The Modern Jazz Quartet was established in 1952 by Milt Jackson (vibraphone), John Lewis (piano, musical director), Percy Heath (bass), and Kenny Clarke (drums). Connie Kay replaced Clarke in 1955. 1952 was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ... Milton (Milt) Jackson (January 1, 1923 – October 9, 1999) was an American jazz vibraphonist and one of the most important figures in the hard bop style. ... Luigi Waites plays a vibraphone, July 29, 1999 The vibraphone, sometimes called the vibraharp or simply the vibes, is a musical instrument in the percussion family. ... John Aaron Lewis (3 May 1920-29 March 2001) was an American jazz pianist and composer best known as the musical director of the Modern Jazz Quartet. ... This article is about the modern musical instrument. ... Percy Heath, (April 30, 1923 – April 28, 2005), was a jazz musician, most famous for his 40+ years as the double bass player for the Modern Jazz Quartet (MJQ). ... Side and front views of a modern double bass with a French bow. ... Kenny Clarke (born January 9, 1914 in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania-died January 26, 1985 in Paris, France) was a jazz drummer and an early innovator of the bebop style of drumming. ... For other kinds of drums, see drum (disambiguation). ... 1955 (MCMLV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Jackson, Lewis, and Clarke had originally played together in a quartet while in the Dizzy Gillespie orchestra from 1946 to 1950. Together with Ray Brown they played during interludes designed to give the trumpeters time to recover from the challenging upper register trumpet parts. The same group recorded as the Milt Jackson Quartet in 1951. Dizzy Gillespie photographed by Carl Van Vechten, 1955 John Birks Dizzy Gillespie (October 21, 1917 - January 6, 1993) was born in Cheraw, South Carolina. ... 1946 (MCMXLVI) was a common year starting on Tuesday. ... 1950 was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... Raymond Matthews (Ray) Brown (October 13, 1926 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania– July 2, 2002) was an American jazz bassist. ... The trumpet is the highest brass instrument in register, above the horn, trombone, euphonium, and tuba. ... 1951 (MCMLI) was a common year starting on Monday; see its calendar. ...

Jackson and Lewis originally shared the role of musical director but Lewis eventually took over the entire responsibility of this position.

The group occasionally played with classical musicians, but its repertoire consisted mainly of bop and Swing. Among its original compositions are "Django" by Lewis (a tribute to the Belgian jazz guitar player Django Reinhardt) and "Bags' Groove" by Jackson (named after his nickname). Bebop or bop is a form of jazz characterized by fast tempos and improvisation based on harmonic structure rather than melody. ... Swing music, also known as swing jazz, is a form of jazz music that solidified as a distinctive style during the 1930s in the United States. ... Django (left) & Grappelli (right). ...

Jackson left the group in 1974 because he was tired of touring, and the group soon disbanded. In 1981 the group reorganized. Their last recording was issued in 1993. Heath, the last surviving member, died in 2005. 1974 (MCMLXXIV) is a common year starting on Tuesday (click on link for calendar). ... 1981 (MCMLXXXI) is a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1993 (MCMXCIII) is a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar and marked the Beginning of the International Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination (1993-2003). ...

External link

• 2003 Interview with Percy Heath

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