Mingus Big Band - Blues & Politics (1999)

Mingus Big Band - Blues & Politics (1999)

jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-covers | 485MB

Dreyfus, FDM 36603-2

Allmusic:
The MBB has become the most important and virile "ghost band" of them all. Their roaring, swinging spirit echoes the late bassist/composer/bandleader in ways that compare favorably to when Mingus was alive. The musicianship, rotating as it tends to, is consistently and outrageously outstanding, the new arrangements of classic Mingus tunes are fresh and vibrant as ever, and solos absolutely riveting. For this time around the band includes lead trumpeter Earl Gardner, lead alto/soprano saxophonist Alex Foster, and prominent soloists include tenor saxophonists Mark Shim, Seamus Blake, and John Stubblefield; trumpeters Randy Brecker and Alex Sipiagin; baritone saxophonist Ronnie Cuber; trombonist Conrad Herwig; alto saxophonists Bobby Watson and Vincent Herring; and arrangements by Michael Mossman, Sy Johnson, Howard Johnson, and Steve Slagle. Mingus himself speaks during the introductory "It Was a Lonely Day in Selma, Alabama," then the band chants and claps to "Freedom," certainly a prolific tone setter. "Haitian Fight Song" has bassist Boris Kozlov leading the angst-riddled charge, the piece played to perfection. The classic ode to Lester Young "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat" is accented by tenor saxophonist Seamus Blake's patient, poignant solo and the band's pristine reading of Sy Johnson's new chart. "Don't Let It Happen Here," with its tango-flavored fanfare and son Eric Mingus' recitation, rivals the original. "Meditations for a Pair of Wire Cutters" has all the dynamic stop-start Mingus traits, "Pussycat Dues," is a pretty straight by comparison blues, "Oh Lord, Don't Let Them Drop That Atomic Bomb on Me" has Eric Mingus returning on the slow blues that still has relevance today as he shouts "don't let 'em drop it, stop it, be-bop it," and the 16-minute finale "Little Royal Suite" is so Ellingtonian in flavor, a full-bore swinger that lets the band, especially soloists Sipiagin, Stubblefield, and Herring running wild out of their cages. To interpret Mingus' music so faithfully and with such great authenticity and zeal is not an easy task. Another triumph for this ensemble, easily a Top Five jazz album of 1999, an essential purchase. Much more could be written or said, but Mingus and the band speak much louder than words.

Tracks
01. It Was a Lonely Day In Selma, Alabama , Freedom (8:45)
02. Haitian Fight Song (8:22)
03. Goodbye Pork Pie Hat (9:48)
04. Don't Let it Happen Here (5:15)
05. Meditations For A Pair of Wire-Cutters (11:39)
06. Pussycat Dues (6:37)
07. Oh Lord, Don't Let Them Drop That Atomic Bomb On Me (8:57)
08. Little Royal Suite (15:59)

 sample & buy: Blues & Politics

Charles Mingus, John LaPorta - Jazzical Moods (1954)

  Charles Mingus, John LaPorta - Jazzical Moods (1954)

jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-covers | 235MB

OJC limited edition OJCCD-1857-2

Allmusic:

Originally recorded for Period Records in 1954, this fairly obscure early Charles Mingus session is a collaboration with composer John LaPorta, who is heard on clarinet and alto saxophone. It's a fascinating effort that shows Mingus' awareness of both modern European classical composition and cool jazz.
The set includes a mix of Mingus and LaPorta originals, plus freshly arranged standards like "What Is This Thing Called Love" and "Stormy Weather." Also on hand are the great trumpeter Thad Jones and saxophonist/producer Teo Macero. The album features Mingus' debut on piano.

