Mingus Ah Um Charles Mingus Artist

{|Charles Mingus|}' debut for {|Columbia|}, {|Mingus Ah Um|} is a stunning summation of the bassist's talents and probably the best reference point for beginners. While there's also a strong case for {|The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady|} as his bes... Read more

{|Charles Mingus|}' debut for {|Columbia|}, {|Mingus Ah Um|} is a stunning summation of the bassist's talents and probably the best reference point for beginners. While there's also a strong case for {|The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady|} as his best work overall, it lacks {|Ah Um|}'s immediate accessibility and brilliantly sculpted individual tunes. {|Mingus|}' compositions and arrangements were always extremely focused, assimilating individual spontaneity into a firm consistency of mood, and that approach reaches an ultra-tight zenith on {|Mingus Ah Um|}. The band includes longtime {|Mingus|} stalwarts already well versed in his music, like saxophonists {|John Handy|}, {|Shafi Hadi|}, and {|Booker Ervin|}; trombonists {|Jimmy Knepper|} and {|Willie Dennis|}; pianist {|Horace Parlan|}; and drummer {|Dannie Richmond|}. Their razor-sharp performances tie together what may well be {|Mingus|}' greatest, most emotionally varied set of compositions. At least three became instant classics, starting with the irrepressible spiritual exuberance of signature tune {|Better Get It in Your Soul,|} taken in a hard-charging 6/8 and punctuated by joyous {|gospel|} shouts. {|Goodbye Pork Pie Hat|} is a slow, graceful elegy for {|Lester Young|}, who died not long before the sessions. The sharply contrasting {|Fables of Faubus|} is a savage mockery of segregationist Arkansas governor {|Orval Faubus|}, portrayed musically as a bumbling {|vaudeville|} clown (the scathing lyrics, censored by skittish executives, can be heard on {|Charles Mingus Presents Charles Mingus|}). The underrated {|Boogie Stop Shuffle|} is bursting with aggressive {|swing|}, and elsewhere there are tributes to {|Mingus|}' most revered influences: {|Open Letter to Duke|} is inspired by {|Duke Ellington|} and {|Jelly Roll|} is an idiosyncratic yet affectionate nod to {|jazz|}'s first great composer, {|Jelly Roll Morton|}. It simply isn't possible to single out one {|Mingus|} album as definitive, but {|Mingus Ah Um|} comes the closest. ~ Steve Huey Less