Tag Archives: The Modern Jazz Quartet

Younger brother of Percy and Jimmy Heath, Albert “Tootie” Heath is definitely a high hard bop-based drummer with an open brain toward more commercial varieties of jazz. After shifting to NY (1957), he debuted on record with John Coltrane. Heath was with J.J. Johnson’s group (1958-1960) as well as the …

Pianist John Lewis, vibraphonist Milt Jackson, bassist Ray Dark brown and drummer Kenny Clarke initial came together because the rhythm portion of the 1946 Dizzy Gillespie & His Orchestra plus they had occasional features that gave the overworked brass players a well-deserved rest. They following came jointly in 1951, documenting …

Before Milt Jackson, there have been just two major vibraphonists: Lionel Hampton and Crimson Norvo. Jackson shortly surpassed both of these in significance and, regardless of the rise of various other players (including Bobby Hutcherson and Gary Burton), still earned the reputation polls through the entire years. Jackson (or “Luggage” …

The musical movie director of the present day Jazz Quartet because of its entire history, John Lewis found an ideal outlet for his curiosity about bop, blues, and Bach. Possessor of the “great” piano design that (like Count number Basie’s) makes every take note count, Lewis using the MJQ provides …

A product of 1 of jazz’s most illustrious families, Percy Heath and his sublime, swinging bass served because the cornerstone of the present day Jazz Quartet for over 4 decades. Heath was created in Wilmington, NC, on Apr 23, 1930. The next of four kids, he grew up in Philadelphia, …

For two a few months timid of 40 years (including seven years where the group was on “vacation”), Connie Kay was the drummer/percussionist with the present day Jazz Quartet. His simple contributions (displaying both restraint and golf swing) were a great asset towards the group. Self-taught in the drums, Kay …

Kenny Clarke was an extremely influential if simple drummer who helped to define bebop drumming. He was the first ever to change the time-keeping tempo in the bass drum towards the trip cymbal, an invention that is copied and employed by a many drummers because the early ’40s. Clarke performed …