CHARLES MINGUS

Post Bop / Hard Bop / Third Stream / Progressive Big Band / Jazz Related Soundtracks • United States
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Charles Mingus (22nd April 1922 – 5th January 1979) was an American jazz bassist, composer, bandleader, and occasional pianist. He was also known for his activism against racial injustice.

Mingus' legacy is notable: he is ranked among the finest composers and performers in jazz, and recorded many highly regarded albums. Dozens of musicians passed through his bands and later went on to impressive careers. His songs - though melodic and distinctive - are not often recorded by later musicians, due in part to their unconventional nature. Mingus was also influential and creative as a bandleader, recruiting talented and sometimes little-known artists whom he assembled into unconventional and revealing configurations.

Nearly as well known as his ambitious music was Mingus' often fearsome temperament, which earned him the nickname "The Angry Man of Jazz". His refusal to compromise his musical integrity led to many onstage explosions, though it has been argued that
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CHARLES MINGUS Discography

CHARLES MINGUS albums / top albums

CHARLES MINGUS Charles Mingus - Spaulding Givens: Strings and Keys album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Charles Mingus - Spaulding Givens: Strings and Keys
Hard Bop 1953
CHARLES MINGUS Jazz Collaborations, Vol. I album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Jazz Collaborations, Vol. I
Post Bop 1955
CHARLES MINGUS Charles Mingus Sextet : The Moods Of Mingus album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Charles Mingus Sextet : The Moods Of Mingus
Post Bop 1955
CHARLES MINGUS Jazzical Moods, Vol. 1 album cover 4.43 | 4 ratings
Jazzical Moods, Vol. 1
Third Stream 1955
CHARLES MINGUS Jazzical Moods, Vol. 2 album cover 3.50 | 1 ratings
Jazzical Moods, Vol. 2
Third Stream 1955
CHARLES MINGUS Pithecanthropus Erectus album cover 3.95 | 16 ratings
Pithecanthropus Erectus
Hard Bop 1956
CHARLES MINGUS East Coasting (aka Charlie Mingus) album cover 3.89 | 9 ratings
East Coasting (aka Charlie Mingus)
Hard Bop 1957
CHARLES MINGUS The Clown album cover 3.86 | 16 ratings
The Clown
Hard Bop 1957
CHARLES MINGUS A Modern Jazz Symposium of Music and Poetry With Charles Mingus (aka Duke's Choice aka Scenes In The City) album cover 3.67 | 3 ratings
A Modern Jazz Symposium of Music and Poetry With Charles Mingus (aka Duke's Choice aka Scenes In The City)
Hard Bop 1957
CHARLES MINGUS Mingus Three (aka The Wild Bass aka Mingus Moods aka C.M. Trio) album cover 3.48 | 3 ratings
Mingus Three (aka The Wild Bass aka Mingus Moods aka C.M. Trio)
Hard Bop 1957
CHARLES MINGUS Mingus Ah Um album cover 4.52 | 38 ratings
Mingus Ah Um
Hard Bop 1959
CHARLES MINGUS Mingus Dynasty album cover 3.65 | 8 ratings
Mingus Dynasty
Post Bop 1959
CHARLES MINGUS Blues & Roots album cover 4.49 | 21 ratings
Blues & Roots
Hard Bop 1959
CHARLES MINGUS Mingus (aka The Candid Recordings (Featuring Eric Dolphy)) album cover 3.05 | 2 ratings
Mingus (aka The Candid Recordings (Featuring Eric Dolphy))
Post Bop 1960
CHARLES MINGUS Pre Bird (aka Mingus Revisited) album cover 4.00 | 6 ratings