Tracks
1. "What Is This Thing Called Love?" - 8:08
2. "Stormy Weather" - 3:18
3. "Minor Intrusion" - 10:13
4. "Abstractions" - 4:12
5. "Thrice Upon A Theme" - 6:40
6. "Four Hands" - 8:50
7. "The Spur Of The Moment/Echonitus" - 8:36

Personnel
* Bass, Piano – Charles Mingus
* Cello – Jackson Wiley
* Clarinet, Alto Saxophone – John LaPorta
* Drums – Clem DeRosa*

 sample & buy: Jazzical Moods 

Charles Mingus - Let My Children Hear Music (1972)

Charles Mingus - Let My Children Hear Music (1972)

jazz, | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 395MB

Columbia CK48910

Allmusic:
On the original LP issued by Columbia, Mingus thanked producer Teo Macero for "his untiring efforts in producing the best album I have ever made." From his deathbed in Mexico in 1979 he sent a message to Sy Johnson (who was responsible for many of the arrangements on the album), saying that Let My Children Hear Music was the record he liked most from his career. Although Mingus' small-group recordings are the ones most often cited as his premier works, this album does, in fact, rank at the top of his oeuvre and compares favorably with the finest large-ensemble jazz recordings by anyone, including Ellington. The pieces had been brewing over the years, one from as far back as 1939, and had been given more or less threadbare performances on occasion, but this was his first chance to record them with a sizable, well-rehearsed orchestra. Still, there were difficulties, both in the recording and afterward. The exact personnel is sketchy, largely due to contractual issues, several arrangers were imported to paste things together, making the true authorship of some passages questionable, and Macero (as he did with various Miles Davis projects) edited freely and sometimes noticeably. The listener will happily put aside all quibbles, however, when the music is heard. From the opening, irresistible swing of "The Shoes of the Fisherman's Wife Are Some Jiveass Slippers" to the swirling depths of "The I of Hurricane Sue," these songs are some of the most glorious, imaginative, and full of life ever recorded. Each piece has its own strengths, but special mention should be made of two. "Adagio Ma Non Troppo" is based entirely on a piano improvisation played by Mingus in 1964 and issued on Mingus Plays Piano. Its logical structure, playful nature, and crystalline moments of beauty would be astounding in a polished composition; the fact that it was originally improvised is almost unbelievable. "Hobo Ho," a holy-roller powerhouse featuring the impassioned tenor of James Moody, reaches an incredible fever pitch, the backing horns volleying riff after riff at the soloists, the entire composition teetering right on the edge of total chaos. Let My Children Hear Music is a towering achievement and a must for any serious jazz fan. The CD issue includes one track, "Taurus in the Arena of Life," not on the original LP, but unfortunately gives only snippets from the Mingus essay that accompanied the album. That essay, covering enormous territory, reads like an inspired Mingus bass solo and should be sought out by interested listeners. One can't recommend this album highly enough.

Tracks
-1. "The Shoes of the Fisherman's Wife Are Some Jiveass Slippers" – 9:34
-2. "Adagio ma Non Troppo" – 8:22
-3. "Don't Be Afraid, the Clown's Afraid Too" – 9:26
-4. "Taurus in the Arena of Life" – 4:17
-5. "Hobo Ho" – 10:07
-6. "The Chill of Death" – 7:38
-7. "The I of Hurricane Sue" – 10:09

 sample & buy: Let My Children Hear Music 

Charles Mingus - Tijuana Moods 2cd (1957)

Charles Mingus - Tijuana Moods (1957)

jazz | 2cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 1000MB

Bluebird 2001

Allmusic:
Inspired by a trip to Tijuana, Tijuana Moods was recorded in 1957 but was sat on by RCA until its release in 1962. Bassist/composer Charles Mingus at the time said that this was his greatest recording, and it certainly ranks near the top. The original version (which was usually edited together from a few different takes) consisted of just five performances. In the '80s, it doubled in size with the release of two versions of each of the songs, and in 2001, it reappeared as a double CD with 22 performances. It has often been said that Mingus forced and pressured his sidemen to play above their potential, and that is certainly true of this project. Altoist Shafi Hadi (who doubles on tenor) is in blazing form on "Ysabel's Table Dance," while trumpeter Clarence Shaw (who was praised by Mingus for his short lyrical solo on "Flamingo") sounds quite haunting on "Los Mariachis." Trombonist Jimmy Knepper and drummer Dannie Richmond made other great recordings, but they are in particularly superior form throughout this session, as is the obscure pianist Bill Triglia. Completing the band is Ysabel Morel on vocals and Frankie Dunlop on castanets. While "Dizzy's Moods" is based on "Woody'N You," and "Flamingo" is given a fresh treatment, the other three songs are quite original, with "Tijuana Gift Shop" having a catchy, dissonant riff that sticks in one's mind. The passionate playing, exciting ensembles, and high-quality compositions make this a real gem. In addition, this double-CD includes the recently discovered "A Colloquial Dream," an early version of a spoken word piece later called "Scenes in the City," with Lonnie Elder doing the talking rather than Melvin Stewart (though Stewart's later version was superior). Due to the repetition of titles (with eight of the final nine cuts being excerpts), more casual listeners may want to search instead for the single CD New Tijuana Moods, which was released in 1996 and just augments the original five songs with four alternate takes. But in any case, this stirring music belongs in every jazz collection, for it does represent one of Charles Mingus' finest hours.

