The Modern Jazz Quartet (MJQ) was a

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a m ...

combo established in 1952 that played music influenced by classical, cool jazz,

blues Blues is a music genre and musical form which originated in the Deep South of the United States around the 1860s. Blues incorporated spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts, chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads from the ...

and bebop. For most of its history the Quartet consisted of John Lewis (piano),

Milt Jackson Milton Jackson (January 1, 1923 – October 9, 1999), nicknamed "Bags", was an American jazz vibraphonist, usually thought of as a bebop player, although he performed in several jazz idioms. He is especially remembered for his cool swinging so ...

(vibraphone), Percy Heath (double bass), and Connie Kay (drums). The group grew out of the rhythm section of

Dizzy Gillespie John Birks "Dizzy" Gillespie (; October 21, 1917 – January 6, 1993) was an American jazz trumpeter, bandleader, composer, educator and singer. He was a trumpet virtuoso and improviser, building on the virtuosic style of Roy Eldridge but a ...

's big band from 1946 to 1948, which consisted of Lewis and Jackson along with bassist Ray Brown and drummer Kenny Clarke. 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 ''Bags' Groove'' (PRLP 7109) is a jazz album by Miles Davis, released in 1957 by Prestige Records, compiling material from two 10" LPs recorded in 1954, plus two alternative takes. Recording Both takes of the title track come from a session on ...

". Clarke left the group in 1955 and was replaced as drummer by Connie Kay, and in 1956 they moved to

Atlantic Records Atlantic Recording Corporation (simply known as Atlantic Records) is an American record label founded in October 1947 by Ahmet Ertegun and Herb Abramson. Over its first 20 years of operation, Atlantic earned a reputation as one of the most im ...

and made their first tour to Europe. Under Lewis's direction, they carved their own niche by specializing in elegant, restrained music that used sophisticated

counterpoint In music, counterpoint is the relationship between two or more musical lines (or voices) which are harmonically interdependent yet independent in rhythm and melodic contour. It has been most commonly identified in the European classical tra ...

inspired by baroque music, yet nonetheless retained a strong blues feel. Noted for their elegant presentation, they were one of the first small jazz combos to perform in concert halls rather than nightclubs. They were initially active into the 1970s until Jackson quit in 1974 due to frustration with their finances and touring schedule, but re-formed in 1981. They made their last released recordings in 1992 and 1993, by which time Kay had been having health issues and Mickey Roker had been his replacement drummer while Kay was unavailable. After Kay's death in 1994, the group operated on a semi-active basis, with Percy Heath's brother

Albert Heath Albert "Tootie" Heath (born May 31, 1935) is an American jazz hard bop drummer, the brother of tenor saxophonist Jimmy Heath and the double-bassist Percy Heath. Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, he first recorded in 1957 with ...

on drums until the group disbanded permanently in 1997.

History

Background, formation, departure of Kenny Clarke, and Prestige recordings (1946–1955)

Two of the four founding members of the Modern Jazz Quartet, pianist John Lewis and drummer Kenny Clarke, met and first performed together in 1944 while stationed with the US army in France during World War II. In 1946, they reconnected in New York, where Clarke, who had joined his friend

's big band, introduced Gillespie to Lewis, who went on to replace

Thelonious Monk Thelonious Sphere Monk (, October 10, 1917 – February 17, 1982) was an American jazz pianist and composer. He had a unique improvisational style and made numerous contributions to the standard jazz repertoire, including " 'Round Midnight", ...

as the band's pianist. The band's rhythm section now consisted of Lewis (piano),

(vibraphone), Ray Brown (bass), and Clarke (drums). On Gillespie's encouragement, they began to perform improvised renditions of

jazz standard Jazz standards are musical compositions that are an important part of the musical repertoire of jazz musicians, in that they are widely known, performed, and recorded by jazz musicians, and widely known by listeners. There is no definitive li ...

s as a standalone unit between sets of the big band's music, as an

entr'acte (or ', ;Since 1932–35 the French Academy recommends this spelling, with no apostrophe, so historical, ceremonial and traditional uses (such as the 1924 René Clair film title) are still spelled ''Entr'acte''. German: ' and ', Italian: ''in ...

