Charles Mingus

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been listening to a couple tracks off Let My Children Hear Music, and i really like them a lot (and i'm not a jazzhead at all), so tell me more about mingus, where this record fits in, how you view mingus etc etc

i know both ed and marcello are into mingus, anyone else? dleone maybe?

― gareth, Wednesday, 27 February 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

If you look on the Boards of Canada "Geogaddi" thread below (or one of the similar ones, I can't remember which offhand) there was a slight digression into LMCHM (as it was thought that "Music Has The Right To Children" might be a response to that title) and I discussed it pretty thoroughly there.

Mingus - too much to go into here, but read Brian Priestley's "Mingus" biog for the musical history and his autobiog "Beneath the Underdog" to understand the meaning(s) behind his music.

The strongest bridge between bebop/third stream/free. Nearly everything he did is vital listening, but particularly the following:-

Pithecanthropus Erectus (Atlantic, 1956); East Coasting (Bethlehem, 1957); Tijuana Moods (RCA, 1958); The Clown (Atlantic, 1958); Mingus Ah Um and Mingus Dynasty (Columbia, both 1959); Mingus Presents Mingus and MDM (Candid, both 1960); Mingus At Antibes (Atlantic, recorded 1961, issued 1979); Blues and Roots (Atlantic, 1961); Mingus Oh Yeah (Atlantic, 1961); The Complete Town Hall Concert (Blue Note 2CD set, 1995; flawed but still worth listening to); Black Saint and the Sinner Lady (Impulse, 1963 - MASTERPIECE, GET THIS IF NOTHING ELSE); Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus (Impulse, 1963); Mingus At Monterey (Milestone, 1964); The Complete Jazz Workshop Recordings (bootleg, 1965; hard to find but worth it, containing a lot of the raw material for LMCHM); LMCHM itself of course (Columbia, 1972); Changes One and Two (Atlantic, 1973); and Cumbia and Jazz Fusion (Atlantic, 1978). I've missed out loads of stuff, obviously, including live ones; the whole 1964 European tour with Dolphy seems to have been recorded, for a start).

― Marcello Carlin, Wednesday, 27 February 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

just proves i've got too many records - i look at all this stuff & go, hmm what'll i play, i dunno, & probably end up just turning on the radio - but it occurs to me w/ the mention of him that if i chucked out everything except the mingus albums i'd be happy listening to just him for...i don't know, a long time anyway.

― duane, Wednesday, 27 February 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

i could say the same about the troggs though.

― duane, Wednesday, 27 February 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

Digression: Joni Mitchell can't be dud just for the fact that she adored Mingus and even made an album where she married his music with her lyrics. The result did not really meet the high expectations unfortunately. Though maybe I should relisten to it. The album really stands out in Joni's discography.

― alex in mainhattan, Wednesday, 27 February 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

Yeah, it's pretty much all good Gareth (apart from 'Mingus' by Joni 'Kiss of Death' Mitchell, obv.)

Some faves: - 'Pithecanthropus Erectus', one of the earliest 'concept' albs (see also 'The Clown'), w/ some great fierce post-bop playing from Jackie Maclean, esp.

- 'Blues and Roots' may be his most 'easy-to-get-into' rec - you'll prob. recognise some of the tunes. Mingus 'does' gospel, and everyone shouts, hollers and gets sanctified.

- 'Ah Um' - Just a classic straight-ahead jazz alb, featuring a typically tight 'core' group (John Handy, Booker Ervin, Shafi Hadi, Jimmy Knepper, Horace Parlan, Dannie Richmond etc.)'Self Portrait In Three Colors' might just be his single most beautiful composition (see also Sonny Sharrock's 'answer' song on 'Black Woman - 'Portrait of Linda in Three Colors, All Black'!)

- 'The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady' - Marcello is, of course, OTM abt this one. As a further incentive, it has great sleeves notes by CM's psychiatrist!

- 'Tijuana Moods' is one of his most underrated albs, and has recently been reissued in a 'definitive' edition.

