Charles Mingus Music

Although a lot of people take their shots at the Ken Burns Jazz sets and compilation cd's, the compilation cd's are the best best of's I've ever seen and one cd with Original Faubus Fables, Better Git Hit in Yo Soul, and Mood Indigo is pure gold in my view.

Even the cover is cool. Mingus was the stereotypical "beatnik" with the beret hat, the goatee, and the "jelly roll soul." Mingus was just a cool hep cat who knew where it was at. Eat that Chicken is a great song. It's very funny that the Great Mingus just took the stereotype of Black people loving chicken to his advantage in a great song. Mingus was a great Genius. My introduction to Mingus was through the song, Original Faubus Fables in the great Ken Burns Jazz set. It blew me to the back of the room with it's very distinctive sound. Charles Mingus (1922-1979) had a great combination of soul, the blues, and New Orleans style mixed with bebop.

The best intro to Mingus, most Mingus fans say, is through the 1959 classic album, "Ah Um;" but this is probably the best alternative, although I must say that Ah Um is great.

Either get this or Ah Um; or if you have the cash, you're the lucky sob who can buy the great set "Passions of a Man" Complete Atlantic Recordings of Charles Mingus 1956-1961!

Better Git Hit in Yo' Soul or you'll be angrier than Mingus!!

I am new to mingus, but this definitive collection says a lot about a musician of this caliber. The music is definitive of the art, definitive of the artist, and definitive for this era. You have to appreciate the sound of jazz, it is seen throughout music today. Musical Genius.

Falls a little short for a one CD definitive overview of Mingus. A big omission is 'Pithecantropus Erectus', an essential track in Mingus discography and probably my favourite of his compositions. Why including 'Mood Indigo'? He was very much influenced by the Duke and he would be the first to tell you that, but is an insult not to include another Mingus original instead of this one. STill, is a very good introduction to his music.

Before buying this album I really wasn't that familiar with Mingus. And that is the great thing about the Ken Burn's Jazz Series. It introduces artists to people who may not have known that much about them before. I have a few of the Ken Burns cds, and find them an excellent way to discover an artists work over many years and record labels. It annoys me when I see people criticizing the work Ken Burns did on his documentary series and these albums. Of course nothing is perfect, but it did bring a whole new flock of fans to jazz, and that can only be a good thing.

This album by Mingus happens to be my favourite so far out of the KB's collection that I have. And I will most definately be buying more albums by Mingus in the near future. And it's all thanks to this cd. The 12 page booklet contains photos and an essay on Mingus. Highly recommended.

Listen kids. A lot of people wrote reviews who say they have never really been into jazz, but thanks to Mr. Burns, now they love it. Then they continue to either bash this cd and say Mr. Burns is an overrated incompetent moron, or they'll say that they love it but they can't explain why. I play jazz bass myself. Mingus is The Bass Player. Anyone that will ever play jazz bass will learn that Mingus was a founder of great music. He prefected the art of the rythmic bass. No one comes close to him. He is The Virtuoso. If you are into jazz, don't ever tell anyone that you don't own a Mingus cd. You must own a Mingus cd. If not this one, another but you must get one; steal, lie, cheat and kill for a Mingus cd, because nobody who was ever a jazz listener didn't already own a Mingus cd. This is a good example of a good Mingus cd. It takes all of his classic songs and puts them all on one nicely done compilation. I would definetely recommend this album. The quality isn't great, but then again only something heard live can really satisfy you; too bad he's dead. GET THIS CD!

Even if you disagree with Mingus' assessment of this as his greatest recording, the musical evidence is sufficiently compelling to make you respect the composer's judgment. Mingus was a larger-than-life figure and dreamer of Faustian proportions, though his projects frequently fell short of realizing their maker's designs. In some respects, he's remarkably similar to the filmmaking genius, Orson Welles (and not only in terms of artistic vision). After the controversy and commercial failure of "Citizen Kane," Welles was largely sentenced to pursuing his Promethean ambitions with self-financed films on shoe-string budgets that simply could not conceal their frequently ragged, unpolished production values.

Recent recordings like Mingus' UCLA and Cornell concerts often show much of the same disparity between the artist's lofty conceptions and inadequate resources for implementation of them (in terms of money, time, personnel, promotional agents, circulation channels). But with the help of arranger Sy Johnson, Mingus came closer than ever to realizing the "grand design" in "Let My Children Hear Music," which amounts to a literal and fitting "valedictory" by the composer-bassist-leader. Call the music portentous and pretentious: it IS. Romantics, dreamers, visionaries, idealists always ARE. And lest there be any doubt, the liner notes quoting Mingus on the project are practically a jeremiad on the state of art and culture in the late 20th century.

