Jazz Articles about Charles Mingus

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Charles Mingus: The Complete 1959 Columbia Recordings

by Joel Roberts
August 1, 1998

Charles Mingus was by all accounts an ornery and demanding man who frequently made life hell for those around him, including his fellow musicians. But there's no denying that he also made some of the most joyful and soulful music in jazz history. Some of the best of that music is captured in this three-disc set from Columbia/Legacy devoted to his 1959 recordings.

For all his modernism, Mingus was in many ways a traditionalist who never strayed far from the ...

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Charles Mingus: His Final Work

by Robert Middleton
November 1, 1997

Like a dog that loves a fire hydrant, my ears love Mingus. I bought both of these some time ago but have been going through a Mingus phase and realized I had only played them once or twice. They are both treasure troves of classical American jazz at its finest. Make no question about it, Mingus was deadly serious about his music. For him, improvisation never meant “anything goes." On every composition, he left an indelible stamp--whether a sorrowful ballad ...

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Various Artists: Monterey Jazz Festival: Forty Legendary Years

by Chris M. Slawecki
October 1, 1997

In my wilder, more unforgiving days, I might have merely typed up the personnel and set list and submitted only that in review of Monterey Jazz Festival: Forty Legendary Years, and argued to the powers-that-be that if the reader couldn’t comprehend its abundant magnificence of music from the unadorned facts, my descriptive and persuasive prowess would be of slight use.

I must have grown either more wise or more foolish since then.

Make no mistake: Monterey Jazz Festival: Forty Legendary ...

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Charles Mingus: Mingus Plays Piano

by Robert Spencer
July 1, 1997

This is not a performing seal act. This isn’t even Ornette on violin. Mingus Plays Piano is no gimmick or avant-garde foolery, because Mingus can really play piano.

Really play piano. On the Atlantic album Oh Yeah his piano fronts a band including Rahsaan Roland Kirk in a rollicking set; his comping there is competent but undistinguished. Nothing prepared the world for Mingus Plays Piano, except, perhaps, the unpredictable genius of Mr. Mingus himself.

If this was even just a ...

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Charles Mingus: The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady

by Robert Spencer
June 1, 1997

Some Mingus albums are like a tremendous three-ring circus. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll be struck with awe and delight. The music is absorbing, intense, harrowing, beautiful. Drop everything and run to the show, and don't expect to get anything else done at the same time: this is about as far from background music as it gets. A great Mingus album is a totally involving experience. This is especially true of one of the only jazz albums to have liner ...

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Charles Mingus: Right Now: Live At The Jazz Workshop

by Jim Santella
May 1, 1997

With Clifford Jordan on tenor, John Handy on alto, Jane Getz on piano, and Dannie Richmond on drums, Charles Mingus went into San Francisco in 1964 and whipped up a storm. Originally issued as Debut LP 86017, this session was reissued by Fantasy (Original Jazz Classics) in 1990 on compact disc. It contains two compositions over 23-minutes each: “New Fables" and “Meditation (For A Pair Of Wire Cutters)." The sound is very good, and the subtleties are included; you can ...

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Charles Mingus: Mingus In Wonderland

by Jim Santella
January 1, 1997

This live date, recorded January 16, 1959 at Nonagon Art Gallery in New York City features John Handy on alto sax, Booker Ervin on tenor sax, Richard Wyands on piano, Dannie Richmond on drums, and Charles Mingus on bass. It's a chance to hear Mingus the bassist and Mingus the leader in action with a small group; the recording quality is excellent. The left channel provides the alto saxophone and the right channel provides the tenor saxophone. Mingus takes lengthy ...