The Modern Jazz Quartet

[Jazz Kat]

Surprisingly, I haven't heard The MJQ mentioned a lot here. Any fans out there. About five summers ago, I was really into them, and played nothing but MJQ all summer. I got some footaged of them playing a lot of places. Sometimes it gets alittle too subtle for me, but I love them, especially the Prestige and early Atlantic periods.

[JSngry]

I like a lot of their stuff, but have a problem with the more "prissy" John Lewis things. But yeah, they did some fine work, and their legacy bears consideration and exploration.

As always, I recommend this one to all but the most ardent MJQphobes, if ti can be found:

[Jazz Kat]

They have a lot of "un necessary" albums for lack of a better term. They got about 15 essentials, and the rest are all just nice listens, though some are recorded with strings, and the strings end up hogging the spotlight and it becomes the "so and so" orchestra with The Modern Jazz Quartet. I have been dissapointed over the years, (the few years) with albums like those, but they are growing on me, not fast though.

[Dave James]

You know how some people make the argument that the whole of The Beatles was greater than the sum of its parts? I've always felt that the opposite was true of the MJQ, i.e. the whole was less than the sum of its parts, especially the original iteration with Kenny Clarke.

As a performing unit, they just seemed so laid back, just coloring inside the lines that John Lewis drew for them. I'm not saying they couldn't or didn't swing, but it didn't seem to come very naturally. I know there was a distinctly third stream element in their music, and that's something I've never really warmed up to in jazz, so maybe that's what gets in the way for me.

Up over and out.

[Jazz Kat]

I dont know. I get what you're saying and you are dead on, but as whole, they thought and played as one. But if you're saying that when they were all on their own, they let loose and swang better, yep you got your arguement right there. MJQ was John Lewis's vehicle. The others went along with it for 40 years. I would think you would want to go on your own. BUt they did in 1975 and they had solo albums, so...

[Bright Moments]

i love the MJQ!

pyramid and fontessa are my favorites! B-)

[Jazz Kat]

I'll second that. Concorde too.

[marcello]

I always dug seeing the MJQ live. John Lewis was a really great "thinking" blues piano player, if you get my drift. Sometimes they could get into a intense ,swinging groove as only they could; I loved it.

So, my favorites are their live recordings. One of the best is "Dedicated to Connie"; a two cd set.

1. The Little Comedy/La Cantarice/Harlequin/Fontessa

2. 'Round Midnight

3. Cylinder

4. Bag's Groove

5. Odds Against Tomorrow

6. It Don't Mean A Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)

7. A Social Call

1. Django

2. I Should Care

3. How High The Moon

4. Colombine/Pulcinella

5. Spanish Steps

6. Pyramid (Home For Junior)

7. Milt Meets Sid

8. I Remember Clifford

9. Vendome

10. Skating In Central Park

[rostasi]

I always see the Prestige/Pablo box, but is there really not an Atlantic box out?

[Chrome]

I always see the Prestige/Pablo box, but is there really not an Atlantic box out?

I received the 40th anniversary box as a gift, and that's mostly Atlantic stuff ... it was a nice present, but it didn't inspire me to get anything else by them.

[Stereojack]

In my younger days I felt many of the sentiments expressed by others here: they don't swing, the music is too genteel, pretentious, etc.

As I began to appreciate the individual talents of the players in other settings, I gradually came to appreciate the very special place that this band holds in the grand scheme of things. I would say that I am an ardent fan at this point.

Personal favorites:

Fontessa

Blues at Carnegie Hall

For Ellington (one of their last, absolutely brilliant)

jack

[MartyJazz]

In my younger days I felt many of the sentiments expressed by others here: they don't swing, the music is too genteel, pretentious, etc.

As I began to appreciate the individual talents of the players in other settings, I gradually came to appreciate the very special place that this band holds in the grand scheme of things. I would say that I am an ardent fan at this point.

Personal favorites:

Fontessa

Blues at Carnegie Hall

For Ellington (one of their last, absolutely brilliant)

                              jack

Hey Jack:

The simple truth is that we're getting older and there increasingly is a time and a place for MJQ music, say Sunday morning at the breakfast table, reading the paper and having a bagel with a cup of coffee.

Contrast this current state with my younger days when on a similar Sunday morning, I might be lying on the rug with a bagel and a cup of coffee next to me in constant danger of being absent-mindedly knocked over while I listened at high volume on headsets to Coltrane live in Seattle. B-)

Edited March 16, 2005 by MartyJazz

[rostasi]

I always see the Prestige/Pablo box, but is there really not an Atlantic box out?

I received the 40th anniversary box as a gift, and that's mostly Atlantic stuff ... it was a nice present, but it didn't inspire me to get anything else by them.

I've seen that set, but for some reason I thought that it was all live material -

various concerts celebrating 40 years together, etc..