Tracks
cd1
-01. "Dizzy Moods"
-02. "Ysabel's Table Dance"
-03. "Tijuana Gift Shop"
-04. "Los Mariachis"
-05. "Flamingo"
-06. "Dizzy Moods (Alternate Take)"
-07. "Ysabel's Table Dance (Alternate Take)"
-08. "Los Mariachis (Alternate Take)"
-09. "Flamingo (Alternate Take)"
cd2
-01. "Tijuana Gift Shop (Alternate Take)"
-02. "A Colloquial Dream"
-03. "Flamingo (Alternate Take)"
-04. "Ysabel's Table Dance (Composite Incomplete Take)"
-05. "Dizzy Moods (Junkyard Take 8)"
-06. "Dizzy Moods (Bass Solos Take 14)"
-07. "Tijuana Gift Shop (Alternate Takes 1-4)"
-08. "Tijuana Gift Shop (Alternate Take 6)"
-09. "Los Mariachis (Take 1-3)"
-10. "Los Mariachis (Take 5-10)"
-11. "Los Mariachis (Take 15-23)"
-12. "A Colloquial Dream (Take 6)"
-13. "A Colloquial Dream (Take 8)"

Personnel
* Charles Mingus, bass, vocals
* Clarence Shaw, trumpet
* Jimmy Knepper, trombone
* Shafi Hadi, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone
* Bill Triglia, piano
* Dannie Richmond, drums
* Ysabel Morel, castanets, vocals
* Frankie Dunlop, percussion
* Lonnie Elder, voices

 sample & buy: Tijuana Moods

 

Charles Mingus - At The Bohemia (1955)

Charles Mingus - At The Bohemia (1955)

jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 310MB

OJC

Allmusic:
A live performance at the Club Bohemia in New York, this is the first Mingus recording to feature mostly his own compositions. Some are his future standards. Here are his first attempts at future techniques such as combining two songs into one. His bass playing really stands out.

Tracks
-1. "Jump Monk" (Charles Mingus) - 6:44
-2. "Serenade In Blue" (Mack Gordon, Harry Warren) - 5:57
-3. "Percussion Discussion" (Mingus, Max Roach) - 8:25
-4. "Work Song" (Mingus) - 6:16
-5. "Septemberly" (Harry Warren, Al Dubin / Jack Lawrence, Walter Gross) - 6:55
-6. "All The Things You C Sharp" (Jerome Kern, Oscar Hammerstein II / S. Rachmaninoff) - 6:47

Personnel
*George Barrow - Tenor Sax
*Eddie Bert - Trombone
*Mal Waldron - Piano
*Charles Mingus - Bass
*Willie Jones - Drums
*Max Roach - Drums (Percussion Discussion)

sample & buy: At the Bohemia

Charles Mingus - Mingus Dynasty (1959) (eac-log-cover)