Pre Bird (aka Mingus Revisited)
Post Bop 1960
CHARLES MINGUS Newport Rebels (with Max Roach, Eric Dolphy, Roy Eldridge, Jo Jones) album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Newport Rebels (with Max Roach, Eric Dolphy, Roy Eldridge, Jo Jones)
Post Bop 1960
CHARLES MINGUS Reincarnation of a Love Bird album cover 3.83 | 3 ratings
Reincarnation of a Love Bird
Post Bop 1960
CHARLES MINGUS Charles Mingus Presents Charles Mingus album cover 4.03 | 6 ratings
Charles Mingus Presents Charles Mingus
Post Bop 1960
CHARLES MINGUS Oh Yeah album cover 4.53 | 18 ratings
Oh Yeah
Post Bop 1962
CHARLES MINGUS Tijuana Moods (aka Mexican Moods aka New Tijuana Moods) album cover 4.12 | 20 ratings
Tijuana Moods (aka Mexican Moods aka New Tijuana Moods)
Post Bop 1962
CHARLES MINGUS The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady album cover 4.78 | 78 ratings
The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady
Progressive Big Band 1963
CHARLES MINGUS Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus album cover 4.64 | 23 ratings
Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus
Hard Bop 1963
CHARLES MINGUS Mingus Plays Piano album cover 3.66 | 9 ratings
Mingus Plays Piano
Post Bop 1964
CHARLES MINGUS Tonight at Noon album cover 3.70 | 5 ratings
Tonight at Noon
Post Bop 1965
CHARLES MINGUS Blue Bird album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Blue Bird
Post Bop 1971
CHARLES MINGUS Pithycanthropus Erectus album cover 0.50 | 1 ratings
Pithycanthropus Erectus
Post Bop 1971
CHARLES MINGUS With Orchestra album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
With Orchestra
Post Bop 1971
CHARLES MINGUS Let My Children Hear Music album cover 4.50 | 18 ratings
Let My Children Hear Music
Progressive Big Band 1972
CHARLES MINGUS Mingus Moves album cover 3.23 | 4 ratings
Mingus Moves
Post Bop 1974
CHARLES MINGUS Changes One album cover 4.08 | 10 ratings
Changes One
Post Bop 1975
CHARLES MINGUS Changes Two album cover 3.99 | 8 ratings
Changes Two
Post Bop 1975
CHARLES MINGUS Three or Four Shades of Blues album cover 4.00 | 4 ratings
Three or Four Shades of Blues
Post Bop 1977
CHARLES MINGUS Lionel Hampton Presents Charles Mingus (aka His Final Work) album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Lionel Hampton Presents Charles Mingus (aka His Final Work)
Post Bop 1977
CHARLES MINGUS Cumbia & Jazz Fusion album cover 3.38 | 4 ratings
Cumbia & Jazz Fusion
Post Bop 1978
CHARLES MINGUS Me, Myself an Eye album cover 3.75 | 2 ratings
Me, Myself an Eye
Post Bop 1979
CHARLES MINGUS Nostalgia In Times Square / The Immortal 1959 Sessions album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Nostalgia In Times Square / The Immortal 1959 Sessions
Post Bop 1979
CHARLES MINGUS Something Like a Bird: His Last Recording Sessions album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Something Like a Bird: His Last Recording Sessions
Post Bop 1980
CHARLES MINGUS Shadows album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Shadows
Jazz Related Soundtracks 2015

CHARLES MINGUS EPs & splits

CHARLES MINGUS Charles Mingus Octet album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Charles Mingus Octet
Hard Bop 1954

