Vinyl Vault: The Blues Side of The Modern Jazz Quartet

The Modern Jazz Quartet performed for about 45 years. During that time, pianist John Lewis generally acted as the leader. Lewis was interested in combining jazz with classical music, primarily from the Baroque period, and that fusion comprised a great deal of the MJQ’s work. They intentionally cultivated an elegant presence, both sonically and visually. The band was always impeccably dressed.

But the vibes player in the band was Milt Jackson, who was firmly grounded in the blues. And that blues influence could not be suppressed. This week on the Vinyl Vault, we’ll explore the blues side of the Modern Jazz Quartet when we listen to several MJQ pieces penned by Jackson.

The tracks will be taken from an album entitled “The Art of the Modern Jazz Quartet: The Atlantic Years.” The album is a two-disc retrospective of the MJQ’s work for the Atlantic label from 1957 through 1966. In addition to Lewis and Jackson, the MJQ during this time period featured Percy Heath on bass and Connie Kay on drums.

Check out the blues side of the Modern Jazz Quartet on the next Vinyl Vault with Geoff Anderson, on Tuesday, May 6 at 8:30 p.m. on KUVO JAZZ.

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