Connie Kay

For two months shy of 40 years (including seven years in which the group was on "vacation"), Connie Kay was the drummer/percussionist with <a href="spotify:artist:7wBFjZMHsC6nfV0HOSd6uI">the Modern Jazz Quartet</a>. His subtle contributions (showing both restraint and swing) were an invaluable asset to the group. Self-taught on the drums, Kay played in the mid-'40s with <a href="spotify:artist:6aIujgMtILzJ0EgbRD1eQI">Sir Charles Thompson</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:0kbYTNQb4Pb1rPbbaF0pT4">Miles Davis</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:4RwKOgFBu2p7gQPTi0WkNZ">Cat Anderson</a>. He was in <a href="spotify:artist:05E3NBxNMdnrPtxF9oraJm">Lester Young</a>'s quintet off and on during 1949-1955, a period in which Kay also worked with <a href="spotify:artist:5TAqo011d1TNTDOdj9YnHd">Beryl Booker</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:0FMucZsEnCxs5pqBjHjIc8">Stan Getz</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:0JM134st8VY7Ld9T2wQiH0">Coleman Hawkins</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:4Ww5mwS7BWYjoZTUIrMHfC">Charlie Parker</a>, among others. In February 1955, he joined <a href="spotify:artist:7wBFjZMHsC6nfV0HOSd6uI">the MJQ</a>, traveling the world with the band up until they called it "quits" in 1974. During that era, he also appeared as a guest on small-group dates by <a href="spotify:artist:3rxeQlsv0Sc2nyYaZ5W71T">Chet Baker</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:5v74mT11KGJqadf9sLw4dA">Cannonball Adderley</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:5GX8UFlG4vXVXDv8KqDLvk">Jimmy Heath</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:68l2i6GeNtwQlhKS59u5bu">Paul Desmond</a>/<a href="spotify:artist:1nJ6xAezipbTOdKAqOKIoP">Jim Hall</a>. During 1975-1981, Kay worked with <a href="spotify:artist:6dUZplQfg5blo0h9HiJ94d">Tommy Flanagan</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:6GpW1fX7HifK7x5ZRasiQZ">Soprano Summit</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:1pBuKaLHJlIlqYxQQaflve">Benny Goodman</a> (including his 40th anniversary Carnegie Hall concert), and was the house drummer at <a href="spotify:artist:1YaB5mqH5zlJqvJaKIsBrS">Eddie Condon</a>'s club. He spent his last 13 years back with <a href="spotify:artist:7wBFjZMHsC6nfV0HOSd6uI">the MJQ</a>; <a href="spotify:artist:6zMUrKoPJzeSPf9ueaOS0j">Mickey Roker</a> filled in when he was ill and <a href="spotify:artist:53yX28INJxLAZYpUbANw3K">Albert "Tootie" Heath</a> took over the drum slot after Connie Kay's death. ~ Scott Yanow, Rovi