Charles Mingus Music

actually, i am asking for a big favor...can i have the piano keys for the wedding march slow waltz take 12 coz i want 2 use it on jun 4 on my wedding....hoping u could help me....it means a lot 2 me...thank you so much charina

If you save 5 stars for Mingus Ah-Um and Charles Mingus Presents Charles Mingus, then this must rate just below those standouts. With the words "Jazz Fusion" in the title, and the fact that the Lp originally contained two tracks only (side A/side B), I put off getting this record--sounded like aimless jamming or pretentious overreaching. Well, I was wrong. It is simply enjoyable, and its a shame that others may be scared away by an awkward title and a lack of description about the work's various movements. Like an Ellington suite (say the Far East), there are distinct movements, none inaccessable. There are wonderful touches of exotica, including percussion touches from the tropics, and a few wildlife sounds thrown in at the beginning for good measure. All in all, I like this more than I like some of the better-known earlier Mingus records, though not more than the Columbia or Candid recordings, which are for me the tops.

I have the original LP -- two pieces of music -- one on each side. Both pieces are great and have several "movements", presented more like a symphony. Each one has sections that shift in and out of blues and swing. Then move into a more South American flavor, then stop time ballad intrusions. I love Cumbia Jazz Fusion for the variety and also the vocal lyrics of Mama's Little Baby (it brings tears to my eyes every time I hear it. Even though this was his last recording session (according to Sue Mingus's marvelous new book, "Tonight at Midnight".) is full on Mingus through and through. The conga playing is provocative and at one point builds to a thrilling conclusion. Every chance I get a spare 27 minutes I put it on the turntable. As the liner notes say this is "Mingus Music".

The two songs on this are some of Mingus' most intricate and complex compositions. The title track comes at you like a mack truck, using heavy rhythmic patterns, mixing minor and major keys, incorporating bassoons and piccolo flutes, and pounding a 5 note bass line. It continues to journey through many moods, all the while using amazing horn lines. Both tracks are pure compositional genius, rich in texture, sophisticated in melody and harmony, and overall amazing to listen to. Enjoy

This is just another bland recording from Wynton Marsalis. AS compared to the recordings of the Mingus Big Band, these tracks are unemotional and poorly executed, despite the talented band personnel. It is more about "big band" than it is about Mingus and as such this CD lacks character, emotion and doesn't reflect much understanding of Mingus' music. Pass this one by and try the Mingus Big Band recordings if you want to hear another take on Mingus' composing.

Once again the LCJO has surpassed my expectations. Don't Be Afraid...The Music Of Charles Mingus is truly a classic. Ron Westray's arrangements of both Don't Be Afraid, The Clown's Afraid Too and The Black Saint And The Sinner Lady are outstanding. It is evident that he truly invested time and effort in putting together all of the arrangements. The orchestra sounds amazing. One of my favorite tunes is Los Mariachis. I love the interplay between the orchestra and soloists. This recording truly captures the emotional depth of Mingus and his music.

When I think of Charles Mingus, I think primarily of sextet and septet settings. But his writing was so rich and full that there is plenty for a big band arranger to chew on. In fact his widow, Sue Mingus, has kept the Mingus Big Band going since the early `90s. Thus inspired, Wynton Marsalis decided to put his Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra to the test on a program of Mingus tunes arranged by trombonist Ron Westray, and the result as heard on Don't Be Afraid... is a marvelous musical feast.

It's hard to generate the spontaneity and abandon so crucial to Mingus' music with a fifteen piece band, but Westray and Marsalis have succeeded in producing a remarkable approximation. The players are some of the best on the New York scene, and the arrangements manage to show the wit, irreverence, tumultuous cacophony and simultaneous harmonic complexity without resorting to outright mimickry. It's a courageous feat that succeeds spectacularly.