, a practice that had been accepted in jazz since

Benny Goodman Benjamin David Goodman (May 30, 1909 – June 13, 1986) was an American clarinetist and bandleader known as the "King of Swing". From 1936 until the mid-1940s, Goodman led one of the most popular swing big bands in the United States. His conc ...

introduced his trio in 1935. Jackson later recalled: "From the first time we performed in that band as a quartet, we became prominent and a part of the band. We would play fifteen to twenty minutes, two or three tunes, and everybody loved it, including Dizzy and the band." Upon the dissolution of Gillespie's band, the rhythm section considered continuing as a quartet under Jackson's name, but they went in their own directions for the next three years. On August 18, 1951, they made a recording as the Milt Jackson Quartet for Gillespie's record label,

Dee Gee Records Dee Gee Records was a jazz record company and independent record label founded in Detroit, Michigan in 1951 by Dizzy Gillespie and Dave Usher. History ''Billboard'' relates that Dee Gee opened for business on April 7, 1951. According to Gillespi ...

. Brown then left the group to concentrate on working with his wife, singer

Ella Fitzgerald Ella Jane Fitzgerald (April 25, 1917June 15, 1996) was an American jazz singer, sometimes referred to as the "First Lady of Song", "Queen of Jazz", and "Lady Ella". She was noted for her purity of tone, impeccable diction, phrasing, timing, in ...

, and was replaced as bassist by Percy Heath, who had also performed with Gillespie. The quartet was incorporated on January 14, 1952, as the Modern Jazz Society, Inc., of which the Modern Jazz Quartet became the working entity. Three or four names were considered, including the New Jazz Quartet, before the group decided to use the name ''Modern Jazz Quartet''. In a 1992 interview, Lewis said of the name: "It was an arbitrary name, the quickest name we could get cleared for a corporation in New York state. It had nothing to do with a description of the music." Heath later recalled a conversation between the group members that occurred in Jackson's Cadillac on the way home from a nightclub date that led up to the creation of the Modern Jazz Quartet: In April 1952 they recorded for Hi-Lo Records as the Milt Jackson Quartet and also made a record for

Blue Note Records Blue Note Records is an American jazz record label owned by Universal Music Group and operated under Capitol Music Group. Established in 1939 by Alfred Lion and Max Margulis, it derived its name from the blue notes of jazz and the blues. ...

with Lou Donaldson on saxophone as the Milt Jackson Quintet, later released on ''

Wizard of the Vibes ''Wizard of the Vibes'' is a Blue Note Records compilation of performances by jazz vibraphonist Milt Jackson. The sessions were the work of The Thelonious Monk Quintet (the July 2, 1948 and July 23, 1951 sessions) and The Modern Jazz Quartet pl ...

''; the latter record contained the first recording of "

", which would become a signature song of the Modern Jazz Quartet. In November of that year they accompanied

Charlie Parker Charles Parker Jr. (August 29, 1920 – March 12, 1955), nicknamed "Bird" or "Yardbird", was an American jazz saxophonist, band leader and composer. Parker was a highly influential soloist and leading figure in the development of bebop, a form ...

in a live recording at Birdland. For Prestige Records, they made their first recordings as the Modern Jazz Quartet on December 22, 1952 which, on Prestige CEO

Bob Weinstock Bob Weinstock (October 2, 1928 – January 14, 2006) was an American record producer best known for his label Prestige Records, established in 1949, which was responsible for many significant jazz recordings during his more than two decades op ...

