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CHARLES MINGUS Let My Children Hear Music / Charles Mingus And Friends In Concert BGOCD 1140

CD1

Let My Children Hear Music

1. The Shoes Of The Fisherman's Wife Are Some Jive Ass Slippers

2. Adagio Ma Non Troppo

3. Don't Be Afraid, The Clown’s Afraid Too

4. Taurus In The Arena Of Life

5. Hobo Ho

6. The Chill Of Death

7. The I Of Hurricane Sue

Snooky Young, Jimmy Nottingham, Lonny Hillyer, Joe Wilder - Trumpet

Julius Watkins - French horn

Charles McPherson, Jerry Dodgion - Alto sax

Bobby Jones, James Moody - Tenor sax

Roland Hanna - Piano

Charles McCracken - Cello

Charles Mingus - Bass, piano

Ron Carter, Richard Davis, Milt Hinton - Bass

Donnie Richmond - Drums

CD2

Charles Mingus And Friends in Concert

1. Introduction

2. Jump Monk

3. E.S.P.

4. Ecclusiastics

5. Eclipse

6. Us Is Two

7. Taurus In The Arena Of Life (aka Number One Grandson)

8. Mingus Blues

9. Introduction to Little Royal Suite

10. Little Royal Suite

    CD3

    Charles Mingus And Friends In Concert (continued)

1. Introduction to Strollin'

2. Strollin'

3. The I Of Hurricane Sue

4. E's Flat, Ah's Flat Too (aka Hora Decubitus)

5. Ool-Ya-Koo

6. Portrait

7. Don't Be Afraid, The Clown's Afraid Too

   Eddie Preston - Trumpet

   Lonnie Hillyer - Trumpet

   Jon Faddis - Trumpet

   Lloyd Michels - Trumpet

   Eddie Bert - Bass trombone

   Sharon Moe, Richard Berg - French horn

   Robert Stewart - Tuba

   Charles McPherson, Lee Konitz, Richie Perri - Alto sax

   Gene Ammons, George Dorsey - Tenor sax

   Bobby Jones - Tenor sax, clarinet

   Gerry Mulligan, Howard Johnson - Baritone sax

   John Foster, Randy Weston - Piano

   Charles Mingus, Milt Hinton - Bass

   Joe Chambers - Drums

   Honey Gordon - Vocals (track 5, CD2, tracks 2, 6, CD3)

   Dizzy Gillespie - Vocals (track 5, CD3)

   Bill Cosby - Compere, vocals (track 5, CD3)

   Sy Johnson - Arranger

   Teo Macero - Conductor

Charles Mingus was both a jazz colossus and a highly complex personality. He could be volatile and violent, as musicians he worked with could testify. Sometimes this behaviour also manifested itself with members of the general public. He had a strong sense of justice, illustrated by his commitment to the civil rights movement and his anger at lazy racial-stereotyping. He famously said 'Don't call me a jazz musician. To me the word “jazz” means nigger, discrimination, second-class citizenship, the whole back-of-the-bus bit.' Mingus, nevertheless, somehow managed to encompass most of the history of jazz in his musical journey. Traditional jazz, at the start of his career, swing, bebop, modern jazz (though, despite claims from others that he was one of the prime inspirations for free jazz, he tended to distance himself from too close an identification with that) and, of course, blues and black gospel music, all were part of his experience and fed his creative energies. As a bass player he was innovative and subscribed to the view that improvisation is actually a form of composition. It is as a composer and leader that his greatest contribution was made. He loved the notion of collective improvisation and his bands and groups bear the marks of that style.

The two albums which make up this three-CD set both date from the early 1970s and Let My Children Hear Music, recorded in the latter part of 1971, was described by Mingus as 'the best album I ever made'. That may be so but, given that Charles had almost 60 albums to his credit in all, opinion is bound to be divided and it is a fact that the album is rarely listed by critics as among his greatest. However, this album, together with a live concert performance from February 1972, Charles Mingus and Friends In Concert, now remastered and repackaged, still counts as a very worthwhile listening experience. The leaflet which accompanies it contains an essay by Mingus, sleeve notes from 1973 for the later concert, and a new (2014) commentary on the discs. It lists the soloists from Let My Children Hear Music but not the band line-up which I've had to glean from elsewhere. The soloists from the two concert CDs are given and there is a list of musicians involved. A word of warning. There may have been two further bassists on Let My Children... and Jaki Byard may have been there on piano in addition to Roland Hanna. Sources differ.

