| Zodiac Suite | |
|---|---|
| by Mary Lou Williams | |
_-_cropped.jpg) Mary Lou Williams with Milt Orent who assisted with some of the arrangements for Zodiac Suite | |
| Year | 1945 |
| Genre | Fusion of jazz and classical |
| Composed | 1942-1945 |
| Recorded | 1945 |
| Movements | 12 |
| Scoring | Chamber jazz group or symphony orchestra |
Zodiac Suite is a series of 12 pieces of jazz music written by the American jazz pianist and composer Mary Lou Williams and first performed in 1945. The suite makes use of elements of classical music alongside jazz, and Williams was influenced by modernism when writing and arranging it. Each song in the suite is inspired by an astrological sign and musicians or performers who were born under it. Williams began writing music for Zodiac Suite in 1942 and finished the composition in 1945.
Williams first recorded the suite as part of a trio for Asch records and followed this with two notable performances with larger groups. The first performance was with a chamber jazz group and the second was with a symphony orchestra at Carnegie Hall in New York City. These performances took such a toll on Williams that she took a break from performing shortly afterwards.
While the Asch recording was well received by critics, the contemporary reception to the two concerts was mixed. Zodiac Suite is notable as an early instance of the fusion of classical and jazz music. Williams's recording and initial performances of the suite have been recognised as breakthroughs in the history of jazz.