Lewis,John Early Years: Before The Mjq 1946-52 CD

John Lewis was a jazz pianist best-known for his work as founder member and musical director of the Modern Jazz Quartet, famous for blending elements of classical music with individual and ensemble improvisation in a refined chamber style of jazz. The music of the MJQ was in many ways the culmination of the development of Lewis' musical ideas during the five years and more of his professional career before that quartet came together, as he worked with some of the most influential and notable names in jazz during the bebop era. Classically-trained as a child, he met drummer Kenny Clarke while serving in WWII, and after the war successfully auditioned for Dizzy Gillespie's orchestra in 1945. This great-value 75-track 3-CD set comprises recordings made over the next six years or so with ensembles led by Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis, Charlie Parker, Milt Jackson, Illinois Jacquet, J.J. Johnson, Lester Young, and Zoot Sims, which included landmark sessions that were, without exaggeration, among the most significant in the entire history of modern jazz. As well as those leaders, it includes performances alongside musicians like Max Roach, Kenny Clarke, Ray Brown, Sonny Rollins, Chano Pozo, Kai Winding, Sonny Stitt, Curly Russell, Lee Konitz, Jo Jones, Percy Heath and many more. Lewis' contributions to these recordings as sideman and accompanist are rarely the most prominent element of the performances, but they underline his legendarily understated but masterful approach to the music.

1. Milestones 2. Little Willie Leaps 3. Half Nelson 4. Sippin' At Bell's 5. Two Bass Hit 6. Bobbin' With Robin [Baggy's Blues] 7. Slits 8. Baggy Eyes 9. Barbados 10. Ah-Leu-Cha 11. Constellation 12. Parker's Mood 13. Perhaps 14. Marmaduke 15. Steeplechase 16. Merry-Go-Round 17. Move 18. Budo 19. Big Foot 20. Black Velvet 21. Adam's Alley 22. Venus De Milo 23. Rouge 24. Boplicity 25. Audobahn [Audubon] 26. Don't Blame Me 27. Goof Square 28. Bee Jay 29. Elysee 30. Opus V 31. Hilo 32. Afternoon In Paris 33. Elora 34. Teapot 35. Blue Mode 36. Deception 37. Rocker 38. Moon Dreams 39. Three Little Words 40. Count Every Star 41. It All Depends On You 42. Jeepers Creepers 43. My Silent Love 44. Jane-O 45. Dancing In The Dark 46. Memories Of You 47. Thou Swell 48. September In The Rain 49. Undercover Girl Blues [Undercover Blues] 50. Frenesi 51. Little Pee Blues 52. Morpheus 53. Down 54. The Blue Room 55. Whispering 56. A Foggy Day 57. Let's Fall In Love 58. Down 'N' Adam 59. Lester Swings 60. Si Si 61. Swedish Schnapps 62. Back Home Blues 63. Lover Man 64. Milt Meets Sid 65. D ; E 66. Yesterdays 67. Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea 68. Autumn Breeze 69. Bluesology 70. 'Round Midnight ['Round About Midnight] 71. Movin' Nicely [Moving Nicely] 72. Tahiti 73. Lillie 74. Bags' Groove 75. What's New ?