Django cover
Released

With their skinny ties, dark suits, and reserved demeanor, the Modern Jazz Quartet were one of the iconic ensembles of the cool jazz style, and Django is one of the most notable albums in their considerable discography. The title track is a tune written by pianist John Lewis in honor of Gypsy jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt, but its restrained, decorous style could hardly be more removed from the headlong swing of its namesake’s playing. Elsewhere, tracks like “Le Ronde Suite” and “The Queen’s Fancy” illustrate the ongoing dalliance of cool jazz with European classical music, to delightful effect.

Rick Anderson

Recommended by

Suggestions
Green Street cover

Green Street

Grant Green
Solo cover

Solo

Fred Hersch
I Can See Your House from Here cover

I Can See Your House from Here

Pat Metheny, John Scofield
Time Is the Enemy cover

Time Is the Enemy

Jonas Hellborg, Shawn Lane
JuJu cover

JuJu

Wayne Shorter
Touch of Time cover

Touch of Time

Arve Henriksen, Harmen Fraanje
Nachtfahrten cover

Nachtfahrten

Michael Wollny
Small Town cover

Small Town

Bill Frisell, Thomas Morgan
Embrace cover

Embrace

Lafayette Harris, Jr., Roswell Rudd, Ken Filiano, Fay Victor