The Modern Jazz Quartet - The Complete Atlantic Studio Recordings 1956-64 [2011] (7 x CDs)

JAZZ SUNDAY

THE MODERN JAZZ QUARTET

The Modern Jazz Quartet - The Complete Atlantic Studio Recordings 1956-64 [2011] (7 x CDs)

The Modern Jazz Quartet, a group that started as the rhythm section for Dizzy Gillespie in the 1940s, transformed into a standalone band that represented grace, elegance, and cool dignity. The band consisted of pianist John Lewis, vibraphonist Milt Jackson, bassist Ray Brown, and drummer Kenny Clarke. After Brown's departure, Percy Heath joined the band, and they renamed themselves The Modern Jazz Quartet. The band's music reflected classical music, which gave them a distinct identity and became contentious in the eyes of the bebop world.

The Complete Atlantic Studio Recordings of The Modern Jazz Quartet 1956-64 is a seven-CD box set that brings together the fourteen albums the band recorded exclusively with Atlantic Records between 1956 and 1964. The box set is beautifully packaged and lovingly remastered, making the titles available for the first time in over two decades.  The Modern Jazz Quartet was one of the earliest examples of cool jazz that ultimately became associated with the American west coast, even though the band members came mostly from the east. Lewis, who was part of the nonet that recorded sides later collected on trumpeter Miles Davis' the Birth of the Cool, had an interest in breezy music rather than boiling at an early stage of his career.

The Modern Jazz Quartet had an instrumental lineup that eschewed conventional horns for the more ethereal possibilities of piano and vibes. The band's classical ideas incorporated into a jazz context made them one of the first American groups to play concert halls in Europe. The band's always tuxedo-dressed image reflected their suitability for concert halls rather than smoky, sweaty jazz clubs. Lewis's eventual insistence on nothing but Steinway grand pianos, despite being denied use at those early European concert hall performances, demonstrated the band's commitment to their musical ideals.

The pairing of Lewis and Jackson proved to be an ideal tension, demonstrating how different musical interests could come together to create something entirely new. The pianist's interest in classical music dovetailed perfectly with the more overtly jazz-centric and grounded vibraphonist. From the first notes of Lewis's "Versailles," the opener of 1956's Fontessa, the pianist's classical leanings are clear, as he engages Jackson and Heath in some delicate yet exciting, Bach-informed contrapunt.

The Complete Atlantic Studio Recordings of The Modern Jazz Quartet 1956-64 is a must-have for jazz enthusiasts, particularly those who appreciate the interplay between classical music and jazz. The box set showcases the band's distinct identity and highlights their importance in the jazz world. The set is a testament to The Modern Jazz Quartet legacy and the music they created that continues to inspire and influence musicians today. (B)

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Track lists

CD1

01 The Modern Jazz Quartet - Versailles (Porte De Versailles) 3:25

02 The Modern Jazz Quartet - Angel Eyes 3:52

03 The Modern Jazz Quartet - Fontessa 11:14

04 The Modern Jazz Quartet - Over The Rainbow 3:54

05 The Modern Jazz Quartet - Bluesology 5:06

06 The Modern Jazz Quartet - Willow Weep For Me 4:50

07 The Modern Jazz Quartet - Woody 'n You 4:28

08 The Modern Jazz Quartet - Oh Bess, Where's My Bess 4:29

09 The Modern Jazz Quartet - A Fugue For Music Inn 4:44

10 The Modern Jazz Quartet - Two Degrees East, Three Degrees West 7:05

11 The Modern Jazz Quartet - Serenade 2:55

12 The Modern Jazz Quartet - Fun 5:33

13 The Modern Jazz Quartet - Sun Dance 4:16

14 The Modern Jazz Quartet - The Man That Got Away 3:33

15 The Modern Jazz Quartet - A Morning In Paris 2:53

16 The Modern Jazz Quartet - Variation No. 1 On God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen 5:00

CD2

01 The Modern Jazz Quartet - Medley: They Say It's Wonderful / How Deep Is The Ocean / (I Don't Stand) A Ghost Of A Chance With You / My Old Flame / Body And Soul) 10:15

