Music discussed:
Charles Mingus – Jazz in Detroit / Strata Concert Gallery / 46 Selden
(Recorded February 13, 1973, released November 2, 2018 – BBE Records)
Link to Bandcamp
Link to Apple Music
Link to Spotify
Charles Mingus – Mingus Moves
(Recorded October 29, 30 and 31, 1973, released 1973, Atlantic SD 1653)
Link to Apple Music
Link to Spotify
Charles Mingus – Live At Carnegie Hall
(Recorded January 19, 1974; Originally issued 1974 with C Jam Blues and Perdido only; Complete concert issued 6/11/2021 Rhino Records)
Link to Apple Music
Link to Spotify
Charles Mingus – Changes One
Charles Mingus – Changes Two
(Recorded December 27, 28 and 30, 1974, Released 1975 – Atlantic SD 1677 [Changes One] Atlantic SD 1678 [Changes Two])
Changes One:
Link to Apple Music
Link to Spotify
Changes Two:
Link to Apple Music
Link to Spotify
Charles Mingus – Bremen 1975
(Recorded July 9, 1975 – Cool Jazz (J) 346/347; Reissue released November 13, 2020 with Bremen 1964 – Sunnyside)
Link to Bandcamp
Link to Apple Music
Link to Spotify
April 22nd was the centennial of Charles Mingus’ birth! Hopefully, Mingus needs no introduction to the readers of this blog, but for some Mingus may be just a name. Unfortunately, sometimes even the greatest art is quickly forgotten, and art lovers will always have to work on communicating their passion and appreciation to the world. Even for an artist as great as Mingus, we need to continue to share his music, with its embodiment of humanity, outrage at injustice, arresting surrealism and so much beauty. Mingus at 100 is something to celebrate and proselytize.
Mingus’ music from the early 1950’s to the early 1960’s is better known – his incredible compositions from the period, the great 1953 Massey Hall concert with Charlie Parker, the astounding albums of the late 1950’s and early 60’s for Columbia and Atlantic (start with Mingus Ah Um!) and his scorching small group with Eric Dolphy are all justly celebrated. This post will bypass those well known landmarks and look at the lesser-explored band Mingus led at the end of his career in the 1970’s.
In spite of Mingus’ brilliance and influence, it was not a foregone conclusion that the world would get to hear Mingus music after 1966. In that year, Mingus hit rock bottom, and the depths of his fall was remarkably caught on film. Thomas Reichman’s documentary Mingus captures the great bassist looking through his scattered belongings the night before he was evicted and locked out of his home. How did Mingus hit this low? It’s been speculated that his decline was caused by the death of bandmate Eric Dolpy in 1964, or maybe was due to more diffuse problems of poverty after the collapse of a jazz scene in the 60’s, compounded by Mingus’ personal problems. Whatever the cause, Mingus didn’t record a note for over four years.
In 1970 Mingus finally returned to activity with a band featuring saxophonists Charles McPherson and Bobby Jones which was captured on the Paris-recorded America Sessions. This hesitant first step was followed by the striking large ensemble writing of Let My Children Hear Music, which signaled that Mingus was finally back. Mingus followed that February 1972 release with touring the McPherson/Jones small group, which is unfortunately not documented on any commercial recordings. But from early 1973 on, the personnel of Mingus’ small group was consolidated, and we get one wonderful recording after another which shows us the power of Mingus music from the 1970’s as played by the exemplary musicians he surrounded himself with. The recordings below are all majestic, but lesser known.
Jazz in Detroit/Strata Concert Gallery was recorded in February 1973 by radio station WDET-FM and documents a live performance in Detroit. You can hear the concert was poorly attended, but fortunately the music is caught for posterity, and Mingus’ band stretches out on classics like “Peggy’s Blue Skylight,” “Celia” and the little known “Dizzy Mood”, with each performance lasting 20 minutes are more. This is no “pick up” group either – all the ensemble and solo parts are played flawlessly, another example of Mingus’ incredible talent for leading a band. Don Pullen, John Stubblefield, Joe Gardner and Roy Brooks all sound wonderful. There’s a lot here, so for the highlights start with the intense opening track “Pithecanthropus Erectus”, and “Orange Was The Color of Her Dress.” The performances caught at this previously little known gig deserve much more attention, and are a great example of how heavy this music can be, even on a little attended and “ordinary” night.
Later in 1973 Mingus’ favorite drummer Danny Richmond returned to the band after pursuing other musical projects, and the saxophone chair found a long term player in George Adams. Mingus brought this band into the studio on October 29, 30 and 31, 1973 to record Mingus Moves. Richmond would stay with the band until Mingus’ death in 1979, and the personnel of Mingus mid 70’s small group was consolidated. On this all-originals program, Mingus wrote three tunes for this session, and gave space for sidemen and collaborators to present the other three. From Mingus Moves, try “Opus 4”, “Wee” and “Flowers For a Lady.” A great next step, but only hinting at what was to come, one of the most extraordinary nights of Mingus’ career.
On January 19, 1974 Mingus played a concert at Carnegie Hall, the opportunity to perform in the prestigious hall signaling he was finally, truly back! For years the recordings of this concert were released in a truncated form and we only could hear the last two tunes played. This was rectified in 2021, with the release of the entire concert.
The (newly released) first half sees a band playing a bit loosely, but obviously happy to be in the limelight. The band again stretches out on the Mingus tunes (and one by Don Pullen), and the solo statements are all rousing and spirited. In particular, Danny Richmond’s drums sound crackling, and Don Pullen seems overjoyed to be playing on a good piano (never a given on the road!). Another pleasure of this band is the addition of baritone saxophonist Hamiet Bluiett. Like George Adams, Bluiett plays an extended range on his saxophone, and Mingus makes the most of this by arranging his pieces so that Bluiett and Adams’ solos blend into each other. The Carnegie hall date is a great place to experience Mingus’ working band in the limelight.