Charles Mingus - Mingus Dynasty (1959)

jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 400MB

Columbia/Legacy

Allmusic:
Mingus Ah Um catapulted Charles Mingus from a much-discussed semi-underground figure to a near-universally accepted and acclaimed leader in modern jazz. Perhaps that's why his Columbia follow-up, Mingus Dynasty, is often overlooked in his canon -- it's lost in the shadow of its legendary predecessor, both because of that album's achievement and the fact that it's just a notch below the uppermost echelon of Mingus' work. Having said that, Mingus Dynasty is still an excellent album -- in fact, it's a testament to just how high a level Mingus was working on that an album of this caliber could have gotten lost in the shuffle. There's a definite soundtrack quality to a great deal of the music here, and indeed the majority of Mingus' originals here were composed for film and television scores and an expanded, nine- to ten-piece group. On some pieces, Mingus refines and reworks territory he'd previously hit upon. "Slop," for example, is another gospel-inflected 6/8 stormer, composed for a TV production that requested a piece similar to "Better Get It in Your Soul." The ferocious "Gunslinging Bird" follows a similar pattern, and it's the same piece whose full title -- "If Charlie Parker Were a Gunslinger, There'd Be a Whole Lot of Dead Copycats" -- is given elsewhere. There are a couple of numbers from the Ellington songbook that both feature cellos -- "Things Ain't What They Used to Be" and a fantastic, eight-minute "Mood Indigo" -- and a couple of pieces that rely on the even more tightly orchestrated approach of Mingus' pre-Pithecanthropus Erectus days -- "Far Wells, Mill Valley" and the atonal but surprisingly tender and melodic "Diane." The CD reissue of Mingus Dynasty -- like that of its predecessor -- restores the full-length versions of some songs that had portions of solos edited for time on the original LP release.

Tracks
-01. "Slop"
-02. "Diane"
-03. "Song With Orange"
-04. "Gunslinging Bird"
-05. "Things Ain't What They Used To Be" (Mercer Ellington)
-06. "Far Wells, Mill Valley"
-07. "New Now Know How"
-08. "Mood Indigo" (Barney Bigard, Duke Ellington)
-09. "Put Me In That Dungeon"
-10. "Strollin' " (Nostalgia In Times Square) (Mingus, Nat Gordon)

Personnel
Teddy Charles (Vibraphone), Don Ellis (Trumpet), Booker Ervin (Saxophone), John Handy (Saxophone), Jimmy Knepper (Trombone), Jimmy Knepper (Trombone), Charles Mingus (Bass), Jerome Richardson (Saxophone), Dannie Richmond (Drums), Seymour Barab (Cello), Maurice Brown (Cello), Benny Golson (Saxophone), Benny Golson (Sax (Tenor)), Roland Hanna (Piano), Dick Williams (Trumpet), Richard Gene Williams (Trumpet)

sample & buy: Mingus Dynasty

Charles Mingus - The Black Saint And The Sinner Lady (1963)

Charles Mingus - The Black Saint And The Sinner Lady (1963)

jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 370MB

Impulse/GRP | 20-bit SBM

Allmusic:
The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady is one of the greatest achievements in orchestration by any composer in jazz history. Charles Mingus consciously designed the six-part ballet as his magnum opus, and -- implied in his famous inclusion of liner notes by his psychologist -- it's as much an examination of his own tortured psyche as it is a conceptual piece about love and struggle. It veers between so many emotions that it defies easy encapsulation; for that matter, it can be difficult just to assimilate in the first place. Yet the work soon reveals itself as a masterpiece of rich, multi-layered texture and swirling tonal colors, manipulated with a painter's attention to detail. There are a few stylistic reference points -- Ellington, the contemporary avant-garde, several flamenco guitar breaks -- but the totality is quite unlike what came before it. Mingus relies heavily on the timbral contrasts between expressively vocal-like muted brass, a rumbling mass of low voices (including tuba and baritone sax), and achingly lyrical upper woodwinds, highlighted by altoist Charlie Mariano. Within that framework, Mingus plays shifting rhythms, moaning dissonances, and multiple lines off one another in the most complex, interlaced fashion he'd ever attempted. Mingus was sometimes pigeonholed as a firebrand, but the personal exorcism of Black Saint deserves the reputation -- one needn't be able to follow the story line to hear the suffering, mourning, frustration, and caged fury pouring out of the music. The 11-piece group rehearsed the original score during a Village Vanguard engagement, where Mingus allowed the players to mold the music further; in the studio, however, his exacting perfectionism made The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady the first jazz album to rely on overdubbing technology. The result is one of the high-water marks for avant-garde jazz in the '60s and arguably Mingus' most brilliant moment.

