Charles Mingus - Kind of Mingus (2009) 10 CD Box Set

×

Charles Mingus - Kind of Mingus (2009) 10 CD Box Set

Close

Most of the discs contain performances and recordings clustered around the mid-to-late 1950s, although the first three discs contain some exceptional live performances from the 1964 European Tour. Personally I think the distribution of material chronicles Mingus' development during the 1950s, using the 1964 performances as both a pivot point and a foreshadowing of his later career. Unlike other musicians whose evolution is usually gradual and subtle, the work in this set shows abrupt spurts of creativity and evolution that are anything but subtle - although in my opinion they are indications of towering genius. I am given to gushing and hyperbole when it comes to Mingus, so factor that in as you read through this review.

How does it compare to 5 Classic Albums? Only Disc Six in this set shares a substantial number of tracks with one of the albums in that set. Still, there are not many shared tracks making both of them valuable to anyone who wants to quickly build a library of some of Mingus' better and lesser known works.

A word about sound quality: in a word it's adequate. By that I mean that it is not some poorly done 'needle drop' from scratchy LPs. On the other hand, no special care seems to have been taken to remaster the discs. To my ears all of the tracks are as good as any decent MP3 track, which by its nature is going to have some loss of fidelity, but still a pleasure to listen. Audiophiles, on the other hand, will not like them.

I have linked to applicable albums that are contained in this set, as well as providing background information that I was able to track down regarding recording dates and personnel. The linked albums will take you to product pages that contain sound samples as well as reviews of the individual albums. I have also provided a complete track list for each disc in a comment to this review so you can see exactly what you will be getting. Here is what is in the set:

DISCs ONE, TWO and THREE contain live recordings from the 1964 European Tour's April 1964 dates in Stuttgart, Germany. You can listen to the tracks on Disc Three on the product page for this album: Live in Stuttgart! 1964. Personnel are Mingus and Dannie Richmond holding down the rhythm section (along with Jaki Byard on Piano), with Eric Dolphy on alto sax, bass clarinet and flute, and Clifford Jordan on tenor sax. Dolphy would be dead in less than two months after these performances - under controversial circumstances - in Berlin. One of the finest video performances of Mingus' line-up during this tour is also from April 1964 on Jazz Icons: Charles Mingus Live in '64

DISC FOUR is the four tracks that comprised the original release of The Clown, plus a bonus track titled Blue Greens. The original tracks were recorded at Atlantic's studios on February 13 and March 12, 1957 and released the same year. Personnel on the original album were Mingus backed by Jimmy Knepper on trombone, Shafi Hadi on tenor sax, Wade Legge on piano and Dannie Richmond on drums. Jean Shepherd narrates on The Clown. The additional track is from a 1957 album titled A Word from Bird that was lead by vibraphonist Teddy Charles who is backed by Mingus as a sideman, Hall Overton on piano and Ed Shaughnessy on drums.

DISC FIVE is a continuation of the previous disc in that the first two tracks are from the Clown sessions with the same personnel, dates and locations. The next three tracks are from the album titled A Word from Bird (again, the same personnel as mentioned for that album above.) This disc also contains tracks from sessions mentioned on Discs Eight and Ten in this set. Specifically, track 6 is from the same sessions that resulted in the tracks on Disc Eight and track 7 is from the Trio recording sessions comprising Disc Ten.

DISC SIX contains most of the tracks from the album titled A Modern Jazz Symposium of Music and Poetry that was recorded in October 1957 for Bethlehem. Mingus on bass and Dannie Richmond on drums are the core rhythm section who are backed by Bob Hammer on piano (except Dukes Choice, which features Horace Parlan), Jimmy Knepper on trombone, Shafi Hadi on tenor and alto saxophones, and Clarence Shaw on Trumpet. Melvin Stewart narrates Scenes in the City.

DISC SEVEN this disc contains the six original tracks released 1955 as Jazzical Moods. The recordings were done in December 1954 for Bethlehem. The reissue album to which I linked has an additional track titled Abstractions. Musicians: Mingus is backed by Thad Jones on trumpet on What is This Thing Called Love, Minor Intrusion, Stormy Weather and Spur of the Moment. John LaPorta is on clarinet and alto sax, Teo Macero on tenor sax, and Clem DeRosa on drums. Jackson Wiley is on cello on What is This Thing Called Love, Minor Intrusion and Stormy Weather. Mingus plays piano on Four Hands, and Thad Jones was listed on the original album as Oliver King (a play on the great King Oliver).

DISC EIGHT is [almost] the seminal 1956 album titled Pithecanthropus Erectus (it is missing Profile of Jackie, but compensates with additional tracks.) The first three tracks are from that four-track album, which was recorded for Atlantic in NY on January 30, 1956. Personnel on those tracks are Mingus backed by Jackie McLean on alto saxophone, J. R. Monterose on tenor saxophone, Mal Waldron on piano and Willie Jones on drums. The remaining tracks are from a 1855 album titled The Charles Mingus Qunitet & Max Roach, which featured both Max Roach and Willie Jones on drums. Willie Jones is the drummer on the tracks on this disc. The rest of the line-up is Mingus on bass, Mal Waldron on piano, Eddie Bert on trombone and George Barrow on tenor saxophone.

DISC NINE contains the five original tracks from the album titled Tijuana Moods, plus an additional track titled A Colloquial Dream that is also known as Scenes in the City. This album is one every Mingus fan should own. It was recorded in NY for RCA on July 18 and August 6, 1957, and released in 1962. Mingus is backed by Jimmy Knepper on trombone, Curtis Porter on alto sax, Clarence Shaw on trumpet, Bill Triglia on piano and Dannie Richmond on drums. Additional percussion by Frankie Dunlop and Ysabel Morel. Melvin Stewart performs the spoken narrative on A Colloquial Dream.

DISC TEN is the 1957 album titled Mingus Three that was originally recorded for Jubilee in NY on July 9, 1957. The line-up is Mingus, Hampton Hawes on piano and Dannie Richmond on drums.

Please see the comment to this review below for the complete track list for each disc.

Review by Mike Tarrani

×

Charles Mingus - Kind of Mingus (2009) 10 CD Box Set

Close

×

Charles Mingus - Kind of Mingus (2009) 10 CD Box Set

Close