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Mingus's most unappreciated album?


theteach

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I haven't heard all of Mingus, but the one I recently unearthed and was floored by is the East Coasting.

That band was amazing! West Coast Ghost sounds like a pencil sketch for the 1959 Columbia masterpieces.

The biggest surprise was Gene Clarence Shaw. For the risk of sounding overly enthusiastic, I'll say that he was one of the best, most inventive trumpet players I have ever heard. What a tone!!! Along with Richard Williams he is now my favorite "forgotten talent". Shafi Hadi was up there already. Another little-known talent that vanished without a trace, it seems.

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Pondering this one again I would have to nominate 'Mingus Moves' on Atlantic. This one grabbed me strongly from first listen back in the 70s. Not only does it have the Adams/Pullen powerhouse in great form but the compositions/arrangements are also good and Danny Richmond is just raring to go at the drums (I think he had just recently returned to both Mingus and jazz after a haitus playing rock). Not too much is heard of Ronald Hampton on trumpet but what he does play fits in well. This one sometimes gets lukewarm reviews but IMO its a very good one and makes an interesting contrast with the somewhat more mannered 'Changes 1 & 2' albums of this vintage.

The other nominee would probably have to be 'Mingus at the Bohemia' LP on Debut. First heard this on a Prestige 70s twofer but it's now one the great Debut CD set. Sound is great for the time, the Bert/Barrow front line is first rate and the atmosphere of the performance is very well captured. :tup

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I haven't heard all of Mingus, but the one I recently unearthed and was floored by is the East Coasting.

That band was amazing! West Coast Ghost sounds like a pencil sketch for the 1959 Columbia masterpieces.

The biggest surprise was Gene Clarence Shaw. For the risk of sounding overly enthusiastic, I'll say that he was one of the best, most inventive trumpet players I have ever heard. What a tone!!! Along with Richard Williams he is now my favorite "forgotten talent". Shafi Hadi was up there already. Another little-known talent that vanished without a trace, it seems.

If you haven't heard them, you also need Tiajuana Moods and A Modern Jazz Symposium of Poetry and Music, which also feature Gene Shaw.

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Nobody ever talks about "Right Now" (Fantasy), recorded in 1964, although not issued until 1967. I bought this one when it came out, and it just smokes! It consists of two side-long performances by Mingus' band recorded live at the Jazz Workshop in San Francisco. The tunes are "Meditations" and "Fables of Faubus". The band is Clifford Jordan, Jane Getz, Mingus, & Danny Richmond, and on side 2 John Handy sits in. Lots of fire on this one.

And Marty, I agree with you about the Atlantic Carnegie Hall record - a barker! :bad:

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That is the 2nd cover. The original is the basis of the current cd reissue.

This record has had many covers over the years. My first copy, which I bought back in the mid 60's, was the grey "Wonderland" cover. The third release was on Solid State, and the fourth was on UA in the "Douglas Series". Whichever, this is one of my favorite Mingus albums.

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Yes, Solid State, that's the one I have.

Funny how that Alan Douglas/UA stuff seemed to linger in-print under in various guises over the years. What was the deal with him anyway? He's best known to me for his various Hendrix follies, but obviously there's more to the story...

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The original release was produced for UA by Nat Hentoff. The color cover is on the current cd. Alan Douglas started the UAJ series and reissued the Mingus record and did some fine original recordings as well.

After leaving UA Douglas formed FM records and did the Dolphy sessions as well as some pop/folk material. This eventually morphed into the Douglas label and a bunch of interesting stuff including the Wildflowers material. Interesting dude, indeed.

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I'll throw in a mention of Pithecanthropus Erectus and Blue Bird, both on America - neither would be on my list of desert island Mingus records, but they're good records and are definitely overlooked. They marked a return to recording for Mingus after a five year hiatus.

Cumbia and Jazz Fusion probably deserves a mention in this thread too, tho I don't know how overlooked it is.

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