CHARLES MINGUS live albums

CHARLES MINGUS Mingus at the Bohemia (aka Chazz!) album cover 4.00 | 5 ratings
Mingus at the Bohemia (aka Chazz!)
Hard Bop 1956
CHARLES MINGUS Jazz Portraits (aka Wonderland aka Jazz Portraits. Mingus In Wonderland) album cover 4.21 | 6 ratings
Jazz Portraits (aka Wonderland aka Jazz Portraits. Mingus In Wonderland)
Hard Bop 1959
CHARLES MINGUS Town Hall Concert album cover 4.00 | 1 ratings
Town Hall Concert
Post Bop 1962
CHARLES MINGUS Right Now: Live At The Jazz Workshop album cover 2.50 | 1 ratings
Right Now: Live At The Jazz Workshop
Post Bop 1964
CHARLES MINGUS The Charles Mingus Quintet + Max Roach album cover 3.05 | 3 ratings
The Charles Mingus Quintet + Max Roach
Hard Bop 1964
CHARLES MINGUS Town Hall Concert 1964, Vol. 1 (Music Played On European Tour'64) album cover 3.83 | 3 ratings
Town Hall Concert 1964, Vol. 1 (Music Played On European Tour'64)
Post Bop 1964
CHARLES MINGUS My Favorite Quintet (aka Town Hall Concert - Charles Mingus & His Quintet featuring Eric Dolphy) album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
My Favorite Quintet (aka Town Hall Concert - Charles Mingus & His Quintet featuring Eric Dolphy)
Post Bop 1965
CHARLES MINGUS Mingus at Monterey album cover 4.00 | 2 ratings
Mingus at Monterey
Post Bop 1966
CHARLES MINGUS Music Written for Monterey 1965 Not Heard... Played in Its Entirety at UCLA album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Music Written for Monterey 1965 Not Heard... Played in Its Entirety at UCLA
Post Bop 1966
CHARLES MINGUS The Great Concert of Charles Mingus album cover 4.91 | 3 ratings
The Great Concert of Charles Mingus
Post Bop 1971
CHARLES MINGUS Statements album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Statements
Post Bop 1971
CHARLES MINGUS Charles Mingus And Friends In Concert album cover 4.00 | 1 ratings
Charles Mingus And Friends In Concert
Post Bop 1973
CHARLES MINGUS Mingus at Carnegie Hall album cover 4.00 | 3 ratings
Mingus at Carnegie Hall
Post Bop 1974
CHARLES MINGUS Mingus at Antibes (aka With Eric Dolphy ‎– Live aka Better Git It In Your Soul aka Immortal Concerts - Jazz Festival, Antibes, July 13, 1960 aka Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting) album cover 4.50 | 4 ratings
Mingus at Antibes (aka With Eric Dolphy ‎– Live aka Better Git It In Your Soul aka Immortal Concerts - Jazz Festival, Antibes, July 13, 1960 aka Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting)
Post Bop 1976
CHARLES MINGUS Mingus in Europe Volume 1 album cover 4.00 | 1 ratings
Mingus in Europe Volume 1
Post Bop 1979
CHARLES MINGUS Mingus in Europe, Volume 2 album cover 4.25 | 2 ratings
Mingus in Europe, Volume 2
Post Bop 1983
CHARLES MINGUS Charles Mingus Sextet: Concertgebouw Amsterdam April 10th 1964. Vol 1 album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Charles Mingus Sextet: Concertgebouw Amsterdam April 10th 1964. Vol 1
Post Bop 1985
CHARLES MINGUS Charles Mingus Sextet: Concertgebouw Amsterdam April 10th 1964. Vol 2 (aka Charlie Mingus' Jazz Workshop) album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Charles Mingus Sextet: Concertgebouw Amsterdam April 10th 1964. Vol 2 (aka Charlie Mingus' Jazz Workshop)
Post Bop 1985
CHARLES MINGUS Paris, TNP October 28th 1970 (aka Charles Mingus In Paris 1970) album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Paris, TNP October 28th 1970 (aka Charles Mingus In Paris 1970)
Post Bop 1986
CHARLES MINGUS Meditation album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Meditation
Post Bop 1987
CHARLES MINGUS Goodbye Pork Pie Hat album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Goodbye Pork Pie Hat
Post Bop 1989
CHARLES MINGUS Live in Chateauvallon, 1972 album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Live in Chateauvallon, 1972
Post Bop 1989
CHARLES MINGUS Charles Mingus Featuring Eric Dolphy ‎: Live In Oslo 1964 album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Charles Mingus Featuring Eric Dolphy ‎: Live In Oslo 1964
Post Bop 1989
CHARLES MINGUS Tempo Di Jazz album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Tempo Di Jazz
Post Bop 1990
CHARLES MINGUS Astral Weeks album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Astral Weeks
Post Bop 1990
CHARLES MINGUS Epitaph album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Epitaph
Third Stream 1990
CHARLES MINGUS Fables of Faubus album cover 4.00 | 1 ratings
Fables of Faubus
Post Bop 1990
CHARLES MINGUS Live In Stockholm 1964 - The Complete Concert album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Live In Stockholm 1964 - The Complete Concert
Post Bop 1991
CHARLES MINGUS Live in Oslo 1964 - Vol. 1 album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Live in Oslo 1964 - Vol. 1
Post Bop 1992
CHARLES MINGUS Live in Oslo 1964 - Vol. 2 album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Live in Oslo 1964 - Vol. 2
Post Bop 1992
CHARLES MINGUS Paris 1964 (aka The Bass Player) album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Paris 1964 (aka The Bass Player)
Post Bop 1993
CHARLES MINGUS Revenge! album cover 2.50 | 1 ratings
Revenge!
Post Bop 1996
CHARLES MINGUS Cornell 1964 album cover 4.29 | 7 ratings
Cornell 1964
Post Bop 2007
CHARLES MINGUS Stuttgart Meditations album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Stuttgart Meditations
Post Bop 2007
CHARLES MINGUS Mingus Quintet Meets Cat Anderson album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Mingus Quintet Meets Cat Anderson
Post Bop 2007
CHARLES MINGUS Statement album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Statement
Post Bop 2014
CHARLES MINGUS Copenhagen 1964 album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Copenhagen 1964
Post Bop 2017
CHARLES MINGUS Jazz in Detroit/Strata Concert Gallery/46 Selden album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Jazz in Detroit/Strata Concert Gallery/46 Selden
Post Bop 2018
CHARLES MINGUS Charles Mingus @ Bremen 1964 & 1975 album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Charles Mingus @ Bremen 1964 & 1975
Post Bop 2020
CHARLES MINGUS The Lost Album from Ronnie Scott’s album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
The Lost Album from Ronnie Scott’s
Post Bop 2022

