Live in Tokyo at the Blue Note

• Artist: Mingus Big Band
• Rating:
• Release Date: September 26, 2006
• Type: Live
• Genre: Jazz

Review

Nearly 15 years after its formation, the Mingus Big Band set up its microphones at Tokyo's Blue Note Club on New Year's Eve 2005-2006 and did what it's been doing so admirably all along: paying homage to its inspiration in a way that would have made him proud. Fourteen members strong, the ensemble for the event, most of them fairly recent additions, included a veteran of Charles Mingus' own Tokyo concerts of 1976, trumpeter Jack Walrath. For the occasion, the band looked back even further though, to the '50s, rolling out and updating the arrangements of a handful of numbers Mingus wrote in his early years: "Bird Calls," the fiery opener "Wham Bam," "Celia" spotlighting alto saxman Craig Handy, and "Prayer for Passive Resistance," which producer Sue Mingus (Charles' widow), notes was arranged by tenor saxist John Stubblefield shortly before his death in 2005. With three trumpets, five saxmen (including tenor, alto, and baritone), and three trombones, the program is naturally heavy on brass-fueled arrangements, with plenty of room given over for solo blowing. "Bird Calls," the tribute to Charlie Parker, features rousing turns from baritonist Ronnie Cuber, tenor Seamus Blake, and altos Craig Handy and Abraham Burton, while the easy-swinging "Free Cell Block F" opens up space for trombonists Conrad Herwig and Ku umba Frank Lacy, Handy moving over to flute, and Cuber returning on baritone. The live set (officially titled "Live in Tokyo at the Blue Note, 2005") avoids Mingus' more difficult material in favor of accessibility, but it's consistent with the other fine work this "ghost" band has done since its inception. ~ Jeff Tamarkin, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track Title	Composers	Performers	Time
Wham Bam	Charles Mingus	Mingus Big Band	(6:38)
Opus Four	Charles Mingus	Mingus Big Band	(9:20)
Celia	Charles Mingus	Mingus Big Band	(7:00)
Bird Calls	Charles Mingus	Mingus Big Band	(6:42)
Meditations	Charles Mingus	Mingus Big Band	(10:26)
Prayer for Passive Resistance	Charles Mingus	Mingus Big Band	(6:09)
Free Cell Block F	Charles Mingus	Mingus Big Band	(7:16)
Ecclusiastics	Charles Mingus	Mingus Big Band	(10:33)

Credits

Frank Lacy (Soloist), Ronnie Cuber (Sax (Baritone)), Abraham Burton (Sax (Alto)), Frank Lacy (Vocals), Dave Kikoski (Soloist), Ronnie Cuber (Soloist), Alex Sipiagin (Trumpet), Tom Swift (Mixing), Sue Mingus (Liner Notes), Earl McIntyre (Trombone (Bass)), Seamus Blake (Sax (Tenor)), Keiichi Gotoh (Engineer), Eddie Henderson (Soloist), Chris Drukker (Art Direction), Yuka Yamaji (Photography), Craig Handy (Soloist), Craig Handy (Sax (Alto)), Wayne Escoffery (Soloist), Kenny Davis (Soloist), Abraham Burton (Soloist), Kenny Davis (Bass), Frank Lacy (Trombone), Craig Handy (Flute), Sue Mingus (Producer), Alex Sipiagin (Soloist), Boris Kozlov (Editing Assistant), Seamus Blake (Soloist), Wayne Escoffery (Sax (Tenor)), Eddie Henderson (Duet), Earl McIntyre (Tuba), Tom Swift (Mastering), Conrad Herwig (Trombone), Eddie Henderson (Trumpet), Frank Lacy (Duet), Conrad Herwig (Soloist), Jack Walrath (Trumpet), Dave Kikoski (Piano)