- 'Oh Yeah' is a weird one - Mingus only plays piano on it, and sings! Its got 'Oh Lord Don't Let Them Drop That Atomic Bomb On Me', which is always worth hearing.

See also: 'Beneath The Underdog', his heavily fictionalised autobiog which gives you some sense of the man, and even the Hal Willner 'tribute' alb 'Weird Nightmare' (its got a great pic on the front cover if nothing else!)

― Andrew L, Wednesday, 27 February 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

Heh, I wrote my response before seeing Alex's post - no direct dig intended (just a general one against JM!)

― Andrew L, Wednesday, 27 February 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

no direct dig intended (just a general one against JM!)
* sobbing, breaking out in tears *

― alex in mainhattan, Wednesday, 27 February 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

The posters above have given you all the information you need. Partly to play devil's advocate I'll offer a dissenting view. No doubt Mingus was a genius, but I find his work on record unsatisfying (though I'm still interested enough have fifteen or so of his albums, and will no doubt buy more). Every album is a mixture of sublime inspiration, experiments that doesn't quite come off and the fairly banal. There's great stuff to be found on his weaker albums and dull stuff on his best. The Priestley biog is pretty decent and also has some musical examples if you're interested.

I'd start with "Blues and Roots" for the earthier side of Mingus and "Mingus Ah Um" for the more "mainstream" Mingus. Anyone with even a casual interest in jazz should hear "The Black Saint" a few times, though to be honest I don't play it too much nowadays. "Pithecanthropus Erectus" is a good mixture of the experimental with the churchy/bluesy.

Mingus's widow, Sue, maintains a big band ("The Mingus Big Band") to play his music. The personnel changes often the players are world- class, and big names like the Brecker Brothers have come through its ranks. I feel you get closer to the spirit of Mingus listening to these guys than you do listening to records. I've heard them a few times and they generally blow me away, though they were a bit weaker on a regular NY gig than they seem to be on tour.

Incidentally I don't think Joni's album is quite as bad as is generally made out - "The Wolf That Lives In Lindsey" is better than most of her post-Hejira stuff, for example.

― ArfArf, Wednesday, 27 February 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

Mingus was also never satisfied with his records; indeed on his sleevenote to Black Saint he instructs the reader to "throw away all other records of mine except maybe one" which in any case he plans to redo properly for Impulse (i.e. "Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus" for "Mingus Ah Um" one presumes).

The Mingus Big Band I've seen a couple of times - efficient but never quite inspirational. Problem is CM's music needs the wild cards it was largely written for - and as nearly all of them are now gone (Dolphy, Kirk, Richmond, Ervin, Byard, Adams, Pullen) it becomes a bit more difficult, unless you draft in, I dunno, people like Ware or Murray, or even Zorn, into the band to shake things up a bit.

― Marcello Carlin, Wednesday, 27 February 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

I agree with most of what was said above. Words on some additional faves:

Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus: When people ask me for beginner jazz recommendations this one is usually in the first five. It's got great versions of a bunch of his classic tunes (albeit under different names), really high energy and accessible for the most part.

Mingus in Antibes: Probably the most smoking Mingus live stuff I've heard, and it's got the Eric Dolphy/Booker Ervin frontline (both of whose records are worth checking out).

― Jordan, Wednesday, 27 February 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

Does Charles Mingus ming?

Sorry.

― DG, Wednesday, 27 February 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

Won't comment on the rekkids as haven't heard most of them, but wholeheartedly endorse reading beneath the underdog. I picked it up as a battered paperback thinking 'hmm Mingus, anecdotes about Miles and Charlie Parker, how I played golf with Bing Crosby'. Boy I was wrong, simply the most astonsihing book written by any musician period (with poss. exception of Drummonds 45). Howls with anger and confusion (and joy) at being successful and black in pre civil rights USA, read it and you'll understand the playa mentality in hip-hop.

Plus it has the wildest writing about sex of any book I've read, Genet and Easton-Ellis are 14 year old virgins compared to Mingus when it comes to describing the ecstasy and sweat of sex.

You won't to be able to listen to his records again without referencing it.