CHARLES MINGUS demos, promos, fans club and other releases (no bootlegs)

CHARLES MINGUS re-issues & compilations

CHARLES MINGUS Charles Mingus Présente 'Improvisations' Pour Piano, Basse Et Batterie album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Charles Mingus Présente 'Improvisations' Pour Piano, Basse Et Batterie
Hard Bop 1954
CHARLES MINGUS Jazz Experiment (aka Minor Intrusions aka aBstraActions aka The Jazz Experiments Of Charlie Mingus aka Intrusions) album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Jazz Experiment (aka Minor Intrusions aka aBstraActions aka The Jazz Experiments Of Charlie Mingus aka Intrusions)
Post Bop 1956
CHARLES MINGUS Jazz Composers Workshop album cover 3.00 | 1 ratings
Jazz Composers Workshop
Post Bop 1956
CHARLES MINGUS The Best of Charles Mingus album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
The Best of Charles Mingus
Post Bop 1970
CHARLES MINGUS Mingus album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Mingus
Post Bop 1972
CHARLES MINGUS The Art of Charles Mingus: The Atlantic Years album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
The Art of Charles Mingus: The Atlantic Years
Post Bop 1973
CHARLES MINGUS Reevaluation: the Impulse Years album cover 5.00 | 1 ratings
Reevaluation: the Impulse Years
Progressive Big Band 1973
CHARLES MINGUS Reincarnation Of A Lovebird album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Reincarnation Of A Lovebird
Post Bop 1974
CHARLES MINGUS Stormy Weather album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Stormy Weather
Post Bop 1975
CHARLES MINGUS Soul Fusion (Quintessence Jazz Series) album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Soul Fusion (Quintessence Jazz Series)
Post Bop 1978
CHARLES MINGUS Passions of a Man album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Passions of a Man
Post Bop 1979
CHARLES MINGUS The Rarest On Debut album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
The Rarest On Debut
Post Bop 1980
CHARLES MINGUS The Young Rebel (1946-1952) album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
The Young Rebel (1946-1952)
Progressive Big Band 1986
CHARLES MINGUS Shoes Of The Fisherman's Wife album cover 3.50 | 1 ratings
Shoes Of The Fisherman's Wife
Post Bop 1988
CHARLES MINGUS Live In Paris, 1964 Vol. 2 (aka Paris 1964, Vol 2) album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Live In Paris, 1964 Vol. 2 (aka Paris 1964, Vol 2)
Post Bop 1988
CHARLES MINGUS The Complete Candid Recordings of Charles Mingus album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
The Complete Candid Recordings of Charles Mingus
Post Bop 1989
CHARLES MINGUS The Complete Debut Recordings album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
The Complete Debut Recordings
Post Bop 1990
CHARLES MINGUS Mysterious Blues album cover 3.50 | 1 ratings
Mysterious Blues
Post Bop 1990
CHARLES MINGUS Live in Copenhagen 1964 album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Live in Copenhagen 1964
Post Bop 1991
CHARLES MINGUS The Charles Mingus Octet/The Jimmy Knepper Quintet : Debut Rarities, Vol. 1 album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
The Charles Mingus Octet/The Jimmy Knepper Quintet : Debut Rarities, Vol. 1
Post Bop 1992
CHARLES MINGUS Debut Rarities , Volume 2 album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Debut Rarities , Volume 2
Post Bop 1992
CHARLES MINGUS The Complete 1959 CBS Charles Mingus Sessions album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
The Complete 1959 CBS Charles Mingus Sessions
Post Bop 1993
CHARLES MINGUS Thirteen Pictures: The Charles Mingus Anthology album cover 5.00 | 1 ratings
Thirteen Pictures: The Charles Mingus Anthology
Post Bop 1993
CHARLES MINGUS Debut Rarities, Volume 3 album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Debut Rarities, Volume 3
Post Bop 1993
CHARLES MINGUS Debut Rarities, Volume 4 album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Debut Rarities, Volume 4
Post Bop 1994
CHARLES MINGUS The Complete Town Hall Concert album cover 4.00 | 1 ratings
The Complete Town Hall Concert
Post Bop 1994
CHARLES MINGUS In A Soulful Mood album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