That certainly would be a lot wouldn't it?

I'll look again at it. I have a soft spot for them, especially Lewis' comps.

Just looking for an all-arounder from that period.

[jazzbo]

I'm becoming a fan.

My problem with them is bass and drums. I just think that Heath and Kay are. . . boring. I wish I didn't.

Heath and Clarke were FAR from boring!

I really like what Lewis and Jackson do/did. . . though the "prissiness" Jim talks of is there and sometimes too much.

[TheMusicalMarine]

The MJQ are a little low key, but they've got a certain late evening ambience. Along with Vince Guaraldi, they sparked my interest in the music. Fontessa, Django, Pyramid, and Concorde are among the best, but check out Lonely Woman, European Concert, The Last Concert, The Comedy, Third Stream Music, and the collaboration with Paul Desmond. When you're a little worn out from a Blue Note Binge, or some Prestige blowin' sessions, the MJQ is good for what ails.

[Guest DizzySpells]

I don't care if their stuff is essential or not, but I've liked MJQ from the get-go and they get plenty of attention here.

Plus, I snatched up every Milt Jackson CD I could get my greedy hands on ... and I have rarely been disappointed.

Despite the horrible jacket, he's also just fun to watch on the Granz Montreux DVDS ... the guy just has fun and he has this uncanny sense of melody that so many other people who play doorbells are missing (in my eyes). That guy just swings the hell out of his instrument. He's one of those musicians who just has to play three notes and be recognized. Not many like him.

Love it.

[Stereojack]

The simple truth is that we're getting older and there increasingly is a time and a place for MJQ music, say Sunday morning at the breakfast table, reading the paper and having a bagel with a cup of coffee.

While I take your point, I think all good music has value, whether it is high intensity or low key, and I get just as much satisfaction from the MJQ as I do from some of the more hard driving musicians. Yes, at a time in my life when I needed that intensity they didn't do it for me, but they certainly do now.

Yeah, I know, I'm just an old geezer!

jack

[MartyJazz]

The simple truth is that we're getting older and there increasingly is a time and a place for MJQ music, say Sunday morning at the breakfast table, reading the paper and having a bagel with a cup of coffee. 

While I take your point, I think all good music has value, whether it is high intensity or low key, and I get just as much satisfaction from the MJQ as I do from some of the more hard driving musicians. Yes, at a time in my life when I needed that intensity they didn't do it for me, but they certainly do now.

Yeah, I know, I'm just an old geezer!

jack

Hey, I'm a couple of months older than you. We commiserated about this some time back when Tony W left the scene. As long as we can snap our fingers, we'll be OK.

[Brownian Motion]

The MJQ are a little low key, but they've got a certain late evening ambience.  Along with Vince Guaraldi, they sparked my interest in the music.  Fontessa, Django, Pyramid, and Concorde are among the best, but check out Lonely Woman, European Concert, The Last Concert, The Comedy, Third Stream Music, and the collaboration with Paul Desmond.  When you're a little worn out from a Blue Note Binge, or some Prestige blowin' sessions, the MJQ is good for what ails.

I agree wholeheartedly with these picks; also check out The Sheriff, and the collaborations with Laurindo Almeida, Sonny Rollins, and Jimmy Giuffre.

I believe part of the reason that the MJQ's reputation has suffered somewhat is that their Atlantic records were not well-engineered sonically: they have no presence--they needed RVG. The result is on their records they often sound like they're playing down the block.

Edited March 16, 2005 by Brownian Motion

[TheMusicalMarine]

Brownian-

What's the title of the one with Giuffre?

[RDK]

Any clue where to find their Apple albums that Jim mentioned above? I've heard nothing but great things about them, but have never seen them anywhere.

[Stereojack]

Hey, I'm a couple of months older than you.

Then you'l be hitting that next big wall (July for me) before I do!

[Brownian Motion]

Brownian-

What's the title of the one with Giuffre?

It was the MJQ at Music Inn with Guest Jimmy Giuffre. I see from checking Amazon that there was a 2nd volume as well. I'm not sure whether either of these have been issued on CD.

[Brownian Motion]

Any clue where to find their Apple albums that Jim mentioned above? I've heard nothing but great things about them, but have never seen them anywhere.

Try Amazon.

[Dan Gould]

I didn't know who the MJQ was when I first saw them in concert in St. Louis. I had just started on my journey into jazz and my roommate, who tended toward the contemporary side of jazz told me I should go. They played in a sonically amazing space - can't recall the name, I'm sure other people familiar with St. Louis know what I'm thinking of - and I instantly became a fan. And, it was my first exposure to Milt Jackson and that certainly got me started in searching out all the Bags I could find.

I'd add this one from their last go-round to the list of recommendations:

Some very nice performances from guests Sweets Edison, Wynton, Take 6, Bobby McFerrin.

What do folks think of Blues on Bach?