Charles Mingus

This release presents two of Charles Mingus’ most celebrated albums in their entirety:
Pithecanthropus Erectus and The Clown. A ll but one of the songs included here were original compositions by Mingus. These sides feature first class soloist like Jackie McLean, Jimmy Knepper, J.R. Monterose and Mal Waldron.

CHARLES MINGUS, bass on all tracks plus:

[1-4] Pithecanthropus Erectus:
Jackie McLean (as), J.R. Monterose (ts), Mal Waldron (p), Willie Jones (d). New York, January 30, 1956.

“`Pithecanthropus’ is a powerful thing –sometimes gentle, sometimes savage, sometimes painfully mournful, and always absorbing.”
(John A. Tynan)****1/2 Downbeat

[5-8] The Clown:
Shafi Hadi [aka Curtis Porter] (as; ts on 8 only), Jimmy Knepper (tb), Wade Legge (p), Dannie Richmond (d), Jean Shepherd (narration on 8 only).
New York, March 12 & February 13 (track 8 only), 1957.

“There are relatively few bassists who can produce such melodic feeling. It’s as if, in Mingus’ hands, the instrument is capable of producing a melodic flow rather than a succession of plucked notes in a melodic pattern.”
(Dom Cerulli)*****1/2 Downbeat

Tracks: 1. Pithecanthropus Erectus, 2. Foggy Day, 3. Profile of Jackie, 4. Love Chant, 5. Haitian Fight Song, 6. Blue Cee, 7. Reincarnation of a Lovebird, 8. The Clown