Like Welles, William Blake, Shelley, Pound and perhaps all under-appreciated or ignored geniuses, Mingus was a true "maverick" (quite unlike the Presidential candidate who claims the title because he disagreed with his commander-in-chief 10% of the time), distancing himself from liberal revolutionaries as much as conservative stand-patters. As his program notes make clear, Mingus wanted to liberate listeners by opening their ears not just to the music of the present but to the brilliant compositional structures of the past. He was at once "progressive" and "conservative," intensely committed to conserving the best music by insisting that it be heard amidst the frequent noise of the present.

"Let My Children Hear Music" is Mingus writ large (if that's possible), music that's more absorbing compositionally than some of the earlier recordings of these same works. If there's a deficiency to the music, it's ironically the comparative absence of the normally irrepressible Mingus himself. The program opens with a thrilling "Shoes of the Fisherman's Wife" that practically recalls Strauss's "Death and Transfiguration." Yet the impact of the piece is partially dependent on the listener's familiarity with previous, less polished and fully "orchestrated" versions of the composition. Soon, the textures of the program tend to overwhelm individual soloists and even Mingus. In terms of a final result doing justice by each of the personalities in the ensemble while representing in full the character of the leader, Mingus inarguably falls short of his hero, Ellington.

All the same, the textures and scale are in themselves a wonder, and the saxophones of the ageless James Moody and the noble (if wronged) soldier Bobby Jones are added "clinchers" to this fascinating, if not essential, recording. Looking at Amazon's current price for this item and factoring in a tax and postage-free transaction, I'd be surprised if you found many better values on Amazon. But don't take it for granted. Some of Ellington's best music is currently unavailable. In the "culture" of the present, as Mingus himself sensed, there are major obstacles to being heard. Why not pick up a boxful of these and hand them out to young people in exchange for a promise to give up some of the time devoted each day to the Xbox, iPhone, and Face Book. (I know--what to do about the problem of the suddenly obsolescent CD player?) As loud, omnipresent, and inescapable as the "medium" has become, Mingus was enough of a maverick to believe there's still a message that needs to be heard. Some of us are old-fashioned enough to agree with him.

Zappa and the Duke would be proud. Brilliant, angular, evocative. Git it in Your Soul. It won't disappoint.

Mingus has claimed this to be his best work. Never let an artist review his own material - it's by far his worst. "The Shoes of the Fisherman's Wife are Some Jive-A** Slippers" is a multipart masterpiece with brilliant solos and creepy harmonies, but that's all this record has going for it, and even then "Shoes" can be found on the album of the same name, which rounds up the highlights of Dynasty as well. The rest of this disc is a failure: it's more classical than jazz, and Mingus was at his best in the blues/gospel idiom. Charles himself barely plays any bass on this record, instead turning it over to his enormous band, with six different bassists (including Ron Carter). The problem is that none of it works: "Adagio Marron Toppo" is one of the most ridiculous attempt at classical I've ever heard; the two extended pieces ("Hobo Ho"; "The I of Hurricane Sue") both have interesting titles but no other redeeming factors; and the poetry recitation "The Chill of Death" is a miserable flop. Plus he has this annoying habit of opening each song with random chatter, or something along those lines.

There's a rumor going around that, starting very soon, Columbia/Sony and music re-release giant Legacy will discontinue their prodigious line of CD reissues and shutter themselves up completely to fully focus all of their considerable energies on the development and wi-fi distribution of the brand new Miles Davis Complete Cochlear Implant Chip. ;)

Before something crazy like that actually *does* happen, wouldn't it be great if Columbia/Legacy gave the royal treatment to just a few more deserving titles like this classic by Charles Mingus from 1971. Belden could straighten out the confusing personnel list once and for all, and we would no longer have to decode the very questionable messes now posted elsewhere; Tingen could identify every single one of Teo Macero's original edit points and describe with great detail the attributes of each clip left on the floor; and, perhaps most importantly, Charles Mingus' very own monumental essay "What Is A Jazz Composer?" could be reprinted in its ENTIRETY, unlike the present title which offers only brief excerpts. Right now, the only other way to read the entire essay is to obtain the indispensable book "Charles Mingus: More Than A Fake Book" (Jazz Workshop/Hal Leonard Pubs.), which comes *highly* recommended on its own terms. Or you might find the entire text posted on a site somewhere, which is *exactly* the sort of thing that rightfully pisses off people like Mingus' widow and prime-mover Sue Mingus.

