Bassist/Composer Charles Mingus: "The Moods of Charles Mingus"

This month The Jazz Show will be presenting a Charles Mingus Jazz Feature on the four Mondays in April. This is to honor the 100th Anniversary of the birth of Charles Mingus Jr who was born in Nogales, Arizona on April 22,1922. Tonight's recording is an early mature statement by The Charles Mingus Jazz Composer's Workshop which later became the Charles Mingus Jazz Workshop. Mingus' music here reflected a more formal stance with a lot music written out and scored coupled with improvisation. Mingus later abandoned this approach when he switched to delivering his ideas orally or from the piano (Mingus was an accomplished pianist) to the players in his bands. The people involved here are three fine and well trained saxophonists: John LaPorta on alto saxophone and clarinet, Teo Macero on tenor and section baritone saxophone and George Barrow on baritone saxophone. Mal Waldron is on piano and Rudy Nichols is on drums. Mingus is a tower of strength on bass and delivers some rather astounding solos throughout. the six compositions. Four Mingus compositions are featured plus two standards reconfigured and rearranged by Mingus. The date was recorded in New York for Savoy Records on Oct. 31,1954. An early masterpiece by Mr. Mingus. Our first Jazz feature honoring the great man.