What about the music? The Shoes Of The Fisherman's Wife Are Some Jive Ass Slippers (Mingus had a penchant for convoluted titles!), the opening track on the first CD, moves from a solemn, even noirish, beginning featuring brass and reeds into a piece that becomes increasingly urgent and busy but with occasional quieter intervals. The effect is chaotic at times (polyphony at work, no doubt). A reprise of the original theme brings it to a conclusion. Adagio Ma Non Troppo, arranged this time by Alan Raph, put me in mind of Sketches of Spain but with looser scoring. The brass section is splendid, the cello prominent and there is some fervent tenor playing. Don't Be Afraid, The Clown's Afraid Too appears to have a circus theme, opening with simulated animal and crowd noises, some fine trumpet, then tenor and alto playing off one another, skilful drumming by Dannie Richmond, the total rollercoaster effect one of great fun, even those moments when it sounds as if everyone is stampeding for the exit.

Taurus In The Arena Of Life was not on the original LP release in 1972 but was recorded at the same time as the other tracks. It sounds, briefly, like a baroque classical composition for piano before the saxophones take over. There is expansive trumpet and an effective combination of reeds and brass as well as interplay between the horns before the first refrain comes back. I really warmed to Hobo Ho. It features a powerful Mingus bass opening, a rich swinging tenor sound from James Moody, the percussive drive of Dannie Richmond and the brass section busting a gut. The horns play their part, too. This fairly hurtles along and has real momentum and excitement, the French horn of Julius Watkins calm in the midst of the storm. It culminates in a gentle blues-inflected finish. The Chill Of Death is essentially an atmospheric poem both written and read by Mingus, with an appropriate orchestral arrangement behind his voice. Perhaps indulgent, certainly a curiosity, it none the less has Charles McPherson delivering in style on alto. The I Of Hurricane Sue is inspired by the childhood nickname her brothers gave to Mingus's wife Sue. After a beginning suggestive of wind and storm, it hits its stride in authentic Big Band mode with James Moody providing a rousing solo contribution. What comes through on this first disc is how often the soloists are provided with the opportunity to shine. Some great and gifted musicians strut their stuff here. And although dissonance is never far away with Mingus, there is far more to praise than quibble about.

Charles Mingus And Friends In Concert is spread across two further CDs. The comedian and actor Bill Cosby comperes this live concert, the first Mingus had given in the States for ten years. Tracks 1 and 9 on CD2, together with track 1 on CD3, are just Cosby providing introductions for what follows. At other points too, especially on the final disc, his interventions can be heard. Jump Monk, a tribute to the great Thelonius, which dates back to Mingus's early recording days, starts slowly then rocks along, with shrieking brass behind the soloists, in particular Gene Ammons who gives a typically robust performance on the tenor. E.S.P. absolutely hits the spot. A reworking of Extrasensory Perception, first recorded in 1952, it has genuine momentum with Mingus's walking bass helping to propel things, Hillyer excellent on trumpet, Gene Ammons swinging for all he is worth, Konitz on form and Gerry Mulligan, as often when he plays with a big band, giving an assured and gutsy performance. All this and dynamic interaction plus exemplary ensemble work – what more could you ask? On Ecclusiastics, Mingus's experience of church music and the blues come together. The lead-in is grounded in the blues and the music as a whole ebbs and flows between that blues emphasis and an ebullient gospel thread. The two tenors, Gene Ammons and Bobby Jones are to the forefront and the precocious trumpeter, Jon Faddis, takes an active role, too. As usual the theme repeats itself as we approach the final stretch, yet it turns out that we exit with a bang (or, at least, reach a crescendo!). Sheer delight.