But back to the wonderful things that Columbia/Legacy does and could do: They could investigate the existence of additional material from these same sessions, even rumors of additional material, like the strange appearance on the Jazz Discography Project's Mingus page of an extra song from the album called "Quand L'Amour Vient" ("When Love Comes", maybe?). What's up with that, JDP? And of course, we could have a very learned discussion about the true extent to which Mingus himself was or was not actually involved in the preparations and rehearsals and recordings for these sessions. Without trying to take anything away from the man's formidable musical prowess (and it must be stated that Mingus' importance as an American *composer*, and not just of jazz music but of *any* American music, is right there on a par with not only Duke Ellington but also with Aaron Copland and Charles Ives), the masterwork that is "Let My Children Hear Music" seems largely crafted by those who were behind the batons - the arrangers, the orchestrators, and the conductors, few of whom were Mingus himself. And so if any of those people whose contributions were so major are still around today, someone from C/L could talk with them about these sessions, and, and..! Oh heck, why don't I stop beating around the bush - they could hire *ME* to do it!!! "No more coffee for you, mister."

(switch to more appropriate reverential tone)

"Let My Children Hear Music" is an amazing album on so many levels - as a comeback for the man after nearly four years off the scene, as an important example of his compositional genius, as an incredible display of top-notch orchestral bravura, if not just for the sheer joy of the glorious passages of simultaneous free improv by the magnificent players assembled (whoever they may ultimately turn out to be) - that the whole thing deserves a special place on the shelves of all of us whose love for American Music is a primary driving force. Whether you have the original vinyl LP (I do, minus the complete essay insert sheet), or want to get this early 90's CD edition with just acceptable sound, or you want to wait for the deluxe-treatment-special-leather-bound-chip-based-millenium-edition that could be coming to a delivery system near you... just find a way to own this music - it will enrich your life many times over. I promise.

In 1971, if you'd asked me, "Who is the greatest jazz musician?" I would have said, "John McLaughlin hands down"! At the time I was listening to the unrelenting sounds of Mahavishnu Orchestra ("Inner Mounting Flame", "Birds of Fire", etc.) Well, now I can say, like many of my peers, that I wasted a whole lot of time on MO. I could have been listening to "real music"; Mingus' "Let my Children Hear Music"(1971). Wow! This is in a league of its own, as the previous reviewers, who are much more knowledgeable than I, can attest. Mingus was at the forefront of "modern music". In my opinion, only the GREAT Duke Ellington, Mingus' mentor, compares. Ellington's influence is felt on many of the "Swing" passages. Although the music on "Let My Children Hear Music" is as intense and unrelenting as Mahavishu's "Inner Mounting Flame", the execution and instrumental palette are worlds apart. This is a masterpiece by a very bi-polar obsessive-compulsive perfectionist. True to his nature, Mingus DEMANDS that we listen to his inner "voice".
Each instrument INSISTS we hear its timbre. The deep, rich tones reflect the majestic status Mingus sought for himself. "Let My Children Hear Music" has many twists and turns, as is true with all of Mingus' work. At times this music borders on chaos, i.e.) a lot of animal sounds running riot. Children will love this! At other times, Mingus shows his grandiose classical side. He trained as a classical performer before changing course. This music is not for the faint of heart and I suggest one listen to each piece individually before listening to the CD as a whole. Each cut is long and complex. As with all of Mingus' work, this music REQUIRES active, not passive, listening. CAUTION: I imagine this "experience" is like spending one hour in a bi-polar ward at your regional asylum. For much more accessible Mingus music, check out "Changes 1 & 2" from 1974.

when i saw this album it brough memories back to me i was stationed near stuttgart and i remember being at this concert they had some fantastic concerts in stuttgart a german family befriended me and i caught this concert and a miles davis concert wth sonny stitt and jj johnson but later that year john coltranes quartet came and i missed it wow! thanks mr klempt and mr grant!

A great rather new rerelease of some nice older Mingus tunes...from his new york sessions, in 1960. I believe most of these tracks were previously sold as an import made from the same sessions (I have on tape). I have always loved this version of the '30s standard "Stormy Weather." On this session in particular, Mingus does some beautifully soulful things with rythem & melody. Worth it for sure.

This CD has some of the early recording of Charles Mingus, back when he was sometimes known as 'Baron'. The songs have a variety of lineups, and some feature vocalists. The title track is a catchy enough song, though at 2:55 there isn't much time for soloing or improvisation. The other thing is that the players aren't 'A' list. The biggest names are saxophonist Buddy Collette, Britt Woodman, who played trombone with Duke Ellington, Lucky Thompson, who played sax on Miles Davis' "Walkin'", and vibist Cal Tjader, who plays on two songs. "Weird Nightmare" and "Baby Take A Chance With Me" are nice vocal songs. "Mingus Fingers" features some hot bass playing, and "Boppin' In Boston" ends it nicely. A lot of the other songs are okay, but simply slower-paced songs of their late '40's era. This CD is of most interest to big-time Mingus fans and people who like the pre-bebop style of jazz.