In A Soulful Mood
Post Bop 1995
CHARLES MINGUS This Is Jazz, Volume 6 album cover 5.00 | 1 ratings
This Is Jazz, Volume 6
Post Bop 1996
CHARLES MINGUS Priceless Jazz Collection album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Priceless Jazz Collection
Post Bop 1997
CHARLES MINGUS Passions of a Man: The Complete Atlantic Recordings (1956-1961) album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Passions of a Man: The Complete Atlantic Recordings (1956-1961)
Post Bop 1997
CHARLES MINGUS The Complete 1959 Columbia Recordings album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
The Complete 1959 Columbia Recordings
Post Bop 1998
CHARLES MINGUS Alternate Takes album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Alternate Takes
Post Bop 1999
CHARLES MINGUS Ken Burns Jazz album cover 4.00 | 1 ratings
Ken Burns Jazz
Post Bop 2000
CHARLES MINGUS West Coast 1945-49 album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
West Coast 1945-49
Post Bop 2000
CHARLES MINGUS The Very Best of Charles Mingus album cover 4.17 | 3 ratings
The Very Best of Charles Mingus
Post Bop 2001
CHARLES MINGUS Charles Mingus's Finest Hour album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Charles Mingus's Finest Hour
Post Bop 2002
CHARLES MINGUS Modern Jazz Archive album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Modern Jazz Archive
Post Bop 2004
CHARLES MINGUS The Young Rebel album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
The Young Rebel
Progressive Big Band 2004
CHARLES MINGUS The Impulse Story album cover 4.50 | 2 ratings
The Impulse Story
Post Bop 2006
CHARLES MINGUS The Millennium Collection album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
The Millennium Collection
Post Bop 2007
CHARLES MINGUS Pithecanthropus Erectus + The Clown album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Pithecanthropus Erectus + The Clown
Post Bop 2009
CHARLES MINGUS Kind of Mingus album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Kind of Mingus
Post Bop 2009
CHARLES MINGUS Eight Classic Albums album cover 3.50 | 2 ratings
Eight Classic Albums
Post Bop 2010
CHARLES MINGUS The Complete Bremen Concert (with Eric Dolphy) album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
The Complete Bremen Concert (with Eric Dolphy)
Post Bop 2010
CHARLES MINGUS Four Classic Albums Plus album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Four Classic Albums Plus
Post Bop 2011
CHARLES MINGUS The Black Saint And The Sinner Lady / Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
The Black Saint And The Sinner Lady / Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus
Post Bop 2011
CHARLES MINGUS Charles Mingus - The Jazz Workshop Concerts 1964-65 album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Charles Mingus - The Jazz Workshop Concerts 1964-65
Post Bop 2012
CHARLES MINGUS The Complete Columbia & RCA Albums Collection album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
The Complete Columbia & RCA Albums Collection
Post Bop 2012
CHARLES MINGUS Let My Children Hear Music / Charles Mingus And Friends In Concert album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Let My Children Hear Music / Charles Mingus And Friends In Concert
Post Bop 2014
CHARLES MINGUS The Complete Albums Collections 1953-1957 album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
The Complete Albums Collections 1953-1957
Post Bop 2016
CHARLES MINGUS The Complete Albums Collection 1957-1960 album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
The Complete Albums Collection 1957-1960
Post Bop 2016
CHARLES MINGUS The Complete Albums Collection 1960-1963 album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
The Complete Albums Collection 1960-1963
Post Bop 2016
CHARLES MINGUS Complete Live At The Bohemia 1955 album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Complete Live At The Bohemia 1955
Post Bop 2017
CHARLES MINGUS Complete Live at the Bohemia album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Complete Live at the Bohemia
Hard Bop 2017
CHARLES MINGUS The Rare Albums Collection album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
The Rare Albums Collection
Post Bop 2019

