Charles Mingus Tonight at Noon (24bit Remastered) (1965)

This pair of 1960 studio sessions represents some of Charles Mingus' best arrangements. Leading the smaller of two groups, he interpolates "Exactly Like You" into a driving version of "Take the 'A' Train" and adds a soulful blues, "Prayer for Passive Resistance," both of which feature great solos by tenor saxophonists Booker Ervin, Yusef Lateef, and Joe Farrell…

The Charles Mingus Quintet & Max Roach is an album by Charles Mingus, recorded at the Café Bohemia in December 1955 and released in 1964. Further recordings from the concert were released under the title Mingus at the Bohemia. The Mingus/Roach/Mal Waldron dialogs overcome the ordinary stylings of Eddie Bert and George Barrow.

In spite of the electric guitars, which don't really fit that well, the title track is one of the more successful Charles Mingus efforts at extended composition. The list of section titles for the work is a valuable document in itself; it includes the "Super Bebop Blues (Check Bird Out)" with George Coleman and the dudes who are advancing group improvisation, while USA press ignores them. And still does. Not his best work, but not without merit.

The great bassist and composer Charles Mingus had his diehard supporters and detractors. His explosive intermingling of devil may care attitude, imposing character and aggressive music was sure to rub some listeners the wrong way and was just as likely to attract adventurous fans. But his genius could not be denied; it just may have taken some time to break down barriers.

The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady is one of the greatest achievements in orchestration by any composer in jazz history. Charles Mingus consciously designed the six-part ballet as his magnum opus, and – implied in his famous inclusion of liner notes by his psychologist – it's as much an examination of his own tortured psyche as it is a conceptual piece about love and struggle. It veers between so many emotions that it defies easy encapsulation; for that matter, it can be difficult just to assimilate in the first place. Yet the work soon reveals itself as a masterpiece of rich, multi-layered texture and swirling tonal colors, manipulated with a painter's attention to detail. There are a few stylistic reference points – Ellington, the contemporary avant-garde, several flamenco guitar breaks – but the totality is quite unlike what came before it. Mingus relies heavily on the timbral contrasts between expressively vocal-like muted brass, a rumbling mass of low voices (including tuba and baritone sax), and achingly lyrical upper woodwinds, highlighted by altoist Charlie Mariano.

Candid may not have the same name brand recognition as, say Blue Note or Impulse! But during its brief existence (roughly 1960 to 1963), the label made its mark on the jazz and blues worlds—as a recent series of remastered reissues, including LPs by Abbey Lincoln, Max Roach, Lightnin’ Hopkins and Otis Spann, ably demonstrates. The cream of the crop is Charles Mingus Presents Charles Mingus, recorded in October 1960 and released the following year. It’s a thoroughly crackling affair, highlighting the composer at one of his many peaks and featuring an awesome lineup of musicians: Mingus’ trusted drummer Dannie Richmond, underrated trumpet player Ted Curson, and—best of all—the inimitable alto sax and bass clarinet stylings of Eric Dolphy.

In 1973 Atlantic Records began its second period of recording with Mingus, which resulted in seven studio albums. The story of a new phase in Mingus’ music – his last phase – begins with the recordings in this boxed set. Featuring all of his 1970s output for Atlantic Records, all configurations of the album include previously unreleased outtakes of “Big Alice,” “The Call” and “Music For Todo Modo.” There is also an extra set of takes of “Big Alice” and “The Call” on an Outtakes disc exclusive to the vinyl format.