― Billy Dods, Wednesday, 27 February 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

His son, Eric Mingus performs around NYC with Elliott Sharp and Co. Bluesz-e stuff with heavy street raps...another big man. Yo, watch out! Beautiful voice to boot.

― Bob, Thursday, 28 February 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

1 year passes...

Charles Mingus Orchestra
Queen Elizabeth Hall
20th November
Part of the London Jazz Festival series in association with BBC Radio 3
https://www.rfh.org.uk/main/events/78816.html?section=contemporary&file=index&d=20&m=11&y=2003

Anyone else going?

― Stewart Osborne (Stewart Osborne), Friday, 12 September 2003 14:43 (9 years ago) Permalink

if i can get cheap flights i would consider going,i was in london recently and really liked it
is this the same as the mingus big band?

― robin (robin), Friday, 26 September 2003 01:21 (9 years ago) Permalink

It appears to be an extended version of The Mingus Big Band, Robin:

http://www.mingusmingusmingus.com/orchestra/orchestra.html

― Stewart Osborne (Stewart Osborne), Friday, 26 September 2003 07:34 (9 years ago) Permalink

duane, that attitude is the reason i did not sell you the vinyl re-press of "Black Saint and The Sinner Lady" with the complete re-printing of those "jazz liner notes" Mingus got his shrink to write

― george gosset (gegoss), Friday, 26 September 2003 07:58 (9 years ago) Permalink

As Arf Arf was saying up thread the Mingus Big Band is a pretty good representation of what I imagine Mingus was like live with a, um, big band. I live near NYC and they play here every week (or used to) and I always just assumed that it must pale in comparison to the real Mingus, co-opting his name, etc. I thought it was a little sleazy. But then on my honeymoon in France I saw the Mingus Big Band in an outside theatre in a castle, an old fortress in Carcasonne, and the music was fierce. A lot more 'out' than I expected, but those swirling harmonies and bluesy melodies I associate with Black Saint, plus a 19 year old drummer that simply killed. About an hour in to it, the wind started picking up and there was a slight rain that lasted about 5 min and after that the sky was clear and the sun went down. Aside from it being a perfect night, it changed my opinion of the Mingus Band. Go see them if you can.

― scott m (mcd), Friday, 26 September 2003 13:24 (9 years ago) Permalink

mingus tour of europe in '64 (with Dolphy, praying ..) i think showed just how well organised he was -- and listening to recordings of that tour shows just what a show he could put on
if there were Ellington impersonators out there (can cheerleaders play instruments ?) then i guess it would to be easier to understand w/out really getting into mingus' meditations mutations (nerdy sci-fi, but otm)
i don't know what the family are like so
i haven't seen or heard the family material so have no opinion on it,
but then i dunno, lots of anti-Mitchell attitude 'round here

― george gosset (gegoss), Friday, 26 September 2003 14:34 (9 years ago) Permalink

3 years pass...

I guess today, April 22, was Mingus's birthday. Right now on WKCR they're playing "Boogie Stop Shuffle."

― James Redd and the Blecchs, Monday, 23 April 2007 03:05 (6 years ago) Permalink

Better Git It In Your Soul!

HB Senor Mingus.

― BIG HOOS aka the steendriver, Monday, 23 April 2007 03:10 (6 years ago) Permalink

oooh, i read beneath the underdog a few years back and i'd totally agree it's one of the finest musician autobiographies ever. brutally candid and heavy and illuminating. i read it for a class, and promptly acquired myself more mingus, which previous to reading the book was just a best of type thing i burned from a friend.

― Emily Bjurnhjam, Monday, 23 April 2007 03:31 (6 years ago) Permalink

Sue Mingus' book Tonight at Noon also has lots of great stories and much sweetness, both contained in the tale of Mingus, across the street, rigging up a light show into her apartment.

I don't think anyone mentioned Charles Mingus Presents Charles Mingus, a great record that includes the full call-and-response lyric, delivered by Mingus and Dannie Richmond, of "Original Faubus Fables."

Can't disagree more with ArfArf, who finds parts of the records "banal."