CHARLES MINGUS singles (0)

CHARLES MINGUS movies (DVD, Blu-Ray or VHS)

.. Album Cover
0.00 | 0 ratings
Epitaph
Post Bop 2008

CHARLES MINGUS Reviews

CHARLES MINGUS Reevaluation: the Impulse Years

Boxset / Compilation · 1973 · Progressive Big Band
Cover art Buy this album from MMA partners
js
Here is a little tip known mostly to record collectors. If you want to get a vinyl copy of Charles Mingus’ “Black Saint and the Sinner Lady” in excellent condition, look for this two record compilation, “Charles Mingus Reevaluation: the Impulse Years”, on the Impulse label of course. That’s right, the entire “Black Saint” album is on here, and like a lot of compilations, the price runs about half of the original album and there is a good chance that the album may not have been played much, which is often the case with comps. Along with the entire Black Saint album, you also get 5 of the 7 songs from “Mingus, Mingus, Mingus”, one of the very best of Charles’ albums as it contains well know classics such as “Better Get it in Your Soul, “Mood Indigo” and “Theme for Lester Young”.

Along with this collection of some of Charles’ very best tracks, you also get two songs with Mingus playing the piano solo and one song that had previously only shown up on an Impulse various artist compilation. The Mingus solo piano tracks are in a slightly older style as Charles draws upon his appreciation For Art Tatum and Duke Ellington, but there is no doubting his talent on the keyboard as he probably could have been a pro piano player if he wasn’t already about the best in the business on bass. The combination of the entire “Black Saint” album and some of the best tracks from “Mingus, Mingus, Mingus” make this about the best Mingus album you can pick up except for “The Great Concert for Charles Mingus”, possibly the best live album in the history of jazz.

