The Very Best of Charles Mingus (The Atlantic Years)

Performer: Charles Mingus
Artist: Dannie Richmond; Jackie McLean; Rahsaan Roland Kirk; Booker Ervin; Jimmy Knepper; Mal Waldron; John Handy
Distributor: WEA (Distributor)

Notes: Personnel includes: Charles Mingus (vocals, bass); Jackie McLean, Shafi Hadi, John Handy (alto saxophone); Roland Kirk (tenor saxophone, manzello, stritch, flute, siren); J.R. Monterose, Booker Ervin (tenor saxophone); Pepper Adams (baritone saxophone); Jimmy Knepper, Willie Dennis (trombone); Mal Waldron, Wade Legge, Horace Parlan (piano); Doug Watkins (bass); Willie Jones, Dannie Richmond (drums). Producer: Nesuhi Ertegun. Compilation producer: Patrick Milligan. Engineers include: Tom Dowd, Hall Lustig, Phil Iehle. Recorded at Audio-Video Studios, New York, New York on January 30, 1956 and at Atlantic Studios, New York, New York between March 12, 1957 and November 6, 1961. Includes liner notes by Neil Tesser. Digitally remastered by Dan Hersch (DigiPrep). Personnel: Charles Mingus (bass guitar); Jackie McLean (alto); Shafi Hadi (alto saxophone); J.R. Monterose, Booker Ervin (tenor saxophone); Pepper Adams (baritone saxophone); Jimmy Knepper, Willie Dennis (trombone); Horace Parlan, Mal Waldron, Wade Legge (piano); Dannie Richmond, Willie Jones (drums). Audio Remasterer: Dan Hersch. The task of choosing the best work of Charles Mingus would be a daunting one. There's literally so much good material in a number of different settings, that the "best" of Charles Mingus could never be contained on one CD. Then again, it is extremely difficult for a newcomer to approach Mingus' multiple recordings and know where to begin. Rhino has solved this problem by offering a one-stop disc with a number of classic Mingus recordings. The vibrant "Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting" is filled with hand clapping, horn blasting, and shouting, and it seems impossible that this loose and wild music will hold together for the duration. Mingus somehow manages to ground himself in tradition on pieces like "Tonight at Noon" while simultaneously creating music that borders on free jazz. It's fascinating that an untamed piece like "Pithecanthropus Erectus" can hold an Ellington-esque piano solo at its very center. Another excellent inclusion is "Haitian Flight Song," beginning with Mingus' untamed bass work before mushrooming into a riotous celebration of squealing horns and heavy percussion. There are certain types of jazz that the listener will allow to politely fade into the background; there are also types of jazz that rudely demand to be heard. Mingus falls into the second category. Of course, one could complain about certain items -- like "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat" -- that didn't show up on this best-of. But so what? There's more than enough excellent material here to hook the listener to the flamboyant and rich stylings of Charles Mingus. Once this has been accomplished, the listener will gladly seek out and collect other gems. ~ Ronnie D. Lankford, Jr. This 11-cut greatest-hits collection of the recordings of Charles Mingus is simply comprised of what are considered to be his best-known titles recorded for the Atlantic label between 1956 and 1959. The title tune from Pithecanthropus Erectus kicks off the set in grand style with fine solos by Jackie McLean on alto and J.R. Monterose on tenor. It is followed by "Profile of Jackie" from the same set. It's followed by the title track from Tonight at Noon, which wasn't released until 1964. Two other cuts from that same session, the wonderful "Haitian Fight Song" and "Reincarnation of a Lovebird," with longtime bandmates drummer Dannie Richmond and trombonist Jimmy Knepper, were originally released on The Clown. The latter two cuts are truly among the most loved tunes by the great composer, bandleader, and bassist. Three cuts from Blues and Root -- issued in 1960 -- follow, including Bobby Timmons' "Moanin'," and "Cryin' Blues." Once more, McLean, along with John Handy, hold down the alto chairs, with Richmond and Knepper as well as pianist Horace Parlan and tenor boss Booker Ervin in the mix as well. The final three tracks, "Ecclusiastics," the beautiful "Passions of a Man," and "Wham Bam Thank You Ma'am" are all taken from the Oh Yeah session, issued in 1962. This date included the up and coming Roland Kirk on his trademark array of instruments, with Ervin, Knepper, bassist Doug Watkins, and Richmond on drums. Mingus played piano and did his vocal thing on the final cut. Unfortunately, nothing form Mingus at Antibes is included here, but as a consolation, there are excellent liner notes by Neil Tesser, author of the Playboy Guide to Jazz. This is a decent, even fine introduction to some of the best recordings by Mingus before his jump to Columbia, and can be had for a nominal price tag by the curious. ~ Thom Jurek

Q (5/01, p.132) - 4 stars out of 5 - "...For anyone wanting a crash course in Mingusology this'll do nicely....keystones of the man's enduring reputation..."

Charles Mingus poured the full weight of his experience into everything he played. He was a powerful virtuoso on bass, and as a composer he drew on the whole history of jazz to produce works of trenchant beauty. Above all, he was an artist whose uncompromising spirit invited both controversy and adulation. In the '40s and '50s he worked as bassist for everyone from Kid Ory and Louis Armstrong to Charlie Parker and Thelonious Monk. Mingus began recording as a leader in the early '50s, and by the end of the decade he was at the peak of his powers as bandleader, arranger, and composer. He incorporated the influence of gospel, blues, and European classical composers into a big-band jazz format, crafting an innovative, completely unique sound. Mingus died of Lou Gehrig's Disease in 1978, but his mark on subsequent musical generations is indelible.

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