My favorite jazz group growing up in New York. Had the pleasure of seeing them live five times in the city. Incredible experience!

I had the pleasure of listening to the MJQ live at the Halls in Croydon……..a great evening….

Some people cannot read or study with music playing. The MJQ helped me through many hours of calculus and accounting. A more harmonious group of jazz musicians would be hard to find. The second time I saw them perform was with a student discount.

I just love MJQ…….one of my first purchases of a jazz record in the 1950s……

It's fantastic to hear SOMEONE mention this excellent band. I love the "Blues On Bach" record. Milt Jackson is THE jazz viber.

Connie Kay played drums on Van Morrison’s Astral Weeks. Jay Berliner too who had been in Charles Mingus’s band.

The Swingle Singers were named for their founder Ward Swingle.

Just like you Andy, they were my Dad's favorite band, he'd seen them live and had a half dozen or so albums. He once casually said that he had most of their records, which motivated me to find out how many records they had actually released. There were a lot! Let alone all the Milt Jackson solo ones. He had no idea that they released 2 albums on Apple, so I was sorted for birthday presents for years! He had no idea! He's got a shed load now. And a DVD of "Odds Against Tomorrow". Gotta love that cool classical jazz with bluesey "doorbell solos" on top. ps. MJQ? Milt Jackson Quartet?

Just listened to the Last Concert album which blew me away. I've known about MJQ for a long time but was not sure where to start. John Lewis soundtrack for "Odds Against Tomorrow" also excellent as is the film itself.

For a Milt Jackson recording where he's the leader I recommend my favorite - "Statements" (on Impulse) - he's backed by Hank Jones, Paul Chambers and Connie Kay - a beautiful and swinging recording.

Thanks Andy for the enthusiastic and informative video about the MJQ. Yes, a video on Pablo records would be very much appreciated by us jazz fans, also please do one about Sonny Rollins.

Fantastic job! The MJQ had such intensity, there concentration was almost supernatural - their blend was hypnotic. Each individual player made it great. I feel that the glue for what they were doing was John Lewis - not just as a composer and arranger, but his musical mind which you hear in his piano playing (which, by the way, could also be very bluesy and swinging). I'm a pianist and even though I don't play anything like him, when I want to tune up my approach I listen closely to John Lewis (its also good to watch him) - he cleans out the clutter and extraneous b.s. The reason he's so minimal is the degree to which he digs into the rhythm - every note counts and has meaning. Its his musical mind that I feel is the foundation of the MJQ. I do tend to prefer them on their own, without their musical guests, no matter how great they are. Check out on You Tube their European concert from 1969 on World of Jazz - artfully filmed - they're magicians and cast a spell over the audience. And, yes, they were the original fusion band.

John Lewis is probably one of the most underrated jazz pianists and composers - his love of Bach is so swinging!

I really love how well the individual musicians fit together. I also love their album with Sonny Rollins. It is an all time favorite.

Okay - the complete last concert is now one of my favourite albums. It’s an absolute beast 😮

I was lucky to have a great Jazz musician as a music teacher in junior high, he played MJQ for us , something I’ll never forget

Thanks for the video. Knew nothing about the band, will give them a listen. More jazz please. 👍🥁

Nice video Andy. Inspired me to dig out some MJQ. Listening to their 'Django' album as I type this. Gorgeous stuff. That Heath Brothers album you mentioned sounds intriguing, will have to search around and give it a listen.

Love the MJQ.....had the thrill of seeing them on stage in the early 80's....you could hear a pin drop!!! As regards Milt Jackson.... his fusion album SUNFLOWER on CTI ( with Herbie, Freddie Hubbard, Ron Carter and Billy Cobham) is one of my top ten albums of all time! Well done Andy!!

I certainty will listen them 👍

Around 1995, Atlantic Jazz released a double CD entitled Dedicated To Connie on the occasion of Connie Kay's death, I believe. It's a live recording of a 1960 concert in Slovenia. Excelent quality and quite wonderful.

