In the late 1940s the jazz pianist John Lewis was a member of the rhythm section of Dizzy Gillespie's Orchestra, along with vibe player Milt Jackson, bassist Ray Brown and Kenny Clarke on drums. They formed their own band in 1951 and named it the Milt Jackson Quartet, but shortly after Brown left and they replaced him with Percy Heath and the Modern Jazz Quartet was born.
Known as the MJQ, the band has always been a vehicle for Lewis's musical vision and he was at the vanguard of a group of musicians who brought jazz into the respectable mainstream by incorporating classical influences and playing at prestigious venues. Lewis employed a confident, relaxed style on the piano which epitomised the cool jazz of the era. The band toured constantly for over two decades but Lewis still found time to write film scores, composing the music for 'Odds Against Tomorrow', 'No Sun in Venice', and 'A Milanese Story'.
In 1974 the Modern Jazz Quartet split up and Lewis found a new career as a teacher whilst still making the occasional appearance on jazz recordings. When the group reformed in the early 1980s Lewis resumed his role as the band's spiritual leader, a position he maintained until his death in 2001.