Tracks:
-1. "Track A — Solo Dancer" – 6:38
Stop! Look! and Listen, Sinner Jim Whitney!
-2. "Track B — Duet Solo Dancers" – 6:45
Hearts' Beat and Shades in Physical Embraces
-3. "Track C — Group Dancers" – 7:22
(Soul Fusion) Freewoman and Oh, This Freedom's Slave Cries
-4. – 18:39
>"Mode D — Trio and Group Dancers"
Stop! Look! and Sing Songs of Revolutions!
>"Mode E — Single Solos and Group Dance"
Saint and Sinner Join in Merriment on Battle Front
>"Mode F — Group and Solo Dance"
Of Love, Pain, and Passioned Revolt, then Farewell, My Beloved, 'til It's Freedom Day

Personnel:
* Charles Mingus — bass, piano, leader
* Jerome Richardson — soprano, baritone saxophones, flute
* Charlie Mariano — alto saxophone
* Dick Hafer — tenor saxophone, flute
* Rolf Ericson — trumpet
* Richard Williams — trumpet
* Quentin Jackson — trombone
* Don Butterfield — tuba, contrabass trombone
* Jaki Byard — piano
* Jay Berliner — acoustic guitar
* Dannie Richmond — drums
* Bob Simpson — recording engineer

sample & buy: The Black Saint & The Sinner Lady

Charles Mingus - Mingus at Carnegie Hall (1974) (japanese 24bit rem) (eac-flac-cover)

Charles Mingus - Mingus at Carnegie Hall (1974) (japanese 24-bit remaster)

jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 360MB

Atlantic/Wea | rar +5% recovery

AMG:
Atlantic Records, somewhat perversely, chose to release two performances from this concert that had the strongest aura of "jam session" about them. But the show included a solid opening set by the working band of the time, as well as a freer finale, all of which remains unissued. This is a fun 45 minutes, particularly for the jovial interplay between saxophonists Kirk and Adams, but in its released form, only hints at the strength of The Jazz Workshop in 1974.

Tracks:
1. "C Jam Blues" (Barney Bigard, Duke Ellington) - 24:32
2. "Perdido" (Juan Tizol) - 21:53
* Recorded on January 19, 1974 at Carnegie Hall, New York City

Personnel:
* Charles Mingus - bass
* Jon Faddis - trumpet
* Charles McPherson - alto saxophone
* John Handy - tenor saxophone, alto saxophone
* George Adams - tenor saxophone
* Rahsaan Roland Kirk - tenor saxophone, stritch
* Hamiet Bluiett - baritone saxophone
* Don Pullen - piano
* Dannie Richmond - drums

sample & buy

---> Mingus at Carnegie Hall (1974) (MFSL) version here <---

read the comments

Charles Mingus - Mingus at Carnegie Hall (1974) (MFSL) (eac-flac-cover)

Charles Mingus - Mingus at Carnegie Hall (1974) (MFSL)

jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 340MB

MFSL | rar +5% recovery

AMG:
Atlantic Records, somewhat perversely, chose to release two performances from this concert that had the strongest aura of "jam session" about them. But the show included a solid opening set by the working band of the time, as well as a freer finale, all of which remains unissued. This is a fun 45 minutes, particularly for the jovial interplay between saxophonists Kirk and Adams, but in its released form, only hints at the strength of The Jazz Workshop in 1974.

Tracks:
1. "C Jam Blues" (Barney Bigard, Duke Ellington) - 24:32
2. "Perdido" (Juan Tizol) - 21:53
* Recorded on January 19, 1974 at Carnegie Hall, New York City

Personnel:
* Charles Mingus - bass
* Jon Faddis - trumpet
* Charles McPherson - alto saxophone
* John Handy - tenor saxophone, alto saxophone
* George Adams - tenor saxophone
* Rahsaan Roland Kirk - tenor saxophone, stritch
* Hamiet Bluiett - baritone saxophone
* Don Pullen - piano
* Dannie Richmond - drums

sample & buy

---> Mingus at Carnegie Hall (1974) (japanese 24bit rem) version here <---

read the comments

Charles Mingus - Live At Montreux 1975 (music video) (DVD9) (iso-mds)