's insistence, were released under the group name ''Milt Jackson and the Modern Jazz Quartet''. These recordings contained the original version of Lewis's composition "Vendome", the Quartet's first experiment with combining jazz and fugal counterpoint. Between 1953 and early 1955 the group recorded the tracks that were eventually released on the album '' Django'' (1956), including their first recording of Lewis's composition " Django", another signature piece for the Quartet. In 1953 they also accompanied Ben Webster and

Sonny Rollins Walter Theodore "Sonny" Rollins (born September 7, 1930) is an American jazz tenor saxophonist who is widely recognized as one of the most important and influential jazz musicians. In a seven-decade career, he has recorded over sixty albums as a ...

on live recordings, the former being released in 2001 as '' 1953: An Exceptional Encounter''. In October 1953, the Quartet began its first major booking at Birdland, which was followed by appearances in Boston, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and

Carnegie Hall Carnegie Hall ( ) is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City. It is at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east side of Seventh Avenue between West 56th and 57th Streets. Designed by architect William Burnet Tuthill and built ...

. Reviewing their appearance at Birdland, Nat Hentoff wrote: "If the success of the Modern Jazz Quartet depended only on the support of jazz musicians, this could be the most in-demand unit in the country." Heath recalled: In January 1955, they returned to Birdland, and on the last night of that engagement, Clarke announced that he was quitting the band. He later said that he did so because "I wouldn't be able to play the drums my way again after four or five years of playing eighteenth-century drawing-room jazz". Lewis recalled "He was trying to find himself. There was a change in the music, but it was early when Kenny left so it was easy to handle and adjust to. If we had to make the change later, it would have been a disaster. We had to give up a lot of pieces we played when Kenny left." Heath commented "It had to change, because there is no other Kenny Clarke. Kenny didn't want to have such orchestrated music because he was an innovator and didn't want his part dictated." Jackson said "The three years Kenny was in the group was an experimental stage. We were still looking for a direction." Monte Kay, who had by then become the group's manager, suggested that Clarke be replaced by Connie Kay (no relation), who joined the group the day after Clarke had left. The group members had come to have various responsibilities besides playing their instruments: Lewis was the musical director, Jackson handled public relations, Heath managed the finances, and Kay organized the accommodation and transportation. On July 2, 1955, the Modern Jazz Quartet recorded their last album with Prestige Records, ''

Concorde The Aérospatiale/BAC Concorde () is a retired Franco-British supersonic airliner jointly developed and manufactured by Sud Aviation (later Aérospatiale) and the British Aircraft Corporation (BAC). Studies started in 1954, and France an ...

''; its title track was Lewis's second major fugue-influenced piece for the group.

Move to Atlantic Records and international success (1956–1974)

In 1956, the Modern Jazz Quartet moved to

, which was switching from singles to LPs and began focusing on jazz under the guidance of Nesuhi Ertegun, who signed the group to the company and worked with them as a producer. In that year, they recorded the album '' Fontessa'' and had their first formal collaboration with an invited guest, clarinetist Jimmy Giuffre, recorded as '' The Modern Jazz Quartet at Music Inn''. In October of that year the Quartet took their first trip to Europe, where they recorded for South German Radio (SDR), performed on a month-long Birdland All-Star tour with

Bud Powell Earl Rudolph "Bud" Powell (September 27, 1924 – July 31, 1966) was an American jazz pianist and composer. Along with Charlie Parker, Thelonious Monk, Kenny Clarke and Dizzy Gillespie, Powell was a leading figure in the development of mode ...

Miles Davis Miles Dewey Davis III (May 26, 1926September 28, 1991) was an American trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. He is among the most influential and acclaimed figures in the history of jazz and 20th-century music. Davis adopted a variety of music ...

, and Lester Young, and had a two-week residency at Club Saint-Germain in Paris. The next year they came back to Europe on their own, performing 88 concerts in four months in Germany, France, and the British Isles, receiving rave reviews. In 1957, they also recorded a self-titled studio album, the live album '' The Modern Jazz Quartet and the Oscar Peterson Trio at the Opera House'', and Lewis's first film soundtrack, for ''

No Sun in Venice ''No Sun in Venice'' (french: Sait-on jamais...) is a 1957 French-Italian drama film directed by Roger Vadim. It was entered into the 7th Berlin International Film Festival. The soundtrack for the film was composed by pianist John Lewis, and pe ...