― If Timi Yuro would be still alive, most other singers could shut up, Monday, 23 April 2007 05:16 (6 years ago) Permalink

Oh yes! Mingus Presents Mingus, one of my "Mingus POX" for sure, if not POV. Four l-o-o-o-ng tracks, all with differing experimental arrangements that are way too funky to be gimmicky. Wonderfully funny spoken intros by Mingus directed toward the imaginary crowd. And that amazing Mingus/Eric Dolphy "argument" for which they let their axes do the talking. A good'un for sure

― Myonga Vön Bontee, Monday, 23 April 2007 06:24 (6 years ago) Permalink

speaking of Dolphy how bout Mingus at Antibes? w/Bud Powell encore?

we're talking EARGASM

― m coleman, Monday, 23 April 2007 10:11 (6 years ago) Permalink

The bit on "Better Git Hit" where Dolphy cuts loose from the chord changes is kind of the beginning of time.

I see the UCLA sessions from '65 are also finally getting a legit release on Universal - out in Britain early May and looooooong overdue.

― Marcello Carlin, Monday, 23 April 2007 11:08 (6 years ago) Permalink

I might have to check out that Sue Mingus book, since the only story I seem to know is the one about the teeth.

― James Redd and the Blecchs, Monday, 23 April 2007 12:01 (6 years ago) Permalink

i would recommend for folks who want the remasters of the atlantic stuff to just get the 'passions of a man' box set - for your money you get all the recordings remastered much cheaper than some 16.99 per album bullshit where you pay for pretty cardboard packaging (and the box set packaging is pretty too!). The only diff is that the songs are sequenced in the order they were recorded, but that gives another interesting way to go through his development at the time.

― deej, Monday, 23 April 2007 14:37 (6 years ago) Permalink

Trouble is, his albums were conceived as albums and they really have to be listened to as such.

― Marcello Carlin, Monday, 23 April 2007 14:38 (6 years ago) Permalink

I picked up Mingus Dynasty recently and was pleasantly surprised by "Far Wells, Mill Valley". I'd never heard a Mingus track quite like that - sounding more through-composed and classical-influenced - reminded me a bit of Claude Bolling's jazz/classical cross-over stuff, though less corny (not that I mind the corniness of Bolling).

― o. nate, Monday, 23 April 2007 15:02 (6 years ago) Permalink

they really have to be listened to as such.

not really. some make more sense that way but in the atlantic catalogue? eh

― deej, Monday, 23 April 2007 15:25 (6 years ago) Permalink

we're not talking about black saint and the sinner lady or Tijuana moods something

― deej, Monday, 23 April 2007 15:25 (6 years ago) Permalink

speaking of Dolphy how bout Mingus at Antibes? w/Bud Powell encore?

I've mentioned this a coupla times over the years, but once more won't hurt: Listen closely to Dolphy's bass clarinet solo during "What Love" at Antibes to hear Mingus tell some rude frog heckler "You can go fuck y'self!"

― Myonga Vön Bontee, Monday, 23 April 2007 17:52 (6 years ago) Permalink

I've mentioned this a coupla times over the years, but once more won't hurt: Listen closely to Dolphy's bass clarinet solo during "What Love" at Antibes to hear Mingus tell some rude frog heckler "You can go fuck y'self!"

I swear you can just barely hear him scream "goddammit" (or something to that effect) during a flowery Jaki Byard part of Black Saint and the Sinner Lady.

― city worker, Monday, 23 April 2007 18:05 (6 years ago) Permalink

i mentioned this elsewhere but byard's got some great solo material, Freedom Together esp

― deej, Monday, 23 April 2007 18:07 (6 years ago) Permalink

I swear you can just barely hear him scream "goddammit" (or something to that effect) during a flowery Jaki Byard part of Black Saint and the Sinner Lady

Haha yeah, I think a music stand fell over or something! I seem to recall a distant crashing noise immediately before.

He was an excitable guy, as everyone knows.

― Myonga Vön Bontee, Monday, 23 April 2007 19:08 (6 years ago) Permalink

Who spends the first paragraph of his long sleevenote to BS&SL slagging off said Mr Byard.