Charles Mingus - Live At Montreux 1975
DVD9 PAL | DD5.1; DTS5.1; PCM2.0 | 4:3 | 86 min | iso-mds | Covers | 6 GB
Eagle Vision | Genre: jazz | rel. 2004 | rar +5% recovery
Allaboutjazz:
With complete liner notes and credits, this concert performance makes a valuable addition to the DVD library. That it’s vintage Mingus in top form makes things all the better.
As this is a live performance, the sound isn’t always perfect. George Adams, for example swings away from the microphone quite often, leaving a trail of notes behind. At other times, the recording engineer has failed to turn up the volume on one microphone or the other. And the camera work isn’t always on top of the action.
However, Charles Mingus and his band gave this Montreux audience a superb performance that includes all the elements that we yearn for. Don Pullen smashes those piano keys down hard and swirls multi-note clusters through each straight-ahead piece with clarity. Jack Walrath explores the range of his instrument and exhibits stellar technique while staying with the mood proposed by Mingus. The bassist solos frequently and leads his ensemble with a dynamic aura. One great camera shot places Mingus behind Jack Walrath’s horn and moves in to fill the picture with the bassist’s face while he’s walking the blues in a confident state. His leadership takes the band through each concert piece with a natural ease.
These are extended pieces. “Sue’s Changes,” alone, runs for 35 minutes; giving the band plenty of time to explore each facet of the composition. As Walrath stretches out a cappella with a soulful interpretation, Mingus lights his cigar and waits for the right moment to bring his band back together. During one of Dannie Richmond’s extended drum solos elsewhere, he can be seen with cigarette dangling from his lip, churning out a storm of percussive textures. Mingus and his band are at home on the stage, able to interpret with honesty and power.
As Gerry Mulligan and Benny Bailey join the band for two numbers, the mood stays as fresh and alive as earlier, but the camera angles and solo order change. Both Bailey and Mulligan provide superb solo work that blends well with Mingus’ intentions. At the concert’s close, Mingus, Mulligan and Bailey trade fours then jam, giving the audience an extra treat.
Live at Montreux 1975 is a memorable concert that captures seven significant jazz artists doing what they do best, and comes highly recommended.

Approximate Running Time: 1 hour 26 minutes.
Director: Thierry Amsallem

Track Listing: Devil Blues; Free Cell Block F, 'Tis Nazi USA; Sue's Changes; Goodbye Pork Pie Hat; Take the 'A' Train.
Musicians: Charles Mingus: bass; Jack Walrath: trumpet; George Adams: tenor saxophone, flute, vocals; Don Pullen: piano; Dannie Richmond: drums; Gerry Mulligan: baritone saxophone on "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat" and "Take the 'A' Train;" Benny Bailey: trumpet on "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat" and "Take the 'A' Train."

sample & buy

r c

Charles Mingus - Changes One & Two (1975) (eac-flac-cover)

Charles Mingus - Changes One & Two (1975)

jazz | 2cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 620MB

Atlantic - Rhino | rar +5% recovery

AMG.
1: Charles Mingus' finest recordings of his later period are Changes One and Changes Two, two Atlantic LPs that have been reissued on CD by Rhino. The first volume features four stimulating Mingus originals ("Remember Rockefeller at Attica," "Sue's Changes," "Devil Blues" and "Duke Ellington's Sound of Love") performed by a particularly talented quintet (tenor-saxophonist George Adams who also sings "Devil Blues," trumpeter Jack Walrath, pianist Don Pullen, drummer Dannie Richmond and the leader/bassist). The band has the adventurous spirit and chance-taking approach of Charles Mingus' best groups, making this an easily recommended example of the great bandleader's music.
2: Along with its companion volume Changes One, this is one of the great sessions from one of the best working bands of the 1970s. Starting with the spirited "Free Cell Block F, 'Tis Nazi U.S.A," this volume also includes the vocal version of "Duke Ellington's Sound of Love" with guest singer (and acquired taste) Jackie Paris, a remake of the classic Mingus composition "Orange Was the Color of Her Dress, Then Silk Blue," Jack Walrath's "Black Bats and Poles," and Sy Johnson's "For Harry Carney." The challenging repertoire from these December 1974 dates sustained the Jazz Workshop for several years; these are the definitive performances.

