Vibraharpist Milt Jackson often joined the rhythm section so that the four could perform as a quartet and give the brass section a rest from Gillespie’s demanding arrangements. Later, they worked as the Milt Jackson Quartet. In the early 1950s, they changed the name to the Modern Jazz Quartet and over the next three and a half decades were one of the most successful and acclaimed small bands in the history of jazz. The MJQ was a leaderless group, but John Lewis functioned as musical director and wrote much of the group’s repertoire. Many of his compositions reflected musical traditions going back to Bach and the Italian Renaissance. Exquisitely presented on 45 from Analogue Productions.

  1.    Django 
  2.    One Bass Hit 
  3.    La Ronde Suite 
  4.    The Queen's Fancy 
  5.    Delaunay's Dilemma 
  6.    Autumn in New York 
  7.    But Not For Me 
  8.    Milano