― Marcello Carlin, Tuesday, 24 April 2007 07:17 (6 years ago) Permalink

Marcello, that UCLA album was my album of the year for 2006, edging out Mary J. Blige and Van Hunt. You will die of happiness when you hear it, I promise.

― If Timi Yuro would be still alive, most other singers could shut up, Tuesday, 24 April 2007 09:25 (6 years ago) Permalink

I love Mingus, and have just about all his records. For newbies, I'd suggest the 13 songs compilation, which starts off with "Cumbia and Jazz Fusion" one of my favorite songs in any genre.

also the Quintet, which is Mingus, Duke, Dizzy, Roach and Bird is the shiznit! Salt Peanuts! Salt Peanuts!

― UncleTomfly, Tuesday, 24 April 2007 10:33 (6 years ago) Permalink

whoops its bud powell, not duke in the quintet. still amazing though.

― UncleTomfly, Tuesday, 24 April 2007 10:35 (6 years ago) Permalink

Isn't the old story that Mingus got into a knife fight with a member of the Duke's band while on stage because the guy accused him of not being able to read music?

As I recall, Duke called Mingus to his dressing room after the show and said something like "You know Charles, you really ought to have let me know that you and [adversary] were going to have a solo section! I might have prepared for it!"

― BIG HOOS aka the steendriver, Tuesday, 24 April 2007 12:26 (6 years ago) Permalink

I thought Dizzy Gillespie was the guy who pulled a knife on someone?

― Tom D., Tuesday, 24 April 2007 12:27 (6 years ago) Permalink

Possibly, but the Ellingtonian in question was Juan Tizol and what Duke said to Mingus afterwards (according to Music Is My Mistress) was: "Charles, Juan is an old problem. I don't really need a new one. Why don't you quit?" and that's what he duly did.

― Marcello Carlin, Tuesday, 24 April 2007 12:44 (6 years ago) Permalink

As a young man McLean also recorded with Gene Ammons, Charles Mingus, and George Wallington, and as a member of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers. McLean reportedly joined the Jazz Messengers after being punched by the notoriously volatile Mingus. Fearing for his life, McLean pulled out a knife and contemplated stabbing Mingus in self-defence and later stated that he was grateful that he did not stab the bassist[1]

― danbunny, Tuesday, 24 April 2007 12:51 (6 years ago) Permalink

nice stories!
I heard one where mingus was playing in seattle in the 70s, and a club owner was trying to stiff him. Mingus got his gun, walked in the office, put it on the desk and said: "I am Charles Mingus. I am a great artist. You owe me $500." he got the dough.

― UncleTomfly, Tuesday, 24 April 2007 14:30 (6 years ago) Permalink

I love those old jazz anecdotes! Like the Pepper Adams/Mingus one: Adams shows up at Mingus' apartment for a rehearsal, and Mingus is on the phone with someone at the Musicians Union, yelling and cursing "You white motherfucker! Someday I'm gonna get a machine gun and kill all you white motherfuckers!" Then he interrupts himself, turns to Adams and says "Cold beer in the fridge, Pepper" as courteous as can be, before continuing his tirade.

― Myonga Vön Bontee, Tuesday, 24 April 2007 15:14 (6 years ago) Permalink

The most famous story I guess - apart from Jimmy Knepper having his jaw broken - was to do with the pianist whom Mingus hired and fired after he played just one chord. Unfortunately most of his family were in the audience and Mingus had to do a quick about-turn and apologise to them.

Knepper was hired for Let My Children Hear Music as a session player without Mingus' knowledge. Whether Mingus ever twigged to his presence isn't known - the band as such was a huge, 60-plus affair - but the absence of trombone solos on the record (even Julius Watkins' French horn gets a couple of choruses) is noticeable. Still, he turns up again as a featured player on Cumbia and Jazz Fusion so obviously they buried the hatchet.

― Marcello Carlin, Tuesday, 24 April 2007 15:20 (6 years ago) Permalink

What about the time he put the kids behind the curtain and billed it as a Free Jazz Concert- isn't there some such story?

