Milt Jackson
Biography
Although often considered a bebop player, Milt “Bags” Jackson (1923-1999) made his mark in several jazz idioms. Hailing from Detroit, he was surrounded by music from an early age, developing an ear for his bluesy style during weekly church services. Originally starting on multiple instruments, he settled on the vibraphone after hearing the renowned Lionel Hampton perform with Benny Goodman’s band. After being discovered by trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie and joining his sextet in 1945, a door opened for him to work with the prominent jazz figures of the era. These included musicians such as Thelonious Monk, Charlie Parker, Woody Herman, and Howard McGhee. 1950 brought the formation of the Modern Jazz Quartet, whose consistent members eventually included Milt Jackson, John Lewis, Percy Heath, and Connie Kay. The group’s sound was influenced equally by bebop, blues, cool jazz and classical music and released a number of successful records in partnership with Prestige Records. As a leader, Milt Jackson claims a large body of work including the notable records Jazz ‘N’ Samba (1964), The Art of Milt Jackson: The Atlantic Years (1975), Milt Jackson with the Thelonious Monk Quintet (1956), and Sunflower (1973).