in New York City, Los Angeles and at the Montreux Jazz Festival with guest artists including Bobby McFerrin, Take 6, Phil Woods, Wynton Marsalis, Illinois Jacquet, Harry "Sweets" Edison, Branford Marsalis, Jimmy Heath, Freddie Hubbard and Nino Tempo and released on the Atlantic label.
Dedicated to Connie is a live album by American jazz group the Modern Jazz Quartet featuring performances recorded in Slovenia in May 1960 and released in 1995 on the Atlantic label following drummer Connie Kay's death. The album was also released by Jazz Life in 1990 as Modern Jazz Quartet In Concert.