― James Redd and the Blecchs, Tuesday, 24 April 2007 15:25 (6 years ago) Permalink

I remember that - I think it was around the time of the Town Hall Concert but I'm probably wrong; possibly much later.

― Marcello Carlin, Tuesday, 24 April 2007 15:30 (6 years ago) Permalink

Speaking of the Town Hall concert, Blue Note is going to issue a concert from March '64 (Town Hall was April), recorded at Cornell. A two-disc set, I think. With Dolpy, Jordan, Richmond, Byard, Coles. Previously unknown tape, according to the NYTimes.

― dow, Tuesday, 24 April 2007 16:46 (6 years ago) Permalink

3 years pass...

My, my, my I just picked up "The Greatest Concert of Charles Mingus" 3LP (this one: http://www.discogs.com/Charles-Mingus-The-Great-Concert-Of-Charles-Mingus/release/2223061) yesterday and it is great. One those, "well this looks good enough for $7" purchases that reminds me why I continue to love discovering music and which continues my belief that the jazz well of greatness is bottomless.

― matt2, Wednesday, 5 May 2010 01:21 (3 years ago) Permalink

1 year passes...

Let Mingus toilet train your cats

― Ned Raggett, Saturday, 19 November 2011 19:11 (1 year ago) Permalink

3 months pass...

This looks kinda neato -
Mingus' Magnum Opus: 'Epitaph' In Concert
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=92884124

― tylerw, Thursday, 23 February 2012 22:18 (1 year ago) Permalink

1 month passes...

90th birthday today. WKCR playing a special program, right now the Wupertal show from 1964 is on, very skronky.

― mizzell, Sunday, 22 April 2012 18:04 (1 year ago) Permalink

Those 1964 shows define unfuckwithable.

― Waterloo? Oh, we've sunsetted that. (Tarfumes The Escape Goat), Sunday, 22 April 2012 22:26 (1 year ago) Permalink

Cool thx, listening now

― FP Sorrow (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 22 April 2012 23:39 (1 year ago) Permalink

3 months pass...

oof i know what i want for xmas. out in september.

Charles Mingus - The Jazz Workshop Concerts 1964-65
We are pleased to announce "Charles Mingus - The Jazz Workshop Concerts 1964-65 (Town Hall, Amsterdam, Monterey & Minneapolis)." It chronicles the essential live performances of this genius of modern music as his compositions achieved a depth and complexity we would come to know as Mingus's most signature work. It includes (on the earlier recordings) the brilliant Eric Dolphy, along with Jaki Byard, Dannie Richmond, Johnny Coles, and Clifford Jordan -- certainly one of the best assemblages of musicians ever.

And the music, recorded across the world's concert stages, dashes once and for all every previously-held notion about what is, and isn't, jazz.

Never Before Available

What makes this collection even more appealing is the fact that, of the six discs in the collection, only one of them has ever been available on an authorized CD. Almost another full CD has never been available on CD at all. And a disc and a half worth of music include new discoveries - appearing for the first time ever, in any form.

― tylerw, Thursday, 26 July 2012 02:32 (9 months ago) Permalink

wooooooo hyperbole

And the music, recorded across the world's concert stages, dashes once and for all every previously-held notion about what is, and isn't, jazz.

this sounds good, though, i guess, maybe one day i will be able to find a copy i can afford

― thomp, Thursday, 26 July 2012 02:55 (9 months ago) Permalink

Curious how they picked the material for this; it would seem to make more sense to do a Complete 1964 European Tour box, but wow, had no idea there was unreleased Town Hall stuff!

― Sun? Sun? It's your cousin, Marvin Ra (Tarfumes The Escape Goat), Thursday, 26 July 2012 13:49 (9 months ago) Permalink

here's some info
Three of the tunes from the April 4, 1964 performance at Town Hall in New York have never been available before. The lineup of Dolphy, Jordan, Coles, Byard, and Richmond also performed in Amsterdam on April 10. The Monterey show in September features Hillyer, McPherson, Byard, and Richmond , expanded by six pieces for "Meditations" including John Handy Red Callendar, Buddy Collete and Jack Nimitz. In May of 1965, in Minneapolis, he was back to the five-piece Monterey lineup. That last date includes a great rarity, never before on record - "Copa City Titty (aka O.P.)," recorded only once before on an obscure Japanese big band record.