Tracks:
Changes one
01 - Remember Rockefeller At Attica
02 - Sue's Changes
03 - Devil Blues
04 - Duke Ellington's Sound Of Love
Changes two
01 - Free Cell Block F, 'Tis Nazi U.S.A.
02 - Orange Was the Color of Her Dress, Then Blue Silk
03 - Black Bats and Poles
04 - Duke Ellington's Sound of Love
05 - For Harry Carney

sample & buy 1
sample & buy 2

Charles Mingus - Mingus Plays Piano (1963) (20bSBM) (eac-flac-cover)

Charles Mingus - Mingus Plays Piano (1963) (20bSBM)

jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 260MB

Impulse!-GRP | 20-bit SBM | rar +5% recovery

AMG
Bassist Charles Mingus would never qualify as a virtuoso on the piano but his technique was reasonably impressive and his imagination quite brilliant. This unique solo piano CD (which was reissued in 1997) has a few standards ("Body and Soul," "Memories of You" and "I'm Getting Sentimental over You") along with some freely improvised originals, most of which are quite fascinating to hear, as if one were listening to Mingus think aloud.

Tracks:
1. "Myself When I Am Real" – 7:38
2. "I Can't Get Started" (Vernon Duke, Ira Gershwin) – 3:43
3. "Body and Soul" (Frank Eyton, Johnny Green, Edward Heyman, Robert Sour) – 4:35
4. "Roland Kirk's Message" – 2:43
5. "Memories of You" (Eubie Blake, Andy Razaf) – 4:37
6. "She's Just Miss Popular Hybird" - 3:11
7. "Orange Was the Color of Her Dress, Then Silk Blues" – 4:18
8. "Meditations for Moses" - 3:38
9. "Old Portrait" - 3:49
10. "I'm Getting Sentimental Over You" (George Bassman, Ned Washington) – 3:46
11. Compositional Theme Story: "Medleys, Anthems and Folklore" – 8:35

Charles Mingus - piano, vocals

sample & buy

read the comments

Charles Mingus - Town Hall Concert (1964) (eac-flac-cover)

Charles Mingus - Town Hall Concert (1964)

jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 290MB

OJC | rar +5% recovery

AMG
The first of many live recordings made of Mingus's touring band of 1964, most in Europe, it's got one of his strongest lineups: Eric Dolphy (reeds), Johnny Coles (tpt), Clifford Jordan (ts), Jaki Byard (p), and Dannie Richmond (d). Every performance on the tour is worth listening to. The only knock against this disc is its 45-minute length.

Tracks
01 - So Long Eric
02 - Praying With Eric

sample & buy

read the comments

Charles Mingus - Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus (1963) (eac-flac-cover)

 

Charles Mingus  - Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus (1963)

jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 310MB

Impulse! | rar +5% recovery

AMG:
Having completed what he (and many critics) regarded as his masterwork in The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady, Charles Mingus' next sessions for Impulse found him looking back over a long and fruitful career. Mingus, Mingus, Mingus, Mingus, Mingus is sort of a "greatest hits revisited" record, as the bassist revamps or tinkers with some of his best-known works. The titles are altered as well -- "II B.S." is basically "Haitian Fight Song" (this is the version used in the late-'90s car commercial); "Theme for Lester Young" is "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat"; "Better Get Hit in Your Soul" adds a new ending, but just one letter to the title; "Hora Decubitus" is a growling overhaul of "E's Flat Ah's Flat Too"; and "I X Love" modifies "Nouroog," which was part of "Open Letter to Duke." There's also a cover of Duke Ellington's "Mood Indigo," leaving just one new composition, "Celia." Which naturally leads to the question: With the ostensible shortage of ideas, what exactly makes this a significant Mingus effort? The answer is that the 11-piece bands assembled here (slightly different for the two separate recording sessions) are among Mingus' finest, featuring some of the key personnel (Eric Dolphy, pianist Jaki Byard) that would make up the legendary quintet/sextet with which Mingus toured Europe in 1964. And they simply burn, blasting through versions that equal and often surpass the originals -- which is, of course, no small feat. This was Mingus' last major statement for quite some time, and aside from a solo piano album and a series of live recordings from the 1964 tour, also his last album until 1970. It closes out the most productive and significant chapter of his career, and one of the most fertile, inventive hot streaks of any composer in jazz history.

