The Charles Mingus Appreciation Society

Indeed, Mingus was the man!

My intro to Jazz, really, at age 13 after watching a PBS special....

Essential albums: Mingus Ah Um, Blues and Roots, New Tijuana Moods....Black Saint and Sinner Lady.

Also Mingus at Antibes is amazing, and the Mingus/Dolphy Complete Bremen Concert is amazing, though the sound is not the best....I also like Three of Four Shades of Blues, and Cumbia and Jazz Fusion, though lots of "purists" despise them...

A fantastic album, in a way, almost like a warm up (if more 'upbeat') for the kind of things he would achieve on TBS&TSL

^ It's definitely worth it, for sure.

And I have to get 'Money Jungle' one day too - with you on 'M, M,M,M,M' too, that's ace. I wouldn't have thought that some of those pieces sound better, but they just do

and this!

^ I def agree, all great Mingus - though I personally like 'Mingus Plays Piano' for a change of mood from the big man

AtomicCrimsonRush wrote: Listened to both suggestions, Saint and Sinnner Lady is best album album and its like some noir soundtrack for an old 40s film - very atmospheric and obviously a masterpiece of jazz. Very nice cool full on jazz.....

Yes! It's a work of art - possibly my favourite jazz album, though it's hard to say.
It makes me wish I was a film maker so I could use it, damn!

AtomicCrimsonRush wrote: and this!

Yeah! Go Charlie boy!

Here's an except from an open letter to Miles, from a downbeat issue - I found it interesting and must find out what he said re: that particular Blindfold Test:


It seems so hard for some of us to grow up mentally just enough to realize that there are other persons of flesh and bone, just like us, on this great, big earth. And if they don't ever stand still, move, or "swing," they are as right as we are, even if they are as wrong as hell by our standards. Yes, Miles, I am apologizing for my stupid "Blindfold Test." I can do it gladly because I'm learning a little something. No matter how much they try to say that Brubeck doesn't swing — or whatever else they're stewing or whoever else they're brewing — it's factually unimportant.
Not because Dave made Time magazine — and a dollar — but mainly because Dave honestly thinks he's swinging. He feels a certain pulse and plays a certain pulse which gives him pleasure and a sense of exaltation because he's sincerely doing something the way he, Dave Brubeck, feels like doing it. And as you said in your story, Miles, "if a guy makes you pat your foot, and if you feel it down your back, etc.," then Dave is the swingingest by your own definition, Miles, because at Newport and elsewhere Dave had the whole house patting its feet and even clapping its hands....

No, I haven't read that, but I probably will some day. Musician autobiographies are sort of a favorite with me.