Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus

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Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus
Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus cover
Studio album by Charles Mingus
Released 1963
Recorded Jan. 20-Sept. 20, 1963
Genre Jazz
Length 45:39
Label Impulse!
Producer Bob Thiele
Professional reviews
Charles Mingus chronology
The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady
(1963)		 Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus
(1963)		 Mingus Plays Piano
(1963)

Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus is a 1963 (see 1963 in music) album by jazz composer and bassist Charles Mingus.

Contents

[edit] Historical Context

Many of the tracks on this album had been recorded or have since been rerecorded, some under different titles, on other albums. For example

  1. "Theme for Lester Young" - "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat" on Mingus Ah Um
  2. "II B.S