Fontessa

Modern Jazz Quartet: John Lewis (piano); Milt Jackson (vibraphone); Percy Heath (acoustic bass); Connie Kay (drums). This LP has a particularly strong all-around set by the Modern Jazz Quartet. While John Lewis' "Versailles" and an 11-minute "Fontessa" show the seriousness of the group (and the influence of Western classical music), other pieces (such as "Bluesology," "Woody 'N You" and a pair of ballads) look toward the group's roots in bop and permit the band to swing hard. ~ Scott Yanow

• Genre: Jazz
• Format: Vinyl
• Released: 09/18/2012