Bassist/Composer Charles Mingus: "Mingus Ah Um"

This album which received raves from the critics and public alike was bassist/composer Charles Mingus' debut on a major label, Columbia Records. It was Mingus' breakthrough from the Jazz underground. Not only was the music great and played by one of Mingus' best bands but it was beautifully recorded. Mingus was given free reign to hire and do what he wished and was also allowed to program the record and supervise the post-recording editing. It became Mingus' best selling record as well. Mingus regular working band at the time (1959) was a quintet and it comprised three newcomers to New York. Alto and tenor saxophonist John Handy (heard mostly on alto here), and tenor saxophonist Booker Ervin and pianist Horace Parlan and Mingus' reliable and dynamic drummer Dannie Richmond. Columbia permitted Mingus to add alto and tenor saxophonist Shafi Hadi to fill out the ensembles and Jimmy Knepper and Willie Dennis on trombone....all Mingus alumnae. It's all here from the gospel tinged "Better Git it in Your Soul" to the mournful "Goodbye Pork-Pie Hat" to the bitter "Fables of Faubus".....a Mingus classic and tonight's Jazz Feature!