The Modern Jazz Quartet – Guest Star Laurindo Almeida

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 a lengthy and inventive treatment. [A reissue by Gambit added Plays George Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess, featuring music from three concert performances at Webster Hall in late 1964 that were recorded for radio broadcast.]