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Charles Mingus
Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus


4.5
superb

Review

by 204409 EMERITUS
June 27th, 2006 | 29 replies


Release Date: 1964 | Tracklist


Charles Mingus - Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus

Part Swedish, English, Chinese, and African, notoriously angry, and impossibly creative, Charles Mingus is one of the most famous jazz composers of all time and certainly the most prominent bassist, yet his persona is confusing, diverse, and patchworked. Sure, many popular jazz musicians sported famously self-destructive habits (see also, teh heroin) or personality traits (manic depression), but nobody channeled his own quirks or shortcomings better than Mingus. Some songs are rich, over the top, and aggressive, yet others are also very sensual or intimate, belying the volatility of the composer. And, if his most important compositions are to be used as porthole into Mingus' true personality, the result is just as confused and sporadic as his outward demeanor. To hear "Haitian Fight Song" and then "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat," for example, is to view two sides of the same person, continuously flipping back and forth.

With that said, the album Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus, which will hereafter be known as Mingus x5, is really a 45 minute summation of Mingus' wide range of these techniques, influences, and styles. This particular album, excepting "Mood Indigo," a Duke Ellington piece, is really just a rerecording of many of Mingus' most striking or famous songs. For example, the two aforementioned songs do in fact appear in the same collection, which are renamed to "II B.S." and "Theme for Lester Young" respectively. So, while those familiar with the original recordings may feel slighted by having an LP full of old material, I feel that this serves as a fitting denouement for Mingus' career. Also, it can serve as a solid introduction to new fans as it acts that way as a greatest hits album, albeit, a wonderfully rerecorded one.

It's because of this greatest hits-esque quality that I want to speak generally about Mingus' style as much as I want to speak specifically about this album. I love how rich all of his harmonies and rhythms are. It enables his songs to be challenging and interesting, and gives his songs a distinctive and memorable twist, rendering each song particularly idiosyncratic. Even the simple blues and dominant circle of fifths chains present in "Better Get Hit in Yo' Soul" feel a little more interesting from the speed at which they are executed. Mingus, as a bassist, always has a unique rhythmic pattern on his songs, which are particularly fun and impressive on the faster songs. "Better Get Hit in Yo' Soul"'s melody and subsequent choruses alternate between the triplet feel of 12/8 and a slower and smoother 4/4, which gives the song a really fun pacing, which suits the lighter and simpler blues background. "II B.S." benefits from both a slinky bass introduction, interesting cymbal accents, and a catchy as hell melodic line that forces the horns into a harrowingly speedy execution. On the harmonic side, which likely also benefits from Mingus' ability with the bass, the rich harmonies also make the songs feel more grandiose, which particularly helps the slower songs like "I X Love" and "Mood Indigo," which seem to languish and amble along as they wrap themselves around the large sounds Mingus chooses to employ.

On a broader, more general level, Mingus x5 feels particularly sensual. There is about a 50-50 split between songs that are played as ballads, or at least slower swings, and songs that are played much faster, yet, the most dominant and memorable songs are the ones that take their time like "Mood Indigo" and "Theme for Lester Young." The faster pieces like "Better Get Hit in Yo' Soul" and "Hora Decubitus" feel like interludes and pacemakers for the true gems of the album. Though, those looking for Mingus' more physically demanding or virtuostic songs may prefer the the more aggressive ones, which I feel are played better here than on any prior recording, I really prefer the tasteful and refined sense I get from the slower tracks, which are almost haunting in their beautiful, slow, drawling style. Indeed, it is a well recorded and clutch album to represent Mingus, though it is rather hodgepodge, due to the diversity of style, but I feel this album is a true classic in Mingus' catalogue, as well as in the jazz world. Unfortunately, this is not striking, new material, but mostly rerecordings making it stale for those looking for new stuff. I, however, as a relative Mingus n00b, love what I hear, even when held against the original recordings found on other LPs.



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user ratings (258)
4.1
excellent


Comments:Add a Comment 
pulseczar
June 28th 2006


2385 Comments


Great review, I got to go get me some Mingus.

STLMiguel
June 28th 2006


335 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

His best after Black Saint? No way. I'll take most of his Columbia albums over anything other than Black Saint.

204409
Emeritus
June 28th 2006


3998 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

Hep Kat obviously just read some AMG review and assumed that it had to be right. Haha.

br3ad_man
June 28th 2006


2126 Comments


Out of Black Saint, Mingus Ah Um and this, this is my second favourite behind Black Saint. Meh. Nice review.

STLMiguel
June 28th 2006


335 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

Hahaha. Good review, by the way, nice to see the old school jazz getting some love. I

reviewed some Miles, I should do more of his stuff sometime.This Message Edited On 06.27.06

STLMiguel
June 28th 2006


335 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

I'll just go on about how awesome Lonely Women is and then get distracted by the pretty sweater Ornette is wearing on The Shape of Jazz to Come. He is pretty like a princess in that thing.

STLMiguel
June 28th 2006


335 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

Yeah people suck. Sorry dude. I'll buy you a sweater for your hard work.

STLMiguel
June 28th 2006


335 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

you'll like what I buy you



On topic, Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus would have been a better title.

STLMiguel
June 28th 2006


335 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

Sorry about the whole not being much of a jazz person thing.

204409
Emeritus
June 28th 2006


3998 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

Do you play an instrument or are you just a sputnik troll?

204409
Emeritus
June 28th 2006


3998 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

I recommend then "II B.S." Likeable bassline. Also another really fun song is "Spain" by Chick Corea/Return to Forever

Rams
June 28th 2006


31 Comments


A quality Mingus album, but the songs are just a bit too recycled to buy.

gaslight
January 4th 2008


46 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

Mingus is a legend, love him a lot as a bassist and a composer.

robin
August 5th 2008


4596 Comments


i managed to dig this up pretty quickly after you suggested it, and i have to say the music is growing on me quite a bit. i'm not aware of the amount of vocals that pop up in jazz, but i do enjoy the longer tracks because of their lack of it i.e. I X love

204409
Emeritus
August 5th 2008


3998 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

I can't think of many jazz albums I have with vocals. Glad to hear you're digging on this. I'd love to see more people bumping this.

Eliminator
August 6th 2008


2067 Comments


mingus sounds siqq on my new 21" sub woofers

jefflebowski
November 27th 2011


8573 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

5th best mingus after Blues and Roots, Let My Children Hear Music, Ah Um and Black Saint

oltnabrick
December 13th 2013


40765 Comments


m i n g u s / m i n g u s / m i n g u s / m i n g u s / m i n g u s

Havey
December 13th 2013


12273 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

third best mingus i'd say

Relinquished
December 13th 2013


48973 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

agree



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