Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus
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Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus
- Artist: Charles Mingus
- Rating:
- Release Date: 1963
- Total Time: 42:16
- Type: Instrumental
- Genre: Jazz
Review
Having completed what he (and many critics) regarded as his masterwork in The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady, Charles Mingus' next sessions for Impulse found him looking back over a long and fruitful career. Mingus, Mingus, Mingus, Mingus, Mingus is sort of a "greatest hits revisited" record, as the bassist revamps or tinkers with some of his best-known works. The titles are altered as well -- "II B.S." is basically "Haitian Fight Song" (this is the version used in the late-'90s car commercial); "Theme for Lester Young" is "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat"; "Better Get Hit in Your Soul" adds a new ending, but just one letter to the title; "Hora Decubitus" is a growling overhaul of "E's Flat Ah's Flat Too"; and "I X Love" modifies "Nouroog," which was part of "Open Letter to Duke." There's also a cover of Duke Ellington's "Mood Indigo," leaving just one new composition, "Celia." Which naturally leads to the question: With the ostensible shortage of ideas, what exactly makes this a significant Mingus effort? The answer is that the 11-piece bands assembled here (slightly different for the two separate recording sessions) are among Mingus' finest, featuring some of the key personnel (Eric Dolphy, pianist Jaki Byard) that would make up the legendary quintet/sextet with which Mingus toured Europe in 1964. And they simply burn, blasting through versions that equal and often surpass the originals -- which is, of course, no small feat. This was Mingus' last major statement for quite some time, and aside from a solo piano album and a series of live recordings from the 1964 tour, also his last album until 1970. It closes out the most productive and significant chapter of his career, and one of the most fertile, inventive hot streaks of any composer in jazz history. ~ Steve Huey, Rovi| Mingus Mingus (Album by Piotr Rodowicz) | |
| Mingus Moves (1973 Album by Charles Mingus) |
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Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus
| Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus | ||||
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| Studio album by Charles Mingus | ||||
| Released | May 1964 | |||
| Recorded | January 20 & September 20, 1963 New York City |
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| Genre | Jazz | |||
| Length | 40:30 | |||
| Label | Impulse! A-54 |
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| Producer | Bob Thiele | |||
| Charles Mingus chronology | ||||
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| Professional ratings | |
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| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |  [1] |
Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus is a 1963 album by jazz composer and bassist Charles Mingus.
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Contents
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Historical Context
Many of the tracks on this album had been recorded or have since been rerecorded, some under different titles, on other albums.
- "Theme for Lester Young" – "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat" on Mingus Ah Um
- "II B.S." – "Haitian Fight Song" on Plus Max Roach and The Clown (also recorded as "Hog Callin' Blues" on Oh Yeah)
- "Freedom" – "Freedom" on Epitaph
- "Better Get Hit in Yo' Soul" – "Better Git It in Your Soul" on Mingus Ah Um (also "Better Git Hit in Your Soul" on Mingus at Antibes)
- "Hora Decubitus" – "E's Flat, Ah's Flat Too" on Blues & Roots
- "I X Love" – "Duke's Choice" on A Modern Jazz Symposium of Music and Poetry.[2][3][4]
Freedom
Freedom, by Charles Mingus (excerpt)
- This mule ain't from Moscow,
- this mule ain't from the South.
- But this mule's had some learning,
- mostly mouth-to-mouth.
The lyrics, "This mule ain't from Moscow", might be a reference to a Moscow Mule, a drink made of vodka and ginger beer popular in the 1950s, but is likely also referring to African-American slaves as the "mule".
Mingus performed a number of other songs with spoken poetry or narration:
- "Scenes in the City"
- "The Chill of Death"
- "The Clown"
- "Weary Blues" (read by Langston Hughes).
Several of his other pieces have lyrics:
- "Fables of Faubus"
- "Oh Lord, Don't Let Them Drop That Atomic Bomb on Me"
- "Devil Woman"
Track listing
All tracks written by Charles Mingus, except where noted.
- "II B.S." – 4:48
- "I X Love" – 7:41
- "Celia" – 6:14
- "Mood Indigo" (Duke Ellington/Barney Bigard) – 4:45
- "Better Get Hit in Yo' Soul" – 6:30
- "Theme for Lester Young" – 5:51
- "Hora Decubitus" – 4:41
- "Freedom" – 5:10 Bonus track on CD reissue
Some editions of this album such as AS-54-B on Impulse Records contains an alternate track listing, which excludes the track "Freedom".
Personnel
Tracks #1 and 4-8, recorded on September 20, 1963:
- Eddie Preston - Trumpet
- Richard Williams - Trumpet
- Britt Woodman - Trombone
- Don Butterfield - Tuba
- Jerome Richardson - Soprano, baritone saxes, flute
- Dick Hafer - Tenor sax, clarinet, flute
- Booker Ervin - Tenor sax
- Eric Dolphy - Alto sax, flute, bass clarinet
- Jaki Byard - Piano
- Charles Mingus - Bass, (narration, #8)
- Walter Perkins - Drums
Tracks #2 and 3, recorded on January 20, 1963:
- Rolf Ericson - Trumpet
- Richard Williams - Trumpet
- Quentin Jackson - Trombone
- Don Butterfield - Tuba
- Jerome Richardson - Soprano, baritone saxes, flute
- Dick Hafer - Tenor sax, flute, oboe
- Charlie Mariano - Alto sax
- Jaki Byard - Piano
- Jay Berliner - Guitar
- Charles Mingus - Bass, piano
- Dannie Richmond - Drums
Additional personnel
- Bob Hammer - Music arranger
- Bob Thiele - Producer
- Michael Cuscuna - Reissue Producer
- Bob Simpson - Engineer
- Erick Labson - Remastering
References
- ^ Allmusic review
- ^ Santoro, Gene (2000). Myself when I Am Real. New York: Oxford University Press US. p. 413. ISBN 0-19-514711-1.
- ^ Mathieson, Kenny (1999). Giant Steps. Canongate US. p. 217. ISBN 0-86241-859-3.
- ^ Conversely, Nat Hentoff identifies "Nouroog" as the precursor to "I X Love". Hentoff, Nat (1963). Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus (CD booklet). Impulse! Records. pp.2–10. IMPD-170.
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