But even better is the legendary second half. Before the intermission Mingus teases the audience that they should come back for the “battle of the saxophones” and that is what was delivered – Adams and Bluiett joined by John Handy, Charles McPherson and Rahsaan Roland Kirk going toe to toe, each player topping one another in a battle of chops, wit and daring. Who wins? That’s up to you, but the audience in the room reacts volcanically to Kirk, who deploys his unique doubled horns and circular breathing in an incredible display. But all the solos are great and distinct. A classic, and a landmark event. Listen and behold in wonder.
The Carnegie Hall concert signaled not only the return of Mingus soulmate Danny Richmond, but also the arrival of a consistent lineup for the Mingus small group in Pullen/Adams/Richmond/Mingus. This would be Mingus’ group for the next three years, and each recording shows an increasing degree of polish, maturity and depth of group chemistry.
After touring the world for a year, this group recorded Mingus’ classic double album Changes in December 1974, which would be released as Changes One and Changes Two. Most significantly, these albums showed new writing from Mingus, who wrote tunes such as the overtly political “Remember Rockefeller at Attica” and “Free Cell Block F, Tis Nazi USA” and the compositional jewel of Mingus’s 1970’s compositions, “Sue’s Changes.” While the studio sound on these albums is a little flat, the playing shows the polish of great musicians playing together as a working band. In the liner notes, Nat Hentoff interviews Mingus, who says of the Changes records “They’re among the best records I’ve made.” The reason, he said, was “because this band has been together longer than most of the bands I’ve had.”
The small group we’re celebrating lasted into 1975, when Don Pullen left the band, followed later by George Adams. After Mingus’ death from ALS in 1979, Pullen and Adams would form one of the most powerful small groups of the 1980’s with Dannie Richmond and bassist Cameron Brown, which will be the subject of a future TNB! That group carried on the torch of Mingus’ fiery music, and even lent the name to this blog. The music that Mingus made in the 1970’s showed that an artist can be dragged down by life, and through determination and a devotion to craft come back to pursue their art again. In an artist of Mingus’ genius, that second act gave us extraordinary music to wonder at and enjoy.
Some further notes and thoughts:
1) For those interested in some really rare recordings from the Mingus/Pullen/Adams/Richmond band, check out the podcast Deep Focus with guest Gary Lucas. Host Mitch Goldman and Lucas listened to live Mingus from 1973 and 1974 in less than stellar audio but great music. Just as important are the wealth of observations about Mingus and this band. Goldman’s Deep Focus podcast is highly recommended and for those who want to learn a lot more about this music!
2) The Carnegie Hall saxophone battle is so much more fun with a roadmap. I could not find a resource online that gives the solo order on “Perdido” and “C Jam Blues,” but this is what my ears tell me – correct me if I’m wrong!
Perdido: McPherson (as), Bluiett (bs), Kirk (ts), Handy (as), Adams (ts), Faddis (t), Pullen (p)
C Jam Blues: Handy (ts), Bluiett (bs), Adams (ts), Kirk (ts), Faddis (t), McPherson (as)
3) “Sue’s Changes”: I said above it’s the jewel of Mingus 1970’s compositions. It’s a complex extended composition that has a suite-like form, with sections that change in tempo and mood. The composition is really too complex to adequately describe here, and it’s so beautiful and winning that words won’t do it justice – so use the links below to listen!
There are three performances that are commercially available played by Mingus, and in each of these readings have a bravura showcase for the incredible Pullen at the center. The first is on Changes One, recorded December 1974. This 15 minute long performance has a Pullen solo that shows his strong rhythmic sense and his ability to summon the tradition with Ellington-like block chords. Adams’ solo is especially beautiful, digging into his radiant tone to create something wonderful.
By the time the band play’s “Sue’s Changes” in Bremen, Germany on July 9, 1975, the reading of Sue’s Changes had expanded to over 1/2 hour long. Jack Walrath, who had just joined the band at the time of the Changes recording and did not get solo space at that time, takes the first solo here – he sounds confident and has ton a great ideas. Walrath is the surviving member of this band, and has since helped to keep the music of Charles Mingus alive by playing with Mingus Dynasty. Pullen’s solo here leans into the slow opening section of the piece, where he uses great peddling, and then opens the tune up into a long cadenza which seems to suspend time. Magic!
This band is recorded again at the Montreux Jazz Festival 11 days later on July 10, 1975. This time the concert was caught on video, giving us the great pleasure of seeing this band as well. You can watch the 1/2 hour long performance of “Sue Changes” on YouTube in 4 parts – Part 1, 2, 3 and 4. It’s remarkable how different Pullens’ solo is here from the Bremen performance – especially the cadenza, where he deploys a concept of suspended chords that he’d revisit in later performances in the 1980’s. Adams’ solo here is also remarkable, where he indulges his winning and often hilarious penchant for quotation. Great stuff!
4) Go see Mingus Music live! The forcefulness and depth of Mingus music is best captured live, which you can still do, even though the great bassist and composer is gone. If you’re near New York you may know of the long running tradition of the Mingus Big Band, which was formed by Mingus’ widow Sue Mingus, and started performance in NYC in 1991. This weekly gig kept up until the sad demise of the Jazz Standard during the pandemic, which had served as the home for the Mingus Big Band. Now the band is back – and you can catch your dose of Mingus Music at The Django on Mondays, reserve your seat here. I’ll be there soon – and report on it here!