John Lewis
The musical director of the Modern Jazz Quartet for its entire history, John Lewis found the perfect outlet for his interest in bop, blues, and Bach. Possessor of a "cool" piano style that (like Count Basie's) makes every note count, Lewis with the MJQ has long helped make jazz look respectable to the classical music community without watering down his performances.
After serving in the military, Lewis was in the Dizzy Gillespie big band (1946-1948). He recorded with Charlie Parker during 1947-1948 (including "Parker's Mood"), and played with Miles Davis' Birth of the Cool Nonet, arranging "Move" and "Rouge." He worked with Illinois Jacquet (1948-1949) and Lester Young (1950-1951), and appeared on many recordings during the era. In 1951, Lewis recorded with the Milt Jackson Quartet which by 1952 became the Modern Jazz Quartet. Lewis' musical vision was fulfilled with the MJQ and he composed many pieces, with "Django" being the best-known. In addition to constantly touring with the MJQ during 1952-1974, Lewis wrote the film scores to Odds Against Tomorrow, No Sun in Venice, and A Milanese Story, recorded as a leader (including the 1956 cool classic "Two Degrees East, Three Degrees West," collaborations with Gunther Schuller, and records with Svend Asmussen and Albert Mangelsdorff), and worked with Orchestra U.S.A. in the mid-'60s. When the MJQ broke up in 1974, Lewis worked as an educator and occasionally recorded as a leader. With the MJQ's rebirth in 1981, he has resumed his former role as its guiding spirit until his death in 2001. Most of Lewis' own projects were recorded for Atlantic.
© Scott Yanow /TiVo
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Blues For Bird
Jazz - Released by Firefly Entertainment on 5/05/2008
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Afternoon in Paris
Contemporary Jazz - Released by Poppydisc on 2/12/1957
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Improvised Meditations & Excursions + John Lewis Presents Contemporary Music: Jazz Abstractions
Jazz - Released by Heart & Soul Records on 1/12/2013
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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Ze Best - John Lewis
Jazz - Released by Media Touch on 24/01/2011
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Wonderful World of Jazz
Jazz - Released by CoolNote on 1/01/2000
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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The Complete Albums Collection: 1957 - 1962
Classical - Released by ENLIGHTENMENT on 16/06/2017
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Complete Recordings with Jimmy Giuffre
John Lewis, Milt Jackson, Percy Heath
Jazz - Released by Ascension Records on 30/05/2022
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
John Lewis & The Mjq, No Sun in Venice
Jazz - Released by Firefly Entertainment on 1/10/2012
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Golden Striker (Original Album Plus Bonus Tracks 1960)
Jazz - Released by Jazz Classics on 1/01/2013
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Slukefter Blues - Copenhagen '84
Jazz - Released by Gazell Records on 1/01/2004
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
I Cover the Waterfront
Jazz - Released by Black Sheep Music on 9/12/2013
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
European Windows (Bonus Track Version)
Jazz - Released by Plenty Jazz Jazz on 6/02/2019
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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The John Lewis Piano (Original Album Plus Bonus Tracks 1957)
Jazz - Released by Jazz Classics on 1/01/2013
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
A Concert Of Contemporary Music
Jazz - Released by CoolNote on 1/01/2000
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Jazz Meets Film Music, Vol. 17: No Sun in Venice
Jazz - Released by 21-Music on 10/10/2013
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Christmas Instrumentals
Christmas Music - Released by Tomorrow Music on 30/11/2023
24-Bit 44.1 kHz - Stereo