Eschewing obvious hits like "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat" and "Better Git It in Your Soul" from Mingus Ah Um in favor of the seldom heard "Don't Be Afraid, the Clown's Afraid Too" from Let My Children Hear Music and three tunes---"Dizzy Moods," "Tijuana Gift Shop," and "Los Mariachis"---from New Tijuana Moods, Marsalis and company explore the vast richness found in the legendary bassman's songbook. Two lengthy suites, "Black Saint & the Sinner Lady (parts 1 & 2)" and "Meditation on Integration," serve as the soulful heart of this recording, challenging the listener while displaying the invigorating compositional intricacies that can be unleashed in a jazz context.

Anything that brings the music of Charles Mingus to a wider audience is OK with me. In this case, the rewards are many for those willing to open their ears. --Jim Newsom

Originally published in Port Folio Weekly - January 10, 2006
Copyright 2006 Port Folio Weekly. All Rights Reserved. Used by Permission.

I never thought the music of Charles Mingus could be made to sound so unemotional. The performance is lifeless compared to any of the originals. Wynton Marsalis's latest effort to score a historical piece for an orchestra again fails. As with Coltrane's A Love Supreme, the original small group performance set the bar very high. That is not to say that any attempt to score these works is a guarenteed failure (see many recordings by the Mingus Big Band). The reason these works fail along with many other of Marsalis's are due to a lact of emotional fire, and originality (the artist must at least attempt to provide some personal statement to the piece, or all you can to is compare it to the original).

Charles Mingus is usually known for his wild, soulful and avant-garde compositions. "East Coasting" is mellow by comparison, but still cooks on a musical level. The Mingus touches are still there, the trombone, drummer Danny Richmond (who was so essential to the Mingus sound in Charles' Atlantic recordings) and of course the dark emotional undercurrent looms large, too. The personnel are Mingus regulars, except for pianist Bill Evans, who would not be described as "soulful" in the traditional sense, but his introverted and sensitive style meshes well with Mingus' music. His playing on "West Coast Ghost" (the album's stand-out track) and "Celia" are just some instances of Evans' ability to understand an artist's musical vision and play accordingly in his own beautifully original style.

As for the title of my review, I say Hipster-Style Jazz because "East Coasting" sounds like the prototypical 1950s "Hip Jazz" recording. It's like something one might hear in an attic converted to a bedroom where an artist or lonely soul might live. It's what a lot of people might believe Jazz would or should sound like. Highly recommended to Jazz lovers and perhaps more importantly- to young people who've just been blown away by Kerouac's novel "On the Road" and have become interested in exploring Jazz. "East Coasting" will allow them to get a taste of lost creative America.

I found this album by accident at a mall music store in the bin for CD's that are specially ordered and then not picked up. I paid [a small amount of money]and found an outstanding piece of music that is still a CD that finds a lot of time in my player.

The opening cut, "Memories of you" is one of my all-time favorites to lay back and listen to. It is an almost haunting rendition.

It is not neccesarily the same style you would find on other Mingus records, but definitely worth picking up!

From the GQ cover photo to the laid-back sound of Mingus' band, it is remarkable to think that this is the basic group of musicians that would later go on to record Mingus Ah Um just 2 years down the road. The hard-bop style of the period (1957) is displayed nicely here by Mingus and his cohorts. This could honestly pass for a Blue Note recording of the time, it is that much a blueprint for the genre. I had to pinch myself a few times for thinking that someone had secretly replaced the CD with a Miles Davis album.

Not that any of it is bad, mind you. Just after hearing the angularities and fire of other sessions, this comes off as being a surprise. There are still some instances of the hallmark Mingus harmonies and hard-turns, but hearing them nestled amongst this quietly unassuming stock jazz is... well you can decide for yourself. Even without the strident urgency of his well-known stuff, I still like it.

This record isn't usually mentioned when people discuss Charles Mingus -- granted, his complex discography makes it easy to overlook quite a few notable sessions -- and that's a shame because "East Coasting" is an excellent, energetic, and joyful recording. The snappy title cut and the gorgeous treatment of the standard "Memories of You" are worth the price of admission alone. This obscure gem is not just for completists -- it's prime Mingus. Check it out!

...the more I love this album. This is not typical Mingus recording. However, it is classic bop. Incredible tight and smooth play by all the musicians involved. The title track "East Coasting" is especially good.