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- Artist: Charles Mingus
- Rating:
- Release Date: November 06, 2006
- Total Time: 119:05
- Type: Compilation (best of)
- Genre: Jazz
Review
The music on Charles Mingus' In Paris: The Complete America Session originally appeared on two separate LPs issued by America which were duly reissued by several labels as Reincarnation of a Lovebird (though not to be confused with the earlier album of the same title made for Candid). After a five-year layoff from doing any studio recording, Mingus was fully prepared for this 1970 session, with old hands Jaki Byard on piano, drummer Dannie Richmond, alto saxophonist Charles McPherson, and newer additions Bobby Jones (tenor sax), and Eddie Preston (trumpet) making up his sextet. Most of the focus is on extended treatments of earlier works, including "Reincarnation of a Lovebird," "Pithecanthropus Erectus," and "Peggy's Blue Skylight," plus a loping, bluesy rendition of Charlie Parker's "Blue Bird" that lasts 18 minutes and never loses steam. The two shorter works come out differently; everything comes together on "I Left My Heart in San Francisco" but Mingus is clearly dissatisfied with the performance of his new work "Love Is a Dangerous Necessity" and is audibly heard stating "Cut it, cut it!" in the midst of McPherson's solo and the song abruptly ends. The soloists shine throughout the date, with no one musician trying to outdo the others. This two-CD set adds all of the other material recorded during this single-day session on a separate disc, including all false starts, breakdowns, incomplete takes, and rehearsals, so serious fans can figure out how the performances evolved in the studio. After battling depression and suffering financial problems for several years prior to this session, this outstanding recording signaled that Charles Mingus was on the rebound and still had much to contribute, until Lou Gerhig's disease ended his career and took his life prematurely later in the decade. ~ Ken Dryden, All Music GuideTracks
CD 1
| Track Title | Composers | Performers | Time |
| I Left My Heart in San Francisco | Charles Mingus | (4:06) | |
| Reincarnation of a Lovebird | Charles Mingus | Charles Mingus | (15:11) |
| Peggy's Blue Skylight | Charles Mingus | Charles Mingus | (12:52) |
| Love Is a Dangerous Necessity | Charles Mingus | Charles Mingus | (4:36) |
| Blue Bird | Charlie Parker | Charles Mingus | (18:10) |
| Pithecanthropus Erectus | Charles Mingus | Charles Mingus | (16:41) |
CD 2
| Track Title | Composers | Performers | Time |
| Reincarnation of a Lovebird: Warm Up and First False Start [Alternate T | Charles Mingus | Charles Mingus | (:30) |
| Reincarnation of a Lovebird: Second False Start [Alternate Take][#] | Charles Mingus | Charles Mingus | (1:49) |
| Reincarnation of a Lovebird: Third False Start [Alternate Take][#] | Charles Mingus | Charles Mingus | (:06) |
| Reincarnation of a Lovebird: Incomplete [Alternate Take][#] | Charles Mingus | Charles Mingus | (4:51) |
| Peggy's Blue Skylight: First False Start [Alternate Take][#] | Charles Mingus | Charles Mingus | (:15) |
| Peggy's Blue Skylight: Second False Start [Alternate Take][#] | Charles Mingus | Charles Mingus | (:15) |
| Peggy's Blue Skylight: Third False Start and Rehearsal [Alternate Take] | Charles Mingus | Charles Mingus | (:37) |
| Peggy's Blue Skylight: Alternate [Fast Version][Alternate Take][#] | Charles Mingus | Charles Mingus | (9:47) |
| Blue Bird: Incomplete [Alternate Take][#] | Charlie Parker | Charles Mingus | (4:12) |
| Reprise [Alternate Take][#] | Charles Mingus | (:42) | |
| Love Is a Dangerous Necessity: First False Start [Alternate Take][#] | Charles Mingus | Charles Mingus | (1:06) |
| Love Is a Dangerous Necessity: Second False Start [Alternate Take][#] | Charles Mingus | Charles Mingus | (1:49) |
| Pithecanthropus Erectus: First Take, Incomplete [Alternate Take][#] | Charles Mingus | Charles Mingus | (7:33) |
| Pithecanthropus Erectus (Reprise) [Alternate Take][#] | Charles Mingus | Charles Mingus | (:54) |
| Pithecanthropus Erectus: Rehearsal [Alternate Take][#] | Charles Mingus | Charles Mingus | (:35) |
| Pithecanthropus Erectus: False Start [Alternate Take][#] | Charles Mingus | Charles Mingus | (:09) |
| Pithecanthropus Erectus: To the End [Alternate Take][#] | Charles Mingus | Charles Mingus | (10:02) |
| Pithecanthropus Erectus: Mingus Explanations, Restart [Alternate Take][ | Charles Mingus | Charles Mingus | (2:17) |