02 The Modern Jazz Quartet - Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea 6:53

03 The Modern Jazz Quartet - La Ronde: Drums 2:10

04 The Modern Jazz Quartet - A Night In Tunisa 6:10

05 The Modern Jazz Quartet - Yesterdays 5:12

06 The Modern Jazz Quartet - Bags' Groove 5:43

07 The Modern Jazz Quartet - Baden-Baden 4:04

08 The Modern Jazz Quartet - The Golden Striker 3:38

09 The Modern Jazz Quartet - One Never Knows 9:07

10 The Modern Jazz Quartet - The Rose Truc 4:54

11 The Modern Jazz Quartet - Cortege 7:27

12 The Modern Jazz Quartet - Venice 4:26

13 The Modern Jazz Quartet - Three Windows 6:43

CD3

01 The Modern Jazz Quartet - Medley: Stardust / I Can't Getstarted / Lover Man 8:17

02 The Modern Jazz Quartet - Yardbird Suite 5:14

03 The Modern Jazz Quartet - Midsömmer 7:03

04 The Modern Jazz Quartet - Festival Sketch 3:43

05 The Modern Jazz Quartet - Bags's Groove 8:41

06 The Modern Jazz Quartet - A Night In Tunisia 7:08

07 The Modern Jazz Quartet - Vendome 2:32

08 The Modern Jazz Quartet - Pyramid 10:52

09 The Modern Jazz Quartet - It Don't Mean A Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing) 5:04

10 The Modern Jazz Quartet - Django 4:36

11 The Modern Jazz Quartet - How High The Moon 6:15

12 The Modern Jazz Quartet - Romaine 7:20

CD4

01 The Modern Jazz Quartet - Da Capo 3:41

02 The Modern Jazz Quartet - Fine 6:07

03 The Modern Jazz Quartet - Exposure 9:40

04 The Modern Jazz Quartet - Sketch 5:32

05 The Modern Jazz Quartet - Conversation 10:41

06 The Modern Jazz Quartet - Around The Blues 8:26

07 The Modern Jazz Quartet - Divertimento 8:17

08 The Modern Jazz Quartet - England's Carol 6:21

09 The Modern Jazz Quartet - First Movement (Concertino For Jazz Quartet And Orchestra) 6:43

10 The Modern Jazz Quartet - Second Movement: Passacaglia 6:39

11 The Modern Jazz Quartet - Third Movement 5:55

CD5

01 The Modern Jazz Quartet - Spanish Steps 5:36

02 The Modern Jazz Quartet - Columbine 4:09

03 The Modern Jazz Quartet - Pulcinella 4:24

04 The Modern Jazz Quartet - Pierrot 3:21

05 The Modern Jazz Quartet - La Cantatrice 5:30

06 The Modern Jazz Quartet - Harlequin 6:54

07 The Modern Jazz Quartet - Piazza Navona 5:01

08 The Modern Jazz Quartet - Lonely Woman 6:18

09 The Modern Jazz Quartet - Animal Dance 4:04

10 The Modern Jazz Quartet - New York 19 7:55

11 The Modern Jazz Quartet - Belkis 3:40

12 The Modern Jazz Quartet - Why Are You Blue 6:32

13 The Modern Jazz Quartet - Fugato 2:46

14 The Modern Jazz Quartet - Lamb, Leopard 6:23

15 The Modern Jazz Quartet - Trieste 5:44

CD6

01 The Modern Jazz Quartet - The Sheriff 2:42

02 The Modern Jazz Quartet - In A Crowd 3:08

03 The Modern Jazz Quartet - Bachianas Brasileiras 5:45

04 The Modern Jazz Quartet - Mean To Me 4:24

05 The Modern Jazz Quartet - Natural Affection 4:08

06 The Modern Jazz Quartet - Donnie's Theme 4:14

07 The Modern Jazz Quartet - Carnival 6:09

08 The Modern Jazz Quartet - Reunion Blues 3:34

09 The Modern Jazz Quartet - Winter Tale 5:24

10 The Modern Jazz Quartet - Concorde 3:46

11 The Modern Jazz Quartet - Yesterdays 4:34

12 The Modern Jazz Quartet - Bluesology (Stereo Take) 4:52

13 The Modern Jazz Quartet - Woody N You (Stereo Take) 4:50

14 The Modern Jazz Quartet - Sun Dance (Stereo Take) 4:00

15 The Modern Jazz Quartet - Django (Mono Take) 5:23

16 The Modern Jazz Quartet - La Cantatrice (Mono Take) 4:55

17 The Modern Jazz Quartet - Harlequin (Mono Take) 6:58

CD7

01 The Modern Jazz Quartet - Silver 3:43

02 The Modern Jazz Quartet - Trieste 5:35

03 The Modern Jazz Quartet - Valeria 5:50

04 The Modern Jazz Quartet - Fugue In A Minor 3:50

05 The Modern Jazz Quartet - One Note Samba 5:08

06 The Modern Jazz Quartet - Foi A Saudade 2:35

07 The Modern Jazz Quartet - Concerto De Aranjuez 11:53

08 The Modern Jazz Quartet - Summertime 5:57

09 The Modern Jazz Quartet - Bess, You Is My Woman 5:39

10 The Modern Jazz Quartet - My Man's Gone Now 7:21

11 The Modern Jazz Quartet - I Love You Porgy 3:25

12 The Modern Jazz Quartet - It Ain't Necessarily So 6:21

13 The Modern Jazz Quartet - Oh Bess, Oh Where's My Bess 4:15

14 The Modern Jazz Quartet - There's A Boat Dat's Leavin' Soon For New York 4:19

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