''. The group recorded '' The Modern Jazz Quartet at Music Inn Volume 2'' with

in 1958 and 1959 saw Lewis's creation of the soundtrack for the film '' Odds Against Tomorrow'', originally recorded with an orchestra and released in an arrangement for the Quartet as '' Music from Odds Against Tomorrow'' (1960). In 1960, they released ''

Pyramid A pyramid (from el, πυραμίς ') is a structure whose outer surfaces are triangular and converge to a single step at the top, making the shape roughly a pyramid in the geometric sense. The base of a pyramid can be trilateral, quadrilate ...

'' and '' European Concert'', and contributed to the third stream movement with ''Third Stream Music'' (with Jimmy Giuffre 3) and '' The Modern Jazz Quartet & Orchestra''. In 1962 they released '' The Comedy'', containing a suite by Lewis inspired by characters from ''

Commedia dell'arte (; ; ) was an early form of professional theatre, originating from Italian theatre, that was popular throughout Europe between the 16th and 18th centuries. It was formerly called Italian comedy in English and is also known as , , and . Charact ...

'', and '' Lonely Woman'', whose title track was one of the first recorded covers of a composition by

free jazz Free jazz is an experimental approach to jazz improvisation that developed in the late 1950s and early 1960s when musicians attempted to change or break down jazz conventions, such as regular tempos, tones, and chord changes. Musicians duri ...

pioneer

Ornette Coleman Randolph Denard Ornette Coleman (March 9, 1930 – June 11, 2015) was an American jazz saxophonist, violinist, trumpeter, and composer known as a principal founder of the free jazz genre, a term derived from his 1960 album '' Free Jazz: A Coll ...

. They followed up with '' The Sheriff'' and '' Collaboration'' with guitarist Laurindo Almeida (1964), along with '' The Modern Jazz Quartet Plays George Gershwin's Porgy and Bess'' and '' Jazz Dialogue'' with the All Star Jazz Band (1965). They released a collaboration with the

Swingle Singers 270px, The Swingles at the Black Forest Voices Festival in Kirchzarten, Germany">Kirchzarten.html" ;"title="Black Forest Voices Festival in Kirchzarten">Black Forest Voices Festival in Kirchzarten, Germany on 29 June 2019 The Swingles are a v ...

, '' Place Vendôme'' (1966), and three live albums, ''Concert in Japan '66'' (in Japan only), ''

Blues at Carnegie Hall ''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. ...

'' (1966), and '' Live at the Lighthouse'' (1967). They then moved from Atlantic to Apple Records, for which they released '' Under the Jasmin Tree'' (1968) and ''

Space Space is the boundless three-dimensional extent in which objects and events have relative position and direction. In classical physics, physical space is often conceived in three linear dimensions, although modern physicists usually consi ...

'' (1969). Lewis, who produced these albums, recalled: "Monte Kay was a friend of the president of the Beatles' company, and he felt we weren't getting the attention we should have, so we went there and had two good records." Returning to Atlantic, they released ''

Plastic Dreams "Plastic Dreams" is the debut single by Dutch producer Jaydee, and is generally considered to be one of the classics of the house music genre (initially released on R&S Records). It was successful in European countries and also achieved success i ...

'' (1971) and '' The Legendary Profile'' (1972). In 1973 they recorded the last two studio albums before their hiatus, '' In Memoriam'' (with an orchestra conducted by Maurice Peress) and ''

Blues on Bach ''Blues on Bach'' is an album by American jazz group the Modern Jazz Quartet recorded in 1973 and released on the Atlantic label.

'', both of which were released the next year). During this period, they performed annual Christmas concerts at the New York City Town Hall; a recording of performances from 1971 with Paul Desmond on saxophone was released in 1981.

