Following in the footsteps of vibes-jazz originator Lionel Hampton, Milt Jackson quickly left his mark on the late ‘40s and ‘50s. “Bags”—so nicknamed for the circles under his eyes—didn't just play in the all-star band that graced Miles Davis' Bags' Groove, he also wrote the title track, which soon became a standard. His lyrical touch was a perfect fit for John Lewis' Modern Jazz Quartet, too. Though Jackson experimented with other styles in his career—check out Herbie Hancock's electric piano touches on Bags' Sunflower—his elegant playing was a reliable constant.