Charles Mingus

5 STARS DOWN BEAT MAGAZINE
 

This release contains he complete original classic album Mingus Ah Um, featuring an all-star group including Jimmy Knepper, John Handy, Booker Ervin and Curtis Porter (aka Shafi Hadi). Three bonus tracks from the same sessions omitted from the original album have been added as a bonus.

Includes 12-page booklet

PERSONNEL:

CHARLES MINGUS, bass & leader (also piano on 10)
JIMMY KNEPPER, trombone (on 1 & 6-10)
WILLIE DENNIS, trombone (on 2-5 & 11-12)
BOOKER ERVIN, tenor sax
CURTIS PORTER (SHAFI HADI), alto & tenor sax
JOHN HANDY, alto & tenor sax, clarinet
HORACE PARLAN, piano
DANNIE RICHMOND, drums

New York, May 5 & May 12, 1959.

All compositions by CHARLES MINGUS except “Girl of My Dreams” (Sunny Clapp).

Tracks:

01) BETTER GET IT IN YOUR SOUL 7:23
02) GOODBYE PORK PIE HAT 5:44
03) BOOGIE STOP SHUFFLE 5:03
04) SELF-PORTRAIT IN THREE COLORS 3:10
05) OPEN LETTER TO DUKE 5:51
06) BIRD CALLS 6:17
07) FABLES OF FAUBUS 8:13
08) PUSSY CAT DUES 9:14
09) JELLY ROLL 6:17
10) PEDAL POINT BLUES 6:30*
11) GG TRAIN 4:89*
12) GIRL OF MY DREAMS 4:08*
*Bonus tracks are from the same sessions, but were not issued on the original LP.

Total time: 72:33

DOWN BEAT original review: MINGUS AH UM
“First let’s put your minds at ease about that weird title: it’s a corruption of an imaginary Latin declension (mingus-minga-mingum). Don’t ask why. It seems to me that Mingus has now completely found himself, found a personal and vital direction. This is a consistently exciting and stimulating set. Mingus has something to say, knows how and through whom to say it, and it is all stated with communicative authority.” (Leonard Feather)