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
. The band includes longtime
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
' 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
' most revered influences:
"Open Letter to Duke"
is inspired by
Duke Ellington
"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
album as definitive, but
comes the closest. ~ Steve Huey