― tylerw, Thursday, 26 July 2012 14:06 (9 months ago) Permalink

i do kinda wish that this was cheaper -- not mosaic's thing, i know. but it was awesome that the recent miles 67 set was so budget-priced.

― tylerw, Thursday, 26 July 2012 15:06 (9 months ago) Permalink

http://mingusmingusmingus.com/Mingus/blindfold.html

love the idea of those blindfold tests

― A True White Kid that can Jump (Granny Dainger), Thursday, 26 July 2012 16:03 (9 months ago) Permalink

That long Ornette quote is amazing. Thanks for the link!

― EZ Snappin, Thursday, 26 July 2012 16:39 (9 months ago) Permalink

i swear every liner note i ever read of his, he says 'pedal point' in

― j., Thursday, 26 July 2012 17:10 (9 months ago) Permalink

he's a bass player. He can't help it.

― EZ Snappin, Thursday, 26 July 2012 17:13 (9 months ago) Permalink

2 months pass...

http://www.npr.org/2012/10/21/163255582/first-listen-charles-mingus-the-jazz-workshop-concerts-1964-65?sc=tw&cc=share

― tylerw, Monday, 22 October 2012 14:43 (6 months ago) Permalink

thanks!

― EZ Snappin, Monday, 22 October 2012 14:53 (6 months ago) Permalink

90 seconds in and this is already making my Monday better.

― WilliamC, Monday, 22 October 2012 14:57 (6 months ago) Permalink

yeah, sounds great.

― tylerw, Monday, 22 October 2012 14:57 (6 months ago) Permalink

wonderful. Copa City Titty is great. I could listen to Jaki Byard all day.

― mizzell, Monday, 22 October 2012 15:54 (6 months ago) Permalink

yeah, as incredible as the band from this era is, i think byard is secretly the most incredible.

― tylerw, Monday, 22 October 2012 15:56 (6 months ago) Permalink

ha ha! "RCA Victor are the only label that pay roayalties properly, cause they make so much money from the atomic bomb, they don't have to worry about cheating jazz musicians"

― mizzell, Monday, 22 October 2012 15:58 (6 months ago) Permalink

i want to have 4 kids just so i can name them jaki, dannie, eric and charles

― mizzell, Monday, 22 October 2012 16:00 (6 months ago) Permalink

'I am selling my own records from now on... through the mail'

― j., Monday, 22 October 2012 19:15 (6 months ago) Permalink

i recently read the mingus bio myself when i am real -- he was a weird dude!

― tylerw, Monday, 22 October 2012 19:19 (6 months ago) Permalink

"Copa City Titty"!

".....nothin to do with mammaries..."

― theStalePrince, Monday, 22 October 2012 20:44 (6 months ago) Permalink

Many thanks for the heads up on this set

― Brakhage, Monday, 22 October 2012 22:46 (6 months ago) Permalink

listening to mingus in this era i always think i'd be ok if that was all i was allowed to listen to for the rest of my days. endlessly wonderful/exciting/crazy music.

― tylerw, Monday, 22 October 2012 22:49 (6 months ago) Permalink

I just installed the NPR Music iPhone app to listen to this -- sounds great.

― Brad C., Monday, 22 October 2012 23:31 (6 months ago) Permalink

Thanks for posting that link, tylerw. Can't wait for this set. Hey, have you heard Byard's The Jaki Byard Experience? Byard, Kirk, Richard Davis, Alan Dawson. Unbelievable record.

― 5-Hour Enmity (Tarfumes The Escape Goat), Monday, 22 October 2012 23:34 (6 months ago) Permalink

Great review in latest issue of The Wire - sounds like the first four (Dolphy-assisted) discs are pretty essential

― If Assholes Could Fly This Place Would Be An Airport, Tuesday, 23 October 2012 13:22 (6 months ago) Permalink

How long do these 'first listen' things stay up? I have to work today and don't have the internet at work! Really wanna hear this...