CHARLES MINGUS The Great Concert of Charles Mingus

Live album · 1971 · Post Bop
Cover art Buy this album from MMA partners
js
This review is written using the original 3 LP set in a huge foldout gate sleeve cover. If you had to pick the number one top recorded jazz performance known to mankind, you would have a hard time finding one that topped “The Great Concert of Charles Mingus”, a live set that was recorded in Paris in 1964, but not released until the early 70s. It doesn’t hurt that two of the greatest performers of all-time, Mingus and Eric Dolphy, have possibly the best performances of their careers on here, but also the brilliant supporting cast of Jaki Byard, Dannie Richmond and Clifford Jordan are likewise inspired for possible career topping performances as well. Johnny Coles was supposed to be on trumpet, but sickness knocked him off of every performance except the very first cut. This opening cut, by the way, is mis-labeled as “Goodbye Pork Pie Hat”, when it actually is “So Long Eric”, a better choice for an opening tune anyway.

The concert opens with a nice bluesy groove for the first couple solos, but when Dolphy steps up for his solo, all hell breaks loose and things continue to unravel from there in a rainbow kalediscope of colliding musical ideas. Remaining tracks like “Parkeriana” , “Meditations on Integration” and “Fables of Faubus” feature bizarre complex arrangements that show that both Mingus and Dolphy were very capable modern concert hall composers. When the band is cut loose from the arrangements, they burn with an unprecedented intensity. So much of the music on here pre-dates what is happening in jazz in the early 21st century, such as tonality blended with atonality and compositional structure blended with free blowing. Add to that, something unique to this session, intellectualism blended with emotional fire.

Eric Dolphy is often incorrectly grouped with early 60s “free” players such as Albert Alyer and Archie Shepp. While Dolphy did play free jazz on occasion, and was quite adept at it, this recording is a good example of how Dolphy’s true calling was working with melody and chord changes. Eric’s attempts to take these things to extremes made him more an extension of the Charlie Parker school of music, which is reflected in the mash-up of Parker melodies presented during “Parkeriana”.

If there is one problem with this recording, it would be in Jaki Byard’s volume level, he just sounds a little distant compared to the others, which is a shame because he is a brilliant and under-rated pianist. Byard never really got with the modern minimal sound of Bud Powell and Monk, instead he played more in the old school huge stride based sound of Earl Hines and Art Tatum, which Byard would modernize with atonal clusters of notes and noisy clatter which blended great with the Mingus-Dolphy approach. There is always a lot of mischievous humor to what Jaki serves up as well.

If you ever wonder why jazz fans make a big deal out of Charles Mingus, this record should help you understand why

CHARLES MINGUS Jazz Portraits (aka Wonderland aka Jazz Portraits. Mingus In Wonderland)

Live album · 1959 · Hard Bop
Cover art Buy this album from MMA partners
frankbernardi22
A "classical" jazz record. Even if I should know nothing of that thing called jazz music, I'm sure the right world for all that should be "classical'. Where the adjective don't mean lifeless or frozen or totally and blindly rooted in the past. There is nothing dead in Mingus' "Wonderland" - and that is only one of the names of the record. At the same time covers are different. Very similar the first two, but the third, with a portrait of the Boss with a strange, little bit devilish face? A way to sell more copies? It's with the first graphic solution - we are in 1959 (the famous "Pithecanthropus" was released 3 years before) - that things in the grooves are better explained: Mingus, the pipe, the bass and oil on canvas. We are in an art gallery (Nonagon, NYC): there the record was captured (A. Douglas producer) and the dimension is perfect for 5 players living in the name of love and music, or so it seems. Ervin, Handy, Wyands, Mingus, Richmond. The last one, on drums, has something mildly extravagant and audacious, a mix of Williams and Jones; tenor Ervin and alto Handy seem naturally munificent, while Wyands on piano is a discreet and good friend. In front of the combo, cool and collected comments and handclaps egde the session, while Mingus, placed on right - centre gives musical orders to his men. Go and buy if you hate strange surprises, go the same if you are an intelligent son of nostalgia, and if you want to listen to the spectacular technicolored play of "No private income blues": bass'n'drums melted together to form a perfect wall of sound. Soul, technique, pleasure: it's all timeless, it's surely classic at its peak while sure footed innovation lies in the bends.

