Charles Mingus: At Antibes 1960 Revisited

At Antibes could easily be an all-time favorite Charles Mingus recording if he had not produced such extraordinary sessions as Mingus Ah Um (Columbia, 1959), Charles Mingus Presents Charles Mingus (Candid, 1961), The Black Saint And The Sinner Lady (Impulse!, 1963) and Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus (Impulse!, 1964). Listeners can make their own picks, but this live recording from 1960 at the Antibes Jazz Festival in Juan-les-Pins, France, has a power unique unto itself. One can almost feel the quintet on the verge of combustion, held together only by the force of nature that is bandleader Charles Mingus. The excellent restored sound returns the tracks to their original order, which allows the listener to enjoy the concert in the correct sequence.

Mingus was a taskmaster and not an easy man to work for. He was punk rock, before there was such a thing. He might berate musicians on the bandstand or even punch their lights out. That flammable material permeates throughout this live set. Opening with "Prayer For Passive Resistance," Mingus cajoles Texas blues tenor saxophonist Booker Ervin throughout, both with his walking bass and vocal encouragement. Heard here are Mingus' shifting arrangements the quintet dutifully follows. There is a sense of a reciprocity the ensemble engages in, which is not unlike that between an African— American preacher and his congregation. This is exemplified by both "Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting" and "Better Git Hit In Your Soul" which trade in a Gospel revival sound, shouts, clapping, and Eric Dolphy's alto saxophone speaking in tongues. The bassist even sets his instrument aside on these two tracks to play some piano.

Of course, the glue here is Mingus, but drummer Dannie Richmond, the longest lived of Mingus' collaborators, is also in on the plans. Richmond guides the band through the New Orleans' inspired "Folk Forms I." The bop-oriented trumpeter Ted Curson and Dolphy are featured on "What Love?" a contrafact of Cole Porter's "What Is This Thing Called Love. Dolphy swaps alto for bass clarinet and seemingly inspires Mingus' extended bass solo. Finally, bebop legend, pianist Bud Powell (1924-1966) sits in with the quintet for "I'll Remember April." Mingus had performed with Powell at the famous 1953 concert at Massey Hall in Toronto with Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, and Max Roach. Even in his deteriorating condition, Powell returns to his trademark keyboard attack, with solos by Curson, Ervin, and Dolphy. The track is both forward-facing and retro, making Mingus a true omnivore.