Viking_Yearbook_64

Music in a jazz vein wafted over the quiet, engrossed crowd as the Modern Jazz Quartet, known universally as the MJQ, played its own brand of contem– porary jazz. Appearing in the Ballroom of College Center, the quartet, com– prised of John Lewis, piano; Connie Kay, drums; Percy Heath, bass, and Milt Jackson, vibraharp, gently swung . The MJQ came to Portland State Janu– ary 31 and played to an overflow crowd . Apart from "hard" jazz, a kind of jazz which features stronger playing and requires a more strict observance of the beat, the soft sounds of the quartet -exemplified even further by the quiet, fragile sound of John Lewis' voice intro– ducing each tune-made musical sense. The cool, self-confident demeanor of the group belied the complex music being played. With the increasing num– ber of jazz concerts being presented at Portland State, the college is rapidly becoming the jazz center of Portland . 77