Modern Jazz Quartet, The

Django (Prestige P-7057) contains some of the earliest sides that the first edition of the Modern Jazz Quartet (consisting of Milt Jackson, John Lewis, Percy Heath, and Kenny Clarke) recorded for Prestige Records. Initially, the combo was part of Dizzy Gillespie’s influential backing band and after a change in drummers (to Connie Kay), they continued as one of the most sophisticated exponents of the post-bop era. The album presents the first version of Lewis’ classic ballad “Django”, which would become a standard. The tune was dedicated to the memory of the extraordinary guitarist Django Reinhardt, who had unexpectedly died in 1953. The complete LP Pyramid (Atlantic SD-1325), featuring the classic formation of the MJQ with Connie Kay on drums – and including another version of “Django” – has been added here as a bonus.