Hiatus, reunion, and final years (1974–1997)

In July 1974, Jackson quit the group, later citing frustration with their finances as his primary reason. He was also unhappy with the group's touring schedule, which by then had become year-round rather than the previous arrangement in which they had vacations during the northern hemisphere summer. Jackson had previously used the downtime to play and record music that was not in the style of the Modern Jazz Quartet, but felt saddled in the group after they also began playing at summer jazz festivals around 1970. The jazz magazine ''

DownBeat ' (styled in all caps) is an American music magazine devoted to "jazz, blues and beyond", the last word indicating its expansion beyond the jazz realm which it covered exclusively in previous years. The publication was established in 1934 in Ch ...

'' compared their breakup to "the abrupt disintegration of Mt. Rushmore". In November 1974 they performed a farewell concert at Avery Fisher Hall, later released as a series of two albums and then as a complete package, '' The Complete Last Concert'' (1988). They had occasional reunion concerts, never going more than eighteen months without playing together, before reuniting in 1981 for a tour of Japan, recorded as ''

Reunion at Budokan 1981 ''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.Pablo Records Pablo Records was a jazz record company and label founded by Norman Granz in 1973, more than a decade after he had sold his earlier catalog (including Verve Records) to MGM Records. Pablo initially featured recordings by acts that Granz manag ...

. They recorded three more albums for Pablo, '' Together Again: Live at the Montreux Jazz Festival '82'' (1982), ''

Echoes Echoes may refer to: * Echo (phenomenon) Film and television * ''Echoes'' (2014 film), an American supernatural horror film * ''Echoes'' (miniseries), a 2022 Netflix original drama series * "Echoes" (''Fear Itself''), an episode of ''Fear Itse ...

'' (1984), and '' Topsy: This One's for Basie'' (1985), before returning to Atlantic, recording '' Three Windows'' (1987, with the New York Chamber Symphony) and '' For Ellington'' (1988). Kay had a stroke in 1992 and during his recovery was replaced by drummer Mickey Roker, who performed on some tracks on the group's last released recording, '' MJQ & Friends: A 40th Anniversary Celebration'' (recorded 1992–1993, released 1994). Kay died in November 1994, after which the group operated on a semi-active basis; the 1995 album '' Dedicated to Connie'', a recording of a 1960 concert in Slovenia, was released in his memory. In February 1995,

, Percy Heath's brother, became the quartet's percussionist. Percy Heath had become tired of touring by 1997 and the group permanently disbanded in that year after a final recording date. In October 1999, Jackson died, followed by Lewis in March 2001 and Heath in April 2005.

Style and public image

The Modern Jazz Quartet played in a cool jazz style that combined bebop and the blues with classical elements. There was a marked contrast in styles between Jackson's rhythmically complex blues-based solos and Lewis's restrained manner of playing and classically influenced pieces. One of the first small jazz combos to perform in concert halls rather than nightclubs, the group was noted for habitually wearing formal attire at concerts, inspired by the bands of

Duke Ellington Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington (April 29, 1899 – May 24, 1974) was an American jazz pianist, composer, and leader of his eponymous jazz orchestra from 1923 through the rest of his life. Born and raised in Washington, D.C., Ellington was bas ...

and Jimmie Lunceford. In his book ''Visions of Jazz'', Gary Giddins summed up their legacy with an explanation of the jazz scene in 1992: "... Young bands customarily performed in concert and at festivals, often in tailored suits. Composition was as widely vaunted for small ensembles as improvisation, and flawless intonation was considered vital. Such traditional jazz devices as

polyphony Polyphony ( ) is a type of musical texture consisting of two or more simultaneous lines of independent melody, as opposed to a musical texture with just one voice, monophony, or a texture with one dominant melodic voice accompanied by chords, ...

riff A riff is a repeated chord progression or refrain in music (also known as an ostinato figure in classical music); it is a pattern, or melody, often played by the rhythm section instruments or solo instrument, that forms the basis or acc ...

s, breaks, boogie bass, mutes, and fugal

, as well as a repertory that ranges over the entire history of the music, were everywhere apparent. You could say that the Modern Jazz quartet now resided in a world at least partially of its own making."

