Charles Mingus

INCLUDES FREE MP3 ALBUM DOWNLOAD

4 1/2 STARS ALL MUSIC GUIDE

PERSONNEL:

CHARLES MINGUS, bass
SHAFI HADI, alto sax (tenor sax on “The Clown” only)
JIMMY KNEPPER, trombone
WADE LEGGE, piano
DANNIE RICHMOND, drums
JEAN SHEPHERD, narration on “The Clown”

New York, March 12, 1957 & February 13, 1957 (“The Clown” only).
Original sessions produced by NESUHI ERTEGUN.

SIDE A:

1) HAITIAN FIGHT SONG 12:02
2) BLUE CEE 7:53

SIDE B:

1) REINCARNATION OF A LOVEBIRD 8:34
2) THE CLOWN 12:11

All compositions by CHARLES MINGUS

By the mid 50s Charles Mingus had formed his own publishing and recording companies to protect and document his growing repertoire of original music. He also founded the “Jazz Workshop,” a group which enabled young composers to have their new works performed in concert and on recordings. He once declared to Nat Hentoff: “I am trying to play the truth of what I am. The reason it's difficult is because I'm changing all the time.” The Clown marked his second consecutive masterpiece afterPithecanthropus Erectus. On The Clown, instead of just writing heads that provide launch points for solos, Mingus tries to evoke something specific with every tune, and even his most impressionistic forays have a strong storytelling quality. The title selection makes that explicit with a story verbally improvised by Jean Shepherd from a predetermined narrative. The Clown introduced two of Mingus' finest compositions: “Haitian Fight Song” and “Reincarnation of a Lovebird”, a tribute to Charlie Parker. Mingus would play both tunes many times throughout his career. In addition to his role as composer and arranger, Mingus is heard on this second album as a marvelous soloist, taking longer solos than on previous recordings (he plays unaccompanied on “Haitian Fight Song”). - From the liner notes