By Samuel Chell Samuel Chell View Profile | Contact Me Live Review Editor Joined AAJ in 2003 Chell is a champion of the composers of the American Songbook and the musicians who keep it alive. More about Sam.

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Following upon the first-time release of Mingus At UCLA 1965 (Universal 2007), which afforded penetrating if uneven glimpses into bassist Charles Mingus' creative process, this two-disc release offers more satisfying music and a fuller picture of an earlier and smaller but more distinguished Mingus ensemble—the fabled 1964 touring unit that would be recorded later that same year in Europe. Though Eric Dolphy understandably will always be a magnet, each of the soloists is heard to maximum advantage on this earlier American concert.

As is the case with the later date, pianist Jacki Byard opens the concert with a solo that's equal parts James P. Johnson and Art Tatum, and Mingus follows immediately with his own solo showpiece on Ellington's "Sophisticated Lady." Tenorist Clifford Jordan issues another wake-up call to his undeniable talent, submitting a solo as impressive as Dolphy's on "Fables of Faubus"; and the elfin, enigmatic loner, Johnny Coles, rather than coming up MIA as on the previously released, later European recording by the group (The Great Mingus Concert, Verve 2004), has ample space to remind us why he was Gil Evans' favorite trumpet player after Miles.

The audio is better than has been reported: Richmond's drums are distant and muffled in the mix, and the maelstrom gets a bit muddy during the more heated ensemble passages. But Mingus or Dolphy completists (Dolphy's flute is especially impressive on a flying "Jitterbug Waltz") will find little reason to pass this one up.

Rate Mingus at Cornell 1964 just behind the same Mingus group on Verve's The Great Charles Mingus Concert. As welcome as Coles is on the present Blue Note recording, he's neither a deal maker nor breaker. Moreover, on the later date the five-member Mingus "sextet" seems to go the extra mile to make up for the absence of Coles' coy trumpet. The playing is more fiery (especially Jordan's solo on "Fables of Faubus"; the exchanges between Dolphy and Jordan more explosive and exciting (especially on a hard-driving "So Long, Eric"); the all-around behavior of Mingus, musically and otherwise, more responsive to the crowd and occasion during the concert in Paris. Finally, the audio on The Great Charles Mingus Concert, while not exactly pristine, is more "present" and clearly defined.

Mingus at Cornell may be seen as essential preparation for the big event, but the more casual listener can hardly be blamed for passing up the preliminaries and going straight to the main course.

Charles Mingus Sextet with Eric Dolphy at All About Jazz.
Visit Charles Mingus Sextet with Eric Dolphy on the web.

Track listing: CD1: Opening; ATFW You; Sophisticated Lady; Fables of Faubus; Orange Was the Colour of Her Dress, Then Blue Silk; Take the "A" Train. CD2: Meditations; So Long Eric; When Irish Eyes Are Smiling; Jitterbug Waltz.

Personnel: Charles Mingus: bass; Eric Dolphy: alto sax, flute, bass clarinet; Johnny Coles: trumpet; Clifford Jordan: tenor sax; Jaki Byard: piano; Dannie Richmond: drums.

Style: Modern Jazz
Published: January 14, 2008

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Charles Mingus Sextet with Eric Dolphy's Cornell 1964

Anthony Cooper wrote on 2008-01-14 08:47:38: I have this CD (listening to it now), and I agree with the review. What's useful is that it points me in the direction of the "Great Concert" CD. The Cornell show is quite good, "Fables" and "Jitterbug Waltz" are my two favorites. The main knock on the sound is Johnny Coles' trumpet wasn't picked up by the microphones very well. He sounds much more distant than the saxes.   Samuel Chell wrote on 2008-01-14 11:51:43: I sensed that distance you're talking about more on the 2nd disc than the first, especially on "When Irish Eyes are Smiling," where I would have liked the trumpet sound to be more forward. But Coles was a player given to understatement, more so than the extroverted players who followed him (Jimmy Owens, Hobart Dotson, John Faddis) in Mingus groups. It's somewhat surprising Mingus would go to him, because he's not going to get fired up even at Mingus' "encouragement." I met and talked to him in the '70s when he was with Ellington. Clearly an individualist not about to go out of his way to "prove himself" to anyone. Reviewing this, I kept doing A-B comparisons between the two dates--kind of tough when they're 30- minute tracks. But "Goodbye Eric" really captures the difference. The high-energy, hard-driving version on the "Great Concert" makes the version on "At Cornell" seem tame by comparison. But thanks for the tip on "Jitterbug Waltz," which I confess I didn't listen to very closely. (I'm going to do that right now!)<P> [Later}: Good call on Dolphy's flute on "Jitterbug Waltz," a helluva performance and, regrettably, one of his last. Still, I find nothing on the Cornell date to compare with Jordan's solo on "Fables of Faubus" or the Jordan-Dolphy exchanges on "So Long, Eric" from the Paris concert a month after the Cornell one. The Parisian crowd was an especially hip, appreciative and receptive audience (with Mingus' booking agent in attendance), and the 5-man "sextet" puts out 150%. Much as I love Johnny Coles, his presence on the Cornell session lengthens the performances, takes some playing time away from the other principals, and diffuses the intensity.

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