A complete discography of all School of Jazz students and faculty would be an enormous task. Included here is a limited view showing mostly the interaction of students with faculty and also recordings made at Lenox.
In addition to those listed, it should be noted that recordings of The Jimmy Giuffre 3, Modern Jazz Quartet, and Oscar Peterson Trio (with Ray Brown and Herb Ellis) albums have an indirect connection to the Lenox School of Jazz as all members were on the Lenox faculty. The recordings by Max Roach with Art Davis are also worth mentioning as that groups was in residence at Lenox in 1958.
The Modern Jazz Quartet: At Music Inn – Guest Artist: Jimmy Giuffre (Atlantic 1247) rec. August 28, 1956 at Lenox.
- Future faculty members Jimmy Giuffre, John Lewis (dean), Milt Jackson, Percy Heath and Connie Kay performed. “Fugue for Music Inn” is dedicated to the location.
Historic Jazz Concert At Music Inn (Atlantic 1298) rec. August 30, 1956 at Lenox.
- Future faculty members Jimmy Giuffre and Connie Kay performed with guests at Music Inn.
The Modern Jazz Quartet and Guests: Third Stream Music (Atlantic 1345) rec. August 24, 1957 at Lenox (and at one other session).
- Faculty members Jimmy Giuffre, John Lewis (dean), Milt Jackson, Jim Hall, Percy Heath, Ralph Peña and Connie Kay performed at Music Inn.
Max Roach: With The Boston Percussion Ensemble (EmArcy 36144) rec. August 17, 1958 at Lenox.
- “The Poodle Tower” was named for a building on the Music Inn grounds. (Incidentally, the same is true of Dizzy Gillespie’s composition “Wheatleigh Hall” and Dave Lahm’s “The Potting Shed”.)
The Modern Jazz Quartet: At Music Inn – Guest Artist: Sonny Rollins (Atlantic 1299) rec. August 28, 1958 at Lenox.
- Faculty members John Lewis (dean), Milt Jackson, Percy Heath and Connie Kay performed with Sonny Rollins at Music Inn.
Jimmy Giuffre: The Four Brothers Sound (Atlantic 1295) rec. September 1, 1958 at Lenox (and at other sessions).
- Faculty members Jimmy Giuffre, Bob Brookmeyer and Jim Hall recorded at Lenox just after the close of the school term.
Harry Lookofsky: Stringsville (Atlantic 1319) rec. January 20 and June 22, 1959
- Faculty member Bob Brookmeyer appeared as composer, arranger and soloist. The composition “Champagne Blues” was performed at the 1960 SOJ concert.
Lenox School Of Jazz Concert 1959 (Royal Jazz RJD 513) rec. August 29, 1959 at Lenox.
- Includes selections from the SOJ concert. Correct information included in the concert program, not the CD notes.
Jazz In The Classroom, volume IV (Berklee BLP4) rec. 1959
- Students Ted Casher, Michael Gibbs and Gary McFarland were part of a large ensemble directed by faculty member Herb Pomeroy. McFarland’s composition “Summer Day” was performed at the 1959 SOJ concert.
John Lewis: The Golden Striker (Atlantic 1334) rec. February 12-16, 1960
- Students Al Kiger and David Baker were members of the brass ensemble alongside faculty members John Lewis (dean), Gunther Schuller and Connie Kay.
J.J. Johnson: J.J. Inc. (Columbia CS 8406) rec. August 1, 3, 1960
- This edition of the J.J. Johnson Sextet was in residence at Lenox in the month of August 1960.
John Lewis: The Wonderful World Of Jazz (Atlantic 1375) rec. September 8, 1960
- Student Arif Mardin contributed compositions for this recording which includes faculty members Herb Pomeroy, Jimmy Giuffre, Gunther Schuller, Jim Hall, John Lewis and Connie Kay. The arrangement of “Afternoon in Paris” was performed at the 1960 SOJ concert.
John Lewis and Gary McFarland: Essence (Atlantic 1425) rec. September 9, 1960, May 25, 1962, October 5, 1962
- Student Gary McFarland’s composition “Night Float” was recorded by an ensemble including faculty members Herb Pomeroy, Gunther Schuller, Jimmy Giuffre, John Lewis (dean), Jim Hall and Connie Kay. On the May session, student Gary McFarland’s compositions were performed by an ensemble including faculty member John Lewis (dean) and artist-in-residence Freddie Hubbard. On the October session, students Gary McFarland and Don Stewart appeared alongside faculty members John Lewis (dean), Jim Hall and Connie Kay.
George Russell: Sextet At The Five Spot (Decca DL 9220) rec. September 20, 1960
- Students Al Kiger, Dave Young, David Baker, Joe Hunt and Chuck Israels joined faculty member George Russell. Carla Bley’s composition “Dance Class” was performed at the 1960 SOJ concert.
John Lewis: Presents Contemporary Music – Jazz Abstractions (Atlantic 1365) rec. December 19-20, 1960.
- Student Ornette Coleman joined faculty members Jim Hall and Bill Evans as part of an ensemble conducted by faculty member Gunther Schuller. The compositions “Variants on a Theme by John Lewis” and “Piece for Guitar and Strings” were performed at the 1960 SOJ concert.
George Russell: Stratusphunk (Riverside 9341)
- Students Al Kiger, Dave Young, David Baker, Chuck Israels and Joe Hunt joined faculty member George Russell. The composition “Stratusphunk” was performed at the 1959 SOJ concert and “New Donna” was performed at the 1960 SOJ concert.
George Russell: Sextet In K.C. (Decca DL 4183) rec. February 1961
- Students Don Ellis, Dave Young, David Baker, Joe Hunt and Chuck Israels joined faculty member George Russell.
George Russell: Ezz-thetics (Riverside 9375) rec. May 8, 1961
- Students Don Ellis, David Baker and Joe Hunt joined faculty member George Russell.
The Modern Jazz Quartet: Lonely Woman (Atlantic 1381)
- Compositions by students Ornette Coleman (“Lonely Woman”) and Gary McFarland (“Why Are You Blue”) were performed by faculty members Lewis, Jackson, Heath and Kay.
George Russell: The Stratus Seekers (Riverside 9412)
- Students Don Ellis, David Baker and Joe Hunt joined faculty member George Russell.
Eric Dolphy: Vintage Dolphy (GM Recordings GM 3005) rec. March 10, 1962, April 18, 1963 (and at other sessions)
- Student Chuck Israels and artist-in-residence Art Davis performed “Night Music” and “Variants on a Theme by Thelonious Monk” by faculty member Gunther Schuller and from a later concert, student Don Ellis appeared with faculty member Jim Hall as part of a jam session on “Donna Lee”