Modern Jazz Quartet

MODERN JAZZ QUARTET. Jazz combo established in 1952 that played music influenced by classical, cool jazz, blues and bebop. The group grew out of the rhythm section of Dizzy Gillespie's big band from 1946 to 1948. During the early-to-mid-1950s they became the Modern Jazz Quartet and they made several recordings with Prestige Records, including the original versions of their two best-known compositions ; Lewis's "Django" and Jackson's "Bags' Groove". In 1956 they moved to Atlantic Records and made their first tour to Europe