Round M. Monteverdi Meets Jazz

John Lewis - The Golden Striker (1960) {2013 Japan Jazz Best Collection 1000 Series WPCR-27260}
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© 1960, 2013 Atlantic / Warner Japan / Rhino | WPCR-27260 | Jazz Best Collection 1000 Series
Jazz / Third Stream / Bop / Cool / Piano

Features 24 bit remastering and comes with a mini-description. Serious compositional material by John Lewis – a series of work based upon the Italian tradition of commedia dell'arte, written for a larger group of brass instruments – and given a real "classics meets jazz" sort of vibe – but also handled with a gentle swing, too! Although Gunther Schuller's on the album in the French Horn section, Lewis himself conducts the ensemble – leading the brass section through a range of very short "fanfares" and longer tunes that feature Lewis on piano, George Duvivier on bass, and Connie Kay on drums. Titles include "Fanfare 1", "Piazza Navona", "Odds Against Tomorrow", "Piazza Di Spagna", and "La Cantatrice".

The names of Johann Sebastian Bach, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky and Sergei Rachmaninoff do not necessarily conjure images and sounds of jazz in one's mind, that is until one has listened to recordings by the Classical Jazz Quartet. Although these musicians utilize the same instruments as the Modern Jazz Quartet, they are in no way clones or copycats of that groundbreaking group. They have very much their own sound and style. This is not surprising given the huge talent of the musicians involved; all four are virtuosos on their respective instruments. The themes, although composed in a different time and place, become excellent vehicles for complex, sometimes, bluesy, often swinging and always fresh improvisations in the hands of these musicians.

Lee Konitz - Lee Konitz Meets Jimmy Giuffre (1951-1959) {2CD Set Verve 527 780-2 rel 1996}
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© 1951-59, 1996 Verve / PolyGram | 527 780-2
Jazz / Cool / Bop / Saxophone

This unusual two-CD set not only reissues the original LP of the same name but three other rare Verve LP's from the 1950's. Altoist Lee Konitz (on "An Image") is showcased during a set of adventurous Bill Russo arrangements for an orchestra and strings in 1958, pops up on half of Ralph Burns' underrated 1951 classic Free Forms (the most enjoyable of the four sets) and meets up with baritonist Jimmy Giuffre, whose arrangements for five saxes (including the great tenor Warne Marsh) and a trio led by pianist Bill Evans are sometimes equally influenced by classical music and bop.

The Perfect Jazz Collection, 25 historic full length album recordings from the vaults of Columbia, Epic, RCA Victor and Bluebird labels. Remastered CD versions with extra tracks were available. Each album is packaged in a card wallet, in a nice facsimile vinyl format. If you want a history of Jazz, this is a bargain. Classic albums included are Miles Davis' Kind Of Blue, Dave Brubeck's Time Out, Billie Holiday's Lady In Satin, Nina Simone's Sings The Blues, Erroll Garner's Concert By The Sea, Charlie Parker's Bird and many more!

This album is certain to be placed in the MJQ section of any shop that carries it. In reality though, only four of the cuts here feature the permanent, stand-alone, 1952-vintage Modern Jazz Quartet; the other eight having been done in the summer and fall of 1951, when they were still known as the Milt Jackson Quartet, with Jackson providing all of the original material. The differences are so subtle as to be indistinguishable – Milt Jackson and John Lewis are on every cut, while Al Johns subs for Kenny Clarke on drums, and Ray Brown precedes Percy Heath on four of the tracks. Clarke's drumming is more impressive in its quiet way, but Ray Brown's bass work is simpler and more forceful.

Modern Jazz Quartet - Dedicated To Connie (1960) {2CD Set Atlantic Jazz 82763-2 rel 1995}
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© 1960, 1995 Atlantic / WEA | 82763-2
Jazz / Cool / Third Stream / Bop

After drummer Connie Kay passed away, this previously unreleased concert, recorded in Slovenia in 1960, was issued on a double CD and dedicated to him. The Modern Jazz Quartet (which also includes pianist John Lewis, vibraphonist Milt Jackson and bassist Percy Heath) is heard in surprisingly inspired form playing their usual repertoire of the time. Highlights include a 23-minute medley of John Lewis compositions, "Bag's Groove," "It Don't Mean a Thing," "Django," "How High the Moon" and "Skating in Central Park." Lewis has stated that the group never played better than during this concert. Although that statement is debatable, the MJQ certainly sounds in prime form throughout the easily recommended release.

Sonny Stitt - Sonny Stitt Meets Sadik Hakim (1978) {Progressive Records PCD-7034 rel 2013}
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© 1978, 2013 Progressive Records | PCD-7034
Jazz / Bop / Saxophone / Piano

Sadik Hakim (whose original name was Argonne Thornton) played with a few notable names from the bop era (including Charlie Parker) but has long been a somewhat obscure pianist. His "meeting" with Sonny Stitt (who splits his time here evenly between alto and tenor) was about as high profile as he ever got. With bassist Buster Williams and drummer J.R. Mitchell completing the quartet, Stitt is in his usual fine form on five veteran standards, a pair of blues-based originals and Stevie Wonder's "You Are the Sunshine of My Life." The music is not essential but has its heated moments; recommended for bop fans.