By: Laurindo Almeida / Modern Jazz Quartet - Collaboration/mjq Plays Porgy and Bess [spanish Import] (CD)

When Atlantic gets around to reissuing their many Modern Jazz Quartet records on CD, this should be one of the first to come back. The MJQ (vibraphonist Milt Jackson, pianist John Lewis, bassist Percy Heath and drummer Connie Kay) were joined for this 1964 session by the great acoustic guitarist Laurindo Almeida and the music is very memorable. Their version of "One Note Samba" (which starts out with Almeida playing unaccompanied) is a classic, the guitarist fits into the four John Lewis compositions quite comfortably, and "Concierto De Aranjuez" is given lengthy and inventive treatment. ~ Scott Yanow