In a Crowd
PianistJohn Lewis, vibraphonistMilt Jackson, bassistPercy Heath, and drummerKenny Clarkeformed the Modern Jazz Quartet in 1952, and their innovative meld of Bach, bop, and the blues made them the most unique small group of the 20th century. After the addition of Connie Kay, who replaced Clarke in 1955, the MJQ conquered Europe, and achieved their legendary status when this live date was recorded at the 1963 Monterey Jazz Festival, where John Lewis served as the musical director. This CD shows the MJQ in rare form: with Lewis's astute musical direction and spare, swinging piano, Jackson's incredible solos at the speed of sound, Heath's rock-steady bass, and Kay's soft touches and custom-built drum kit of triangles, finger cymbals, and other percussion items. The MJQ's telepathic interplay is more pronounced in this setting than on their studio recordings, and their repertoire ranges from the 1928 standard "Mean to Me," to bassist Ray Brown's gospel-toned composition, "Pyramid." Lewis's Broadway-style, lyrical title tune and his Eastern Europe-derived "Winter Tale" show off his expansive musical worldview, and on Jackson's swinging signature, "Bag's Groove," the MJQ perform like a precision Swiss watch. To hear Lewis dedicate the bop-riff tune "The Sheriff" to Dr. Martin Luther King--who delivered his famous "I Have a Dream" speech that same year--makes the release of this music even sweeter, since the deaths of Connie Kay in 1994 and Milt Jackson in 1999 ended the MJQ's historic run.--Eugene Holley Jr.