While serving in World War Two he met drummer Kenny Clarke who suggested he moved to New York once their service was over. On moving to The Big Apple, Clarke introduced him to Dizzy Gillespie and Lewis successfully auditioned for the trumpeter’s band in 1945.

This 75-track set includes 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. It features many landmark sessions that are, without exaggeration, among the most significant in the entire history of modern jazz.

We start proceedings with a stunning meeting of giants as Dizzy Gillespie and Sonny Stitt join the MJQ and we hear the masters joined by Lewis as they all take wonderful solos. ‘No Sun In Venice’ finds the original MJQ including Milt Jackson tackling the Lewis composed film soundtrack. ‘Grand Encounter’ is just what it says on the cover ‘2 x East and 3 x West’, that’s to say, John Lewis and Percy Heath from the East and Bill Perkins, Chico Hamilton and Jim Hall from the West. And as you will discover, what an encounter it was! We can then rejoin the classic Quartet for the first side of an album (shared with Oscar Peterson and others on the B side), where they slow things down to a couple of twelve bar blues numbers and a cover of ‘Round Midnight. We finish off this well filled double CD of classic albums with "The Modern Jazz Society Presents A Concert Of Contemporary Music" where we can enjoy the MJQ in the company of such jazz greats as Stan Getz, JJ Johnson, Gunther Schuller, Lucky Thompson and many more. And listen out for ‘The Queen’s Fancy’ written during the coronation of our beloved Queen Elizabeth II and inspired by Queen Elizabeth I no less!

These are the early days of the quartet but it had begun with a standard of excellence, forged by youthful but experienced musicians with a framework that allowed them to exhibit their teamwork and virtuosity.

The group's original drummer Kenny Clarke plays timpani on "The Queen's Fancy" and works out on his traps in "La Ronde Suite" which, when Lewis first wrote it in the Dizzy Gillespie orchestra, was called "Two Bass Hit." (Fantasy, Inc.)

Modern Jazz Quartet (formed 1952), with recordings from 1953-55, comprising Milt Jackson (vibes), John Lewis (piano), Percy Heath (bass), and Kenny Clarke (drums). Pieces like "La Ronde," "One Bass Hit," and "Milano" are solo features, but the policy is essentially co-operative, integrating individual voices into a strong ensemble unit. MJQ material often shows symmetry and formal design---best seen in title-piece "Django," a moving, elegaic tribute to guitarist Django Reinhardt and one of the finest compositions in jazz. The first---and best---MJQ here, true to its original conception. "Django" alone should be on everyone's desert island list. Such beauty and coherence, yes. (Andrew Clark, Editor, Riffs & Choruses: A New Jazz Anthology. Continuum Publishers.)

Sonny was in one of his more whimsical and sardonic moods that night, but as inspired as always. Milt and Connie buckle down to some real great, swinging playing. Percy joins the fun, as in ‘Bags’ Groove’, where he plays, for instance, a typical ‘oom-pah’ bass line with a funky swing, and Rollins enters with humorously disjointed parodies of Milt’s theme, while John prods him soberly with beautiful sustained chords. There are many wonderful moments of simultaneous improvisation throughout.