Honors and legacy

The Modern Jazz Quartet earned a variety of honors, including the first

NAACP The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is a civil rights organization in the United States, formed in 1909 as an interracial endeavor to advance justice for African Americans by a group including W. E.&n ...

award for cultural contributions in the field of music in 1957, top billing on numerous jazz magazine polls, and honorary doctorates from Berklee College. The Modern Folk Quartet, which was most active in the 1960s, took their name as a conscious parallel with the Modern Jazz Quartet.

Discography

''First dates are of recording, in parentheses are dates of release'' * 1952: ''The Modern Jazz Quartet Quintet'' recorded 1952 and 1954 ( Prestige) * 1952 ''

'' (10" LP issued 1952, 12" LP as ''Milt Jackson'' issued 1956) – session has identical personnel to the Modern Jazz Quartet of the time plus Lou Donaldson. * 1953: '' 1953: An Exceptional Encounter'' with Ben Webster (The Jazz Factory, 2001) – live * 1955: ''

'' (Prestige, 1955) * 1953–55: '' Django'' (Prestige, 1956) * 1956: '' Fontessa'' (

Atlantic The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe ...

, 1956) * 1956: '' The Modern Jazz Quartet at Music Inn'' with guest Jimmy Giuffre (Atlantic, 1956) * 1957: ''

The Modern Jazz Quartet Plays No Sun in Venice ''The Modern Jazz Quartet Plays No Sun in Venice'' (originally titled ''The Modern Jazz Quartet Plays One Never Knows: Original Film Score for "No Sun in Venice"'') is a soundtrack album by American jazz group the Modern Jazz Quartet featuring perf ...

'' (Atlantic, 1958) – soundtrack * 1957: '' The Modern Jazz Quartet'' (Atlantic, 1957) * 1957: '' The Modern Jazz Quartet and the Oscar Peterson Trio at the Opera House'' (Verve, 1957) – live * 1958: '' The Modern Jazz Quartet at Music Inn Volume 2'' with

(Atlantic, 1959) – live * 1959: '' Music from Odds Against Tomorrow'' (

United Artists United Artists Corporation (UA), currently doing business as United Artists Digital Studios, is an American digital production company. Founded in 1919 by D. W. Griffith, Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford, and Douglas Fairbanks, the stu ...

, 1959) – soundtrack also released as ''Patterns'' (United Artists, 1960) * 1959–60: ''

'' (Atlantic, 1960) * 1960: '' European Concert'' (Atlantic, 1960) LP– live * 1960: ''Modern Jazz Quartet in Concert'' (Jazz Life, 1990) CD– live recorded in

Ljubljana Ljubljana (also known by other historical names) is the capital and largest city of Slovenia. It is the country's cultural, educational, economic, political and administrative center. During antiquity, a Roman city called Emona stood in the ar ...

. also released as '' Dedicated to Connie'' (Atlantic, 1995) CD * 1960: '' The Modern Jazz Quartet & Orchestra'' (Atlantic, 1960) * 1960?: ''Third Stream Music'' with guests including the Jimmy Giuffre 3 (Atlantic, 1960) * 1962: '' The Comedy'' (Atlantic, 1962) * 1962: '' Lonely Woman'' (Atlantic, 1962) * 1963: ''1963 Monterey Jazz Festival'' (

Douglas Douglas may refer to: People * Douglas (given name) * Douglas (surname) Animals *Douglas (parrot), macaw that starred as the parrot ''Rosalinda'' in Pippi Longstocking * Douglas the camel, a camel in the Confederate Army in the American Civil ...

, 1997) – live. also released as ''In a Crowd'' (Atlantic, 1998). * 1963: '' The Sheriff'' (Atlantic, 1964) * 1964: '' Collaboration'' with Laurindo Almeida (Atlantic, 1964) * 1964–65: '' The Modern Jazz Quartet Plays George Gershwin's Porgy and Bess'' (Atlantic, 1965) * 1965: '' Jazz Dialogue'' with The All Star Jazz Band (Atlantic, 1965) * 1966: '' Concert in Japan '66'' (Atlantic, 1976) LP– live. Japan only. * 1966: ''

'' (Atlantic, 1966) – live * 1966: '' Place Vendôme'' with The Swingle Singers (

Philips Koninklijke Philips N.V. (), commonly shortened to Philips, is a Dutch multinational conglomerate corporation that was founded in Eindhoven in 1891. Since 1997, it has been mostly headquartered in Amsterdam, though the Benelux headquarters is ...