Eclipse , a song written with Billie Holliday in mind almost twenty years previously, is brief and is delivered by a rather mannered Honey Gordon. Us Is Two moves along nicely and features the riffs characteristic of much of the material and orchestration on these discs. For me, this track is primarily a vehicle for the soloists – Charles McPherson who provides a solo with soul on the alto, Bobby Jones with a vigorous stint on tenor and Gene Ammons with a smoother, more expansive solo on the same instrument. Taurus In The Arena Of Life (aka Number One Grandson) refers to Mingus's star sign. This track has a Kentonesque feel about it and is easy on the ear with Ammons and Jones repeating their solo duties on this Latin-tinged theme. Eddie Preston is impressive on the trumpet. Mingus Blues begins with a Mingus bass solo. Gene Ammons gives a virile performance on tenor and John Foster offers rhythmic support on piano. Mingus and Ammons have a purple passage trading notes towards the end. Little Royal Suite is a 20-minute piece dedicated to trumpeter Roy Eldridge. Ideally, Eldridge would have played at the concert but he was too ill to oblige so emerging talent Jon Faddis, although more a disciple of Dizzy Gillespie than Eldridge, stepped in and played with passion and panache, hitting the high notes with ease. The overall theme is strong and full of interest. There’s a ballad flavour initially, then the tempo radically increases and ultimately we're treated to a blues. The rich orchestral textures and sound are a reminder of the influence of Duke Ellington on Mingus. Gene Ammons is up front again and shows why he is one of the consistently appealing musicians on this disc. The other reed players contribute to the quality of the ensemble playing, as well as showcasing their own abilities. Joe Chambers is a powerhouse on drums. A great listen.

So to the third disc. Strollin' does much more justice to the talents of singer Honey Gordon than her previous outing. There is more of a hint of the divine Sarah (Vaughan) in her voice. She has authentic jazz timbre and bends her notes with aplomb. This is a number that the band moves along briskly and after they take over from Honey there is classic horns/brass counterpoint to relish. This track is a swinger and a pleasure to hear. The I Of Hurricane Sue, an addition to the original contents of the LP, makes a second appearance on this compilation. Charles McPherson provides some sterling alto – showing the influence, first of Johnny Hodges, then of Charlie Parker, on his playing. The pianist John Foster is crisp and vigorous when his turn comes. The riffs so characteristic of Mingus's music are evident in the ensemble work. E's Flat, Ah's Flat Too (aka Hora Decubitus), 17 minutes long, is a hectic number which gives a whole string of soloists a turn in the limelight. The vigorous Gene Ammons, the agile Jon Faddis, a punchy Gerry Mulligan stand out in particular, together with the fleet-fingered Randy Weston on the piano and a Milt Hinton bass solo. Nor must I forget Lee Konitz playing with verve and invention or James Moody's fluent contribution on the flute.

Ool-Ya-Koo highlights Dizzy Gillespie's scat singing with Bill Cosby as his sparring partner. Fun. Portrait, a ballad, has Honey Gordon, who has previously held her own against the big band sound, losing the battle occasionally here. Although there's a Mingus solo, this track feels less satisfactory than much else on the disc. Don't Be Afraid, The Clown's Afraid Too can also be found on the Let My Children Hear Music recording. An evocative and catchy theme which, as before, has a 'panic under the Big Top' moment. Mingus himself, Bobby Jones on tenor and Charles McPherson on alto are prominent and Jon Faddis on trumpet reaches for the skies.

The poet and erstwhile jazz critic, Philip Larkin, once referred to 'the usual Mingus brew of exasperation and enchantment'. I must say that I enjoyed these discs much more than I had anticipated. Why? Because, like the audience on the live session, I was treated to rousing ensemble playing and exciting individual contributions from musicians near the top of their game, working with imaginative compositions, skilfully arranged and orchestrated by the likes of Sy Johnson and Mingus. Conductor Teo Macero, who produced several highly successful Miles Davis albums during this same period (the early 70's), also deserves special mention. These discs are full of interest and not just for those who are fans of the extraordinary Charles Mingus.

James Poore

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