The Modern Jazz Quartet still thrills many fans of the genre. (©
Have you ever heard of the Modern Jazz Quartet’s record, titled “Django”? This symbol of the genre has just celebrated its 70th anniversary!
L’album “Django” was not registered in the blink of an eye, quite the contrary. It was necessary several years so that the Modern Jazz Quartet completes his project. And for good reason, the recording sessions began on June 25, 1953has New York. They ended January 9, 1955in the studio de Rudy Van Gelderin the New Jersey. Eventually, the record appeared in 1956on theabel Prestige. It is about one of the first albums in the Modern Jazz Quartet discography. This training was born in 1952and focuses on a jazz who wants to be particularly elegant, influence especially by classical music. At the time, the Modern Jazz Quartet consisted of main founder, composeret artistic director of the group, John Lewis au piano, of Milt Jackson au vibraphoneof Percy Heath to the bassand Kenny Clarke to the battery. THE top three are from Dizzy Gillespie’s Big Band. A group that knew how to mark its time!
A tribute album
In reality, the disc “Django” is a album which makes tribute to many musicians. The first is aimed at guitarist Django Reinhardt. In fact, the eponymous title opens the album and presents the artistic direction of the project. THE second tribute concerns the titre “Delaunay’s Dilemma” and is addressed to French jazz critic, Charles Delaunay. The latter was the co-founder of the Hot Club de France, this French jazz group known to everyone. Dizzy Gillespie also asserts itself on “Django”, through the title “The Round Suite”. This song is a reinterpretation of Dizzy Gillespie’s title itself, titled “Two Bass Hit”. In the same way, he composed the track “One Bass Hit”. “Django” also offers reprises d’”Autumn in New York” of Vernon Duke and of “But Not For Me” of George and Ira Gershwin. Today, the album celebrates its 70th anniversary. However, the Modern Jazz Quartet a lastingly marked the jazz industry. Finally, it seems that growing old is good!