, 1966) * 1967: '' Live at the Lighthouse'' (Atlantic, 1967) – live * 1967: '' Under the Jasmin Tree'' (

Apple An apple is an edible fruit produced by an apple tree (''Malus domestica''). Apple trees are cultivated worldwide and are the most widely grown species in the genus '' Malus''. The tree originated in Central Asia, where its wild ancest ...

, 1968) * 1969: ''

'' (Apple, 1969) * 1971: ''

'' (Atlantic, 1971) * 1971: ''The Only Recorded Performance of Paul Desmond With The Modern Jazz Quartet'' with Paul Desmond (Finesse/Columbia, 1981) * 1972: '' The Legendary Profile'' (Atlantic1972) * 1973: '' In Memoriam'' ( Little David, 1974) * 1973: ''

Blues on Bach ''Blues on Bach'' is an album by American jazz group the Modern Jazz Quartet recorded in 1973 and released on the Atlantic label.

'' (Atlantic, 1974) * 1974: '' The Complete Last Concert'' (Atlantic, 1988) CD– includes live ''The Last Concert'' (1975) LPand ''More from the Last Concert'' (1981) * 1981: ''

Reunion at Budokan 1981 ''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.Pablo, 1981) – live * 1982: '' Together Again: Live at the Montreux Jazz Festival '82'' (Pablo, 1982) – live * 1984: ''

'' (Pablo, 1984) * 1985: '' Topsy: This One's for Basie'' (Pablo, 1985) * 1987: '' Three Windows'' (Atlantic, 1987) * 1988: '' For Ellington'' ( East West, 1988) * 1992: ''A Night at the Opera'' ( Jazz Door, 1994) – unofficial * 1992–93: '' MJQ & Friends: A 40th Anniversary Celebration'' (Atlantic, 1994)

Compilations

''Dates are of first release''. * ''Plays for Lovers'' (Prestige, 1960) * ''The Modern Jazz Quartet'' (Prestige, 1972) LP* ''The Art of The Modern Jazz Quartet – The Atlantic Years'' (Atlantic, 1973) * ''A Proper Introduction to the Modern Jazz Quartet: La Ronde'' (Past Perfect, 2002) * ''The Complete Modern Jazz Quartet Prestige & Pablo Recordings'' (Prestige/Pablo/

Fantasy Fantasy is a genre of speculative fiction involving magical elements, typically set in a fictional universe and sometimes inspired by mythology and folklore. Its roots are in oral traditions, which then became fantasy literature and d ...

, 2003) CD* ''The Modern Jazz Quartet & Jimmy Giuffre – Complete Recordings'' (Lone Hill, 2005) * ''The MJQ in the Movies'' (Giant Steps, 2010) * ''The Complete Atlantic Studio Recordings of The Modern Jazz Quartet 1956–64'' (

Mosaic A mosaic is a pattern or image made of small regular or irregular pieces of colored stone, glass or ceramic, held in place by plaster/mortar, and covering a surface. Mosaics are often used as floor and wall decoration, and were particularly pop ...

, 2011) CD* ''Original Album Series – The Modern Jazz Quartet'' (Warner, 2012) CD

Filmography

* 2005: ''The Modern Jazz Quartet: 35th Anniversary Tour'' * 2007: ''40 Years of MJQ'' * 2008: ''Django''

References

External links

more about MJQ and recordings
{{DEFAULTSORT:Modern Jazz Quartet, The Jazz fusion ensembles Bebop ensembles Cool jazz ensembles Musical quartets African-American musical groups Atlantic Records artists Apple Records artists Prestige Records artists American jazz ensembles from New York City Musical groups established in 1952 Musical groups disestablished in 1997 1952 establishments in the United States 1997 disestablishments in the United States