I first heard of the Modern Jazz Quartet when I bought their 1974 album "In Memoriam," where they were accompanied by an orchestra. I know that some people regard it as one of their lesser albums, calling it "dry," but to me it was new and fresh, and I still like it a lot. I have several of their albums, including "The Last Concert" and some that are collaborations with other big stars. Ha! I got your fun reference when you said, with a little grin, that Sonny Rollins was a "colossus." And of course one of his most well-regarded albums is called "Saxophone Colossus." I have the recent reissue of "Modern Jazz Quartet at Music Inn with Sonny Rollins," and I like it a lot, too. One of the commenters mentioned Milt Jackson's "Sunflower," which is also one of my favorites. So, yes please, do more videos about jazz!

Thanks. I enjoyed this video and hope you do more jazz.

MJQ just doesn’t get enough recognition IMO. Thank you for this feature, ❤

Thank you for being so excited about the MJQ, my favorite group too. I saw them once, where they followed Dizzy Gillespie.. Where Dizzy's played a Great set, but the MJQ quietly walked out on stage and seemed to say, "This is how the professionals do it," At the end of this clip you alluded to the one thing that makes me love them: they are always playing intermeshed with each other. They have to listen incredibly closely to follow John Lewis cerebral compositions, with the time and chord changes.

Fantastic album the last concert, incredible synergy with John Lewis's cosmic In Memorium ending the concert . I first heard it on Jazz record requests on radio 3, God about 42 years ago with the great Peter Clayton as presenter.

Fine channel I just came across.

I remember Milt Jackson on the CTI label. I literally would see this label and simply purchase the album. This label always had the elite musicians back in the day. Also KUDU label was a good label to look for because it too had great jazz musicians.

Loved that vid Andy! I own the MJQ with Sonny on vinyl and even bought the SACD. Bags Groove a Miles record is terrific as well. What a lineup on that one! Thanks

Albert 'Tootie' Heath is still with us.. He cut a killer album with Ethan Iverson in the 2000s... still keeping the music alive

Yep, they are great. I have several of their albums spanning the 50's to their final album, including a 10 inch i think. Got a bunch of Pablo - excellent label.

This was excellent. I haven't ever really given the MJQ much of a listen to be honest; I'll need to correct that at some point.

Yes, PLEASE do the Pablo video 🙏

Andy I just have to thank you for recommending the MJQ with the Swingle Singers album. We are enjoying this so very much.

Love them and have always listened to them, since I was a kid. Even when I didn't know anything about jazz. Love Lionel Hampton too. Falntastic video. Now you've turn me on them again. Didn't know the Last Concert. You gave me a few more albums here top listen too. Thanks. As always.

Reunion at Budokan 1981 is a great live album.

Well done, Andy; it has always surprised me that they are hardly ever mentioned in jazz suggestion lists. Don't forget there is another LP from the last concert called 'More from the Last Concert'. Or of course you can get 'The Complete Last Concert'on a 2 cd set. It is the perfect summary of their repertoire.

Incredible video. Love the MJQ espacially the albums Fontessa and Pyramid. Love to see more jazz videos on this channel.

I love the MJQ, thanks for the recommendations. I'm going to look up some of these.

Milt Jackson was the man! Best Jazz vibraphonist

Yesss 🙌 but there has to be a appreciation for the other MJQ group 🙌 i would luv to hear about your opinion of the "Manhattan Jazz Quintet".

Kenny Clarke !!!

Blues on Bach

I'd probably add Cal Tjader and Roy Ayers to the A-1 vibes list. Love the MJQ. Someone else said it as well, but Sunflower is such a dynamite Milt album.

Interesting. I've never listened to the MJQ. I'll give them a try.

Love MJQ, but it is the structure that keeps them in my B list. Been listening to Kenny Barron who adds a more flowing i.provisational style on top of MJQ cohesion. LAs own Hutcherson and Dolphy takes their instruments to their peak. Third Stream meets Avant Garde. Classicism beneath and guiding bluesy improv.

"Progressive Jazz"

Where do you hear that Kenny Clarke left because he was frustrated? I heard he left because he wanted to freelance! Not casting aspersions on your info but I’ve heard it’s Milt Jackson is the one who expressed frustration with the groups repertoire, also Django was composed by John Lewis!

Ray Brown was the original bassist not Percy Heath! Sorry bro Percy came later!

Do you need to do your homework? Terri Gibbs is equal of any of those-vibes players

The Golden Skater??? I think you mean Striker! Andrew doesn't have any favourite bands, he only has favourite bands of ALL TIME. The same goes for albums and musicians.