Charles Mingus en 3 Temps

Charles Mingus, Paris 1964 Photography by Guy Le Querrec

Album : The Clown

"The Clown" : MINGUS EXPLAINS SONG TITLES 

"I wanted Jean Shepard to narrate it and I told him a little story: this guy does everything to please people- tries all kinds of acts- and finally he invites them all out to watch him shoot himself. But he never does that. I never wanted to be that famous, myself-- to be so accepted that I would put on a show like that, although a lot of people interpreted "The Clown" as being a parallel of myself. I suppose that's what Jean thought he was doing."

Title track of Charles Mingus' "The Clown" (Atlantic Records, 1957).


All the tracks were recorded on March 12, 1957 except for "The Clown", recorded on February 13 of the same year.


Charles Mingus (Bass)
Jean Shepherd (Vocals)
Shafi Hadi (Alto, Tenor Saxophone)
Jimmy Knepper (Trombone)
Wade Legge (Piano)
Dannie Richmond (Drums)

All tracks written by Charles Mingus.

1. "Haitian Fight Song" - 11:57
2. "Blue Cee" - 7:48
3. "Reincarnation of a Lovebird" - 8:31
4. "The Clown" - 12:29

Album : Blues and Roots

"Tensions" : MINGUS EXPLAINS SONG TITLES

  "It's a technically involved composition. I called it that because the guys were tense playing it."

Blues & Roots is an album by Charles Mingus, recorded in 1959 and released in 1960. It has been reissued twice as a CD, first by Atlantic Records, and then again by Rhino Entertainment in 1998.
Mingus explained the birth of this record in the album's liner notes:

"This record is unusual—it presents only one part of my musical world, the blues. A year ago, Nesuhi Ertegün suggested that I record an entire blues album in the style of Haitian Fight Song (in Atlantic LP 1260), because some people, particularly critics, were saying I didn't swing enough. He wanted to give them a barrage of soul music: churchy, blues, swinging, earthy. I thought it over. I was born swinging and clapped my hands in church as a little boy, but I've grown up and I like to do things other than just swing. But blues can do more than just swing. So I agreed."

"Tensions" (6:27) are blues-oriented pieces, dominated by Mingus' intense, virtuoso bass, a strong solo by Ervin, and fiery ensemble playing.


"Tensions" is the perfect name for a Mingus tune.
One of the few virtuoso contrabass players in the truest definition of that word, the emotionally tempestuous bassist could goad all manner of sounds from the tension and release of his fingers on strings.
Charles Mingus' music was often a hot, sweaty mess of collective improvisation, and as both leader and mad scientist, he often drove the members of his band to the limits of their own potential as improvisers. Listen to the pulse behind the stuttering horns on "Tensions." And that solo?
Mercy!


Charles Mingus (Bass)
Jean Shepherd (Vocals)
Shafi Hadi (Alto, Tenor Saxophone)
Jimmy Knepper (Trombone)
Wade Legge (Piano)
Dannie Richmond (Drums)
 Booker Ervin(Tenor Sax)

"Tensions"

Album: Blues and Roots

Artist: Charles Mingus
February 4, 1959, Atlantic Studios (1959-02-04)

1. "Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting" (5:39)
2. "Cryin' Blues" (4:58)
3. "Moanin" (7:57)
4. "Tensions" (6:27)
5. "My Jelly Roll Soul" (6:47)
6. "E's Flat Ah's Flat Too" (6:37)

"Moanin"

 Album : Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus

Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus is a 1963 (see 1963 in music) album by jazz composer and bassist Charles Mingus.

Album: Mingus, Mingus, Mingus, Mingus, Mingus

1. "Theme for Lester Young" – "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat" on Mingus Ah Um
2. "II B.S." – "Haitian Fight Song" on Plus Max Roach and The Clown (also recorded as "Hog Callin' Blues" on Oh Yeah)
3. "Freedom" – "Freedom" on Epitaph
4. "Better Get Hit in Yo' Soul" – "Better Git It in Your Soul" on Mingus Ah Um (also "Better Git Hit in Your Soul" on Mingus at Antibes)
5. "Hora Decubitus" – "E's Flat, Ah's Flat Too" on Blues & Roots
6. "I X Love" – "Duke's Choice" on A Modern Jazz Symposium of Music and Poetry

 

Song: II B.S.

 

"II B.S." is the perfect song to kick off a road trip. It builds anticipation before breaking out into a fast-paced jam that'll have drivers involuntarily putting the pedal to the metal.

Volkswagen used Charles Mingus' song in a 1999 commercial that depicts a hip grandpa sneaking out of his nursing home to speed away with his grandson on a dusty highway to Las Vegas.