2004-10-16
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VOICE ONE:
I'm Steve Ember.
VOICE TWO:
And I'm Shirley Griffith with the
VOA Special English program PEOPLE IN AMERICA. Today, we tell about
pianist John Lewis. He created one of one of the most famous jazz
groups in America, the Modern Jazz Quartet.
VOICE ONE:
John Lewis was known for his creativity. He was a skilled piano
player and musical director of the Modern Jazz Quartet for almost
fifty years. He wrote and arranged all the music for the small
group. Mister Lewis was responsible for the group's sound and its
identity.
John Lewis was interested in jazz, blues and bebob, a music with
a great deal of energy. Yet he was also greatly influenced by his
training in European classical music. Classical music is expressive
and intense, but is also structured. He thought jazz should be
presented the same way.
John Lewis combined classical music with traditional jazz to
create songs for himself and the three other members of his quartet.
He believed music should be simple and clear, yet played in a
meaningful way. Here is one of the Modern Jazz Quartet's big hits,
"Django."
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VOICE TWO:
John Lewis was greatly influenced by the piano style of the
famous jazz bandleader, Count Basie. Like Basie, Lewis believed in
making every note of music count. He depended as much on silence as
he did on notes to get his message across.
John Lewis often used a form of music called fugue. Fugue is a
series of opposing melodies used to create a complex effect. Mister
Lewis also combined written music with music that the group invented
as it went along.
This new kind of jazz attracted both lovers of jazz and classical
music. It also appealed to people who did not necessarily like jazz.
Here is an example of fugue in the song "Alexander's Fugue."
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VOICE ONE:
The Modern Jazz Quartet included John Lewis, Milt Jackson, Percy
Heath and Connie Kay. The group made its first recording in nineteen
fifty-two. And they continued to play together, with a seven year
break, until nineteen ninety-nine.
John Lewis was as concerned about appearances as he was about the
music. The musicians had to dress well for every performance. They
played mostly in concert halls instead of small dance clubs. Lewis
believed jazz should receive the same respect as classical music.
VOICE TWO:
John Lewis was born in La Grange, Illinois, in nineteen twenty.
He grew up in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He started playing the piano
when he was seven. As a teenager, he played professionally in
churches around Albuquerque. He soon was playing in local dance
halls.
Lewis studied anthropology and music at the University of New
Mexico. In nineteen forty-two, he joined the Army and served in
Europe during World War Two.
After the war, Lewis moved to New York City and played in Dizzy
Gillespie's big band. He also studied for his master's degree at the
Manhattan School of Music.
VOICE ONE:
John Lewis played in the rhythm section of Gillespie's band.
Other members were drummer Kenny Clarke, bass player Ray Brown and
vibraphone player Milt Jackson. The four often performed together
while the horn players in the band rested.
The four band members continued to work together after leaving
Dizzy's group in the late nineteen forties. At that time, they were
criticized for not playing "true jazz." But they continued anyway.
Ray Brown and Kenny Clarke soon left the group. Bass player Percy
Heath and drummer Connie Kay replaced them. In nineteen fifty-two,
the group became the Modern Jazz Quartet and established its own
identity.
VOICE TWO:
In nineteen fifty-six, the Modern Jazz Quartet played a series of
concerts in Europe. The group helped make jazz popular with many
music listeners in Europe. The members of the quartet had become
major stars by the time they returned to the United States.
The Modern Jazz Quartet continued to perform all over the world
for sold-out crowds until the late nineteen seventies. People loved
the group's teamwork and their amazing sound. Listen as we play
"Vendome", another big hit.
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VOICE ONE:
Critics say John Lewis's "less is more" piano style and Milt
Jackson's energy on the vibraphone were the secret to the group's
long-lasting success. Yet over the years, Mister Jackson expressed
dissatisfaction with limits that were put on his talents. The group
separated in nineteen seventy-four. However, the members of the
quartet reunited after seven years. They played together until Milt
Jackson's death in nineteen ninety-nine.
In addition to his work with the Modern Jazz Quartet, John Lewis
worked for many years as musical director of the Monterey Jazz
Festival in California. He wrote the music for several Hollywood
films. He taught at Harvard University and the City College of New
York. And he helped establish a jazz school in Massachusetts.
VOICE TWO:
Through the years, John Lewis worked with some of the biggest
names in jazz, including trumpet player Miles Davis. Yet for all the
praise Lewis received, he was known for putting the interests of the
group over the individual.John Lewis lived a quiet life with his
wife, Mirjana, in New York City. In March, two thousand one, he died
of cancer. He was eighty years old. His death officially marked the
end of a historic period in modern jazz.
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VOICE ONE:
This Special English program was written and produced by Cynthia
Kirk. Our audio engineer was Roy Benson. I'm Steve Ember.
VOICE TWO:
And I'm Shirley Griffith. Listen again next week for another
PEOPLE IN AMERICA program on the Voice of America.