by Scott Yanow
This Atlantic release has some unusual performances by the Modern Jazz Quartet. Two selections (&Da Capo& and &Fine&) combine the MJQ, which is comprised of vibraphonist Milt Jackson, pianist John Lewis, bassist Percy Heath, and drummer Connie Kay, with the Jimmy Giuffre 3 (Giuffre on clarinet and tenor, with guitarist Jim Hall and bassist Ralph Pena) on &Exposure&; six chamber classical musicians add color, and a pair of other numbers (&Conversation& and the very successful &Sketch&) match the MJQ with the Beaux Arts String Quartet. There is plenty of thought-provoking music on this disc even if the idea of creating a third stream between jazz and classical music never came to pass.