CHARLES MINGUS — The Very Best of Charles Mingus (review)

CHARLES MINGUS — The Very Best of Charles Mingus album cover Boxset / Compilation · 2001 · Post Bop Buy this album from MMA partners
4/5 ·
Amilisom
I tend to feel negatively towards compilation albums, especially posthumous ones that seem to have the sole purpose of getting more money simply by re-releasing old tunes. You could say that in this case I actually fell victim to this while I was still new to jazz, and bought this compilation of Mingus tunes very vaguely named "The Best of". But at that moment, I had never heard any Charles Mingus and had been encouraged by a record store worker that I wouldn't regret buying Mingus.

And he was absolutely right. Being my introduction to Mingus, I was really impressed with everything this album had to offer. The soul, timbre, and chaos were unlike anything I'd ever heard before. There is a certain passionate attitude in this music I couldn't find from other jazz albums I'd been listening to. Eventually I did listen to other Mingus albums like "Mingus Ah Um" and realized this obviously wasn't truly the best of Mingus. In fact, no tracks from "Mingus Ah Um" are even on this compilation, despite the fact that it is regarded by many to be Mingus's best.

Despite all of this, I continue to enjoy the music from this compilation today. "Reincarnation of a Lovebird" is perhaps my favorite, creating such a beautiful melody out of obscure chord changes and rhythm still impresses me. "Moanin'" is probably the best baritone saxophone tune I've ever heard. "Pithecanthropus Erectus" uses dynamics to create a really mysterious sound before avant-garde chaos breaks through.

Although I would never recommend a compilation album, I still am inclined to give this 4/5.

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