CHARLES MINGUS Jazz Portraits (aka Wonderland aka Jazz Portraits. Mingus In Wonderland)

Live album · 1959 · Hard Bop
Cover art Buy this album from MMA partners
js
Charles Mingus had many productive years during the first part of his career, but possibly none as productive as 1959. Three of his most acclaimed studio albums come from that year, and maybe that’s why his one live release, “Jazz Portraits“ (also known as “Mingus in Wonderland”), does not get the attention it deserves. “Portraits” may not seem as ambitious as his studio albums, its not a concept album with a unifying theme and an artsy album cover, instead, its just five guys jamming on four tunes, but what they do with those tunes makes this album one of Mingus’ best live dates ever.

“Portraits” opens with the hard bop groove of a Mingus original titled “Nostalgia in Times Square”. Tenor saxophonist Booker Ervin turns in a hot solo, as well as altoist John Handy, and Mingus closes out the solo section with a lengthy exchange between himself and the always inventive percussionist, Dannie Richmond. A cover of “I Can’t Get Started” follows, which Handy covers mostly by himself. Handy’s playing on this one is incredible as he draws on Charlie Parker and hints at the playing Eric Dolphy will soon bring to the band. Handy’s treatment of “Smoke” is sometimes lyrical and passionate, while other times he turns the tune inside out. Its a textbook example of what an inventive artist can do with a well written melody. Mingus also turns in a nice solo on this one.

Third track, “No Private Income Blues”, is a hot jam session that closes with the two saxophonists in an intense battle that merges into a double solo. Their heated exchange and outside lines mirror similar developments from Ornette Coleman and Sun Ra. The album closes with “Alice’s Wonderland”, an excellent Mingus ballad that seems to slightly mirror “Somewhere Over the Rainbow”. Handy turns in another great solo, as does Mingus too. If you are used to ignoring bass solos, Mingus’ playing on here will change that. He handles the bass like its a small acoustic guitar, playing quick nimble lines with perfect intonation, no doubt Mingus was raising the bar for the bassists in jazz for good.

This album is what so much great jazz is all about, five guys standing on their own without any gimmicks, or the safety net of the studio, and showing how they can transform four tunes into streetwise tone poems. It also helps that the recording quality on “Jazz Portraits” is excellent, every instrument is very clear and well balanced. Mingus’ bass sounds like its right there in the room with you.

CHARLES MINGUS Eight Classic Albums

Boxset / Compilation · 2010 · Post Bop
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js
These Real Gone label compilations are very low priced and come in low budget no frills packaging, but despite their cheap appearance, they can contain some great music. I am familiar with two of their compilations, the Quincy Jones one, which is a thorough, expertly arranged collection of Jones’ early big band music, and this one for Charles Mingus, which is not as well considered as the Jones collection, but it is still not bad either. Basically “Charles Mingus Eight Classic Albums” is a look at the early part of Mingus’ career, and it contains some real gems, but there are also some disappointing omissions as well.

As the collection title suggests, you do get eight Mingus albums on here. Two, “The Clown” and “Pithecanthropus Erectus”, are easily available well known classics, and probably already owned by most Mingus fans. The other six are a little more obscure. Two of the albums are from a live concert that was poorly recorded, and features a band that pits Mal Waldron’s outside leaning piano work with a more straight ahead horn section. Its an interesting concert, but probably only interesting to Mingus fans. Three of the albums contain creative high quality hard/post bop and are often overlooked in the Mingus discog, but possibly the most interesting obscurity on here is “Jazzical Moods Part One”, recorded in the very early part of his career when Mingus was more of a 3rd stream composer, and a very good one at that.

You do get some interesting albums on here that are not all that common, but there are some problems. It was great they included “Jazzical Moods Part 1”, but it would have been even better if they had included “Part 2” as well. Also, when arranging the eight albums on to four CDs, they didn’t put the two halves of the same live concert on the same CD! Finally, there are other early Mingus albums they could have put on here in place of the two that are easily available. Still, if you are looking for a way to check out the early part of Charles Mingus’ career, this collection provides a very affordable way to do that.

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