Charles Mingus: "Mingus Ah Um"

Tonight's Jazz Feature should need no introduction to Jazz people as it is an essential classic and arguably one of bassist/composer Charles Mingus' finest albums. It was done for Columbia Records and it was Mingus' first album for a major label which guaranteed wide distribution and a quality product. It became a best seller for Mingus and Columbia. It was critically acclaimed and literally brought Mingus out of the Jazz underground to the Jazz fore forefront.. It featured Mingus' basic Jazz Workshop quintet augmented by a few Mingus alumni from previous Workshop editions. The regulars were: John Handy on alto and tenor saxophones, Booker Ervin on tenor saxophone, Horace Parlan on piano, Mingus on bass and Dannie Richmond on drums.. The added horns were Shafi Hadi on tenor and alto in an ensemble role, Jimmy Knepper or Willie Dennis on trombone. Mingus had full control of the date and supervised the post production editing and the sequencing of the tunes on the recording. With this album Mingus widened his audience and his musical influence everywhere. Enjoy Mingus Ah Um tonight as our Jazz Feature celebrating Mingus' 103rd Birthday Anniversary tomorrow April 22.