188. John Lewis / Evolution II (2000)

When he recorded Evolution II, Lewis had long since achieved the accomplishments that would define his impact on jazz. But saying as much is unfair for this man. I scratch my head and marvel, open my ears and let the piano fill them with knowledge. His technique is still surprising, oscillating from arranged structures to improvised heavy swing. Here he reinterprets his own pieces in three separate continua: a gleaning from the past, the import of the present, and the dictates of his present moment. It shrugs at commercial boxes like "pop," "classical," or "jazz" by exposing commonalities in the ineffable and truly nameless thing that we call "music." As always, it points in a new direction. Maybe a little like Paul Desmond, his understated touch can miss you the first time, then devastate the second. Like Ahmad Jamal, he understands the penetrating effects of silence and balance. Or like Mingus, depth allows for endless reimagining. The meandering stroll down memory lane seeks unexplored areas of familiar paths. Whether the march from "Trieste," for instance, "Winter Tale" or the unmistakable strains of "Django," this effort proves that without Milt, another MJQ was impossible, but Lewis' mission would continue. Kudos to Lewis Nash, whose complex, articulate and just brilliant drumming puts all the pieces in place.

84. Modern Jazz Quartet / Concorde (1955)

I vividly remember the day I bought this LP. It was among the first jazz records I ever purchased, and I found it sitting at a yard sale in the next neighborhood. I must have been about 15 years old. In a box filled mostly with movie soundtracks, I found Concorde along with MJQ's Fontessa and Black Sabbath's Live at Last. I bought all three for fifty cents apiece, and went home happy. I didn't know much about jazz back then, but after studying the back cover intently, I made the right choice. This album is classic MJQ and also features the debut of Connie Kay. The Gershwin medley is the centerpiece, paired with an innovative take of "Softly as in a Morning Sunrise" on the second side. But there are surprises everywhere, as with the quiet beauty of "All of You" or lively conversation between Jackson and Lewis on "I'll Remember April." Milt Jackson is a hero pretty much everywhere (can you tell I like him?), at once bluesy and virtuosic. There's strong musicality in each of the tracks blowing sections, and it's hard to tell that Kay hasn't been playing with the other three members all along.

50. Modern Jazz Quartet / Fontessa (1956)

Atlantic must have been happy with this debut, because Fontessa is a shot of distilled MJQ magic. It's got one piece from every area the group excelled in: an amalgam of blues and bop, with judicious musicality and nods toward classical forms. Fontessa swings deep and loose, with sharp jabs from Lewis and Milt playing his slick and bluesy best. "Versailles" is a fugal-bop Frankenstein with a seamless transition that starts with interesting counterpoint from Lewis and Jackson, before the band wraps around juicy bass lines from Heath, while Lewis and Jackson throw ideas at each other. "Angel Eyes" is next, a sly ballad with a noirish touch. The elegant, 11-minute suite "Fontessa" closes with a sweep unlike anything else on the record. It is an imaginative interpretation of commedia dell'arte, music having been assigned to each stock character, and each representing a different musical period in the shifting sands of jazz. Reading the notes, it's fun to pick out which moods Lewis chose for each era. Side 2 is a set of contemporary well-knowns but the natural improvisors and provocative interplay make them worth the time. It's a great set with enough ideas to keep experienced listeners interested, and a nice destination if you've had enough of Django lately.