Charles Mingus: In Argentina: The Buenos Aires Concerts

The Charles Mingus ensemble that arrived in Argentina in 1977 for the Buenos Aires concerts remains one of the lesser-known yet musically potent groups in the bassist-composer's storied history. These concerts are now presented in this first authorized release as a 2-CD set under the title Mingus In Argentina: The Buenos Aires Concerts, offered in a deluxe package that includes detailed notes from Mingus biographer Brian Priestley, recollections from the concerts by Argentinian writer Claudio Parisi, and new interviews with band members trumpeter Jack Walrath and saxophonist Ricky Ford.

While the band was less celebrated than some of his earlier line-ups, it was nevertheless a ferocious unit comprised of Walrath, Ford, pianist Robert Neloms and the ever-dependable Danny Richmond. Under Mingus' watchful and often vocal direction, the quintet tackled a program that spanned the bassist's career from foundational works to more recent exploratory compositions.

Disc 1 opens with the ever-familiar "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat," written by Mingus as a tribute to legendary tenor saxophonist Lester Young. Walrath takes the opening solo, with his trumpet lines adding a poignancy that deepens the piece's emotional resonance. Neloms' two-handed excursion follows, adding noteworthy originality. Ford's rich and full-bodied tenor glides over the number's familiar contours. One of Mingus's later-period compositions is the ballad "Duke Ellington's Sound of Love," inspired by Ellington's death in 1974. Backed by Richmond's active drumming, the piece showcases a lyrical economy that allows each note to breathe, with Ford offering a particularly moving solo. Walrath and Neloms deliver their solos with aching sincerity.

The most dynamic turn on this disc is Mingus's 1977 composition "Cumbia & Jazz Fusion."The number acknowledges the Latin American surroundings while remaining unmistakably Mingus. The rhythm section -Richmond's crisp, buoyant drumming alongside Mingus's muscular bass lines—locks into a hypnotic groove, allowing the horns to soar over the polyrhythmic foundation. The blend of Afro-Cuban motifs with the deep swing of jazz feels organic and celebratory, a testament to Mingus' omnivorous approach to composition.

CD 2 contains two extended compositions: the incomplete "Sue's Changes" and the provocative " Fables of Faubus." On the former number, the liner notes do not offer any assistance on the reason for the incomplete take but suggest that the listener revert to Atlantic Records' 1975 recording entitled Changes One for the complete version of the number. As for the performance, it is one of Mingus' most complex and emotionally layered compositions. Filled with abrupt mood shifts, thematic transformations, and rich ensemble interplay, the band navigates the labyrinthine structure with conviction and flair. Ford's lengthy solo, filled with blistering lines and introspective passages, charts its emotional arc.

"Fables of Faubus," retains all its acerbic wit and politically charged fire with Mingus punctuating the performance with his verbal interjections. Neloms is an intriguing presence with his angular comping and percussive attack, and the number contains the only drum solo by the ever-expressive Richmond. Throughout these concerts, the band exhibited a cohesion that embodied the restless spirit of Mingus's music.