Track listing
1. "II B.S." – 4:46
2. "I X Love" – 7:38
3. "Celia" – 6:12
4. "Mood Indigo" (Duke Ellington/Barney Bigard) – 4:43
5. "Better Get Hit in Yo' Soul" – 6:28
6. "Theme for Lester Young" – 5:50
7. "Hora Decubitus" – 4:41
8. "Freedom" – 5:10

Personnel
Tracks #1 and 4-8, recorded in New York on September 20, 1963:
* Eddie Preston - Trumpet
* Richard Williams - Trumpet
* Britt Woodman - Trombone
* Don Butterfield - Tuba
* Jerome Richardson - Soprano, baritone saxes, flute
* Dick Hafer - Tenor sax, clarinet, flute
* Booker Ervin - Tenor sax
* Eric Dolphy - Alto sax, flute
* Jaki Byard - Piano
* Charles Mingus - Bass, (narration, #8)
* Walter Perkins - Drums

Tracks #2 and 3, recorded in New York on January 20, 1963:
* Rolf Ericson - Trumpet
* Richard Williams - Trumpet
* Quentin Jackson - Trombone
* Don Butterfield - Tuba
* Jerome Richardson - Soprano, baritone saxes, flute
* Dick Hafer - Tenor sax, flute, oboe
* Charlie Mariano - Alto sax
* Jaki Byard - Piano
* Jay Berliner - Guitar
* Charles Mingus - Bass, piano
* Dannie Richmond - Drums

sample & buy

read the comments

Charles Mingus - Tonight at Noon (24bit remastered) (1965)

Charles Mingus - Tonight at Noon (24bit remastered) (1965)
jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 250MB
Warner japan | 24bit miniLP 2007 | rec 1956 & 61 | rar +5% recovery

AMG
Tonight at Noon is, essentially, a compilation album -- although not in the usual sense. There are two distinct sessions that make up its contents: a 1957 date with Jimmy Knepper on trombone, drummer Dannie Richmond, saxophonist Shafi Hadi, and pianist Wade Legge, and a 1960 session with Booker Ervin, Roland Kirk on saxes, Knepper, bassist Doug Watkins, Mingus on piano, and Richmond. The feel of the two sets is different to be sure, but this is far from throwaway material; the tunes here are actually studio outtakes from the recordings for The Clown and Oh Yeah. While the former session features Mingus going for the blues via European harmonics and melodic approaches with hard bop tempos (particularly on the title track), the latter session with its nocturnal elegance and spatial irregularities comes off more as some kind of exercise in vanguard Ellington with sophisticated harmonies that give way to languid marches and gospel-tinged blues. Kirk and Ervin are particularly suited to one another, because they both swing hard as well as reach for the fences. Mingus' pianism is deeply rooted in blues, and that sense of pace and easiness informs these three tracks, particularly "'Old' Blue for Walt's Torin." Hints of the material Mingus would record for Columbia on Ah Um are in these compositions. The most beautiful piece is from the 1957 session and closes the album: "Passions of a Woman Loved" is a nearly ten-minute workout that feels like an Ellington suite. Despite the fact that this is an assembled album, it holds plenty of magic nonetheless.

Track List:
01 - Tonight at Noon
02 - Invisible Lady
03 - ''Old'' Blues for Walt's Torin
04 - Peggy's Blue Skylight
05 - Passions of a Woman Loved

Personnel:
Charles Mingus, Bass, Piano, Vocals;
Shafi Hadi, Alto Saxophone;
Doug Watkins, Bass;
Dannie Richmond, Drums;
Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Saxophones;
Wade Legge, Piano;
Booker Ervin, Tenor Saxophone;
Jimmy Knepper, Trombone.

sample & buy

read the comments