― If Assholes Could Fly This Place Would Be An Airport, Tuesday, 23 October 2012 13:24 (6 months ago) Permalink

They usually stay up at least for a week

― willem, Tuesday, 23 October 2012 13:39 (6 months ago) Permalink

might as well post this here
iTunes Mingus bargains (Europe, at least)
3 in 1 for €4.99, a collection containing Mingus Ah Um, Lionel's Sessions, Pithecanthropus Erectus and The Clown. Yep, that's four!
Mingus at Carnegie Hall for €1.99

― willem, Tuesday, 23 October 2012 13:42 (6 months ago) Permalink

Mingus at Carnegie Hall is a sadly overlooked record. Roland Kirk is on fire.

― EZ Snappin, Tuesday, 23 October 2012 14:27 (6 months ago) Permalink

that's the one w/ just two tracks right? and kirk hits that insane note and just holds it for eternity or something?

― tylerw, Tuesday, 23 October 2012 14:31 (6 months ago) Permalink

yep. Wish there was more from those sessions - apparently it barely scratch the surface of what they were like.

― EZ Snappin, Tuesday, 23 October 2012 14:36 (6 months ago) Permalink

yeah reading that bio reminded me i need to hear more of his 70s stuff.

― tylerw, Tuesday, 23 October 2012 14:39 (6 months ago) Permalink

Carnegie is two tracks. Just about to play them on my way home from work :)
AMG says that release misses the opening set and the "freer finale"

― willem, Tuesday, 23 October 2012 15:15 (6 months ago) Permalink

3 weeks pass...

Listening to this now, and yes, it's as overwhelmingly brilliant as you'd expect.

My dad saw Mingus -- the group with Dolphy, Byard, Coles, Jordan et al -- in January, 1964 at the Five Spot, two nights running. When I asked him what it was like, he paused, stared off into the distance, and said, "It was one of the greatest experiences of my life."

― 5-Hour Enmity (Tarfumes The Escape Goat), Thursday, 15 November 2012 04:04 (6 months ago) Permalink

I wish I too had been there to see the godfather of the upright bass.

― Listicle Vogue (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 15 November 2012 04:25 (6 months ago) Permalink

It's not just a ruckus jubilation.

― 5-Hour Enmity (Tarfumes The Escape Goat), Thursday, 15 November 2012 04:53 (6 months ago) Permalink

The Shoes of the Fisherman's Wife Are Some Jibeass Slippers

― EZ Snappin, Thursday, 15 November 2012 05:10 (6 months ago) Permalink

sorry to hear of ted curson's recent passing - the fake 'live' alb he's on w/ dolphy is prob my fave mingus rec

― Ward Fowler, Thursday, 15 November 2012 09:12 (6 months ago) Permalink

2 months pass...

salvador shared this over on facebook, pretty rad.

― tylerw, Friday, 1 February 2013 18:54 (3 months ago) Permalink

hahaha, even juke box operators hate him!

― Z S, Friday, 1 February 2013 18:57 (3 months ago) Permalink

On one of the sets on the new Mosaic box (think it's My Favorite Quintet) he asks the audience not to buy his Columbia or Impulse records, but RCA is ok: "They must make enough from the atomic bomb to pay their musicians."

― Tarfumes The Escape Goat, Friday, 1 February 2013 19:00 (3 months ago) Permalink

Charles Morbsus

― Gollum: "Hot, Ready and Smeagol!" (Phil D.), Friday, 1 February 2013 19:35 (3 months ago) Permalink

lol, the precursor to the "language professors HATE him!" ads

― space phwoar (Hurting 2), Friday, 1 February 2013 19:37 (3 months ago) Permalink

Why did juke box operators hate him, because of the lengthy songs?

― Tuomas, Tuesday, 5 February 2013 08:50 (3 months ago) Permalink

He decked one for playing one of his singles at the wrong speed

― Sir Lord Baltimora (Myonga Vön Bontee), Tuesday, 5 February 2013 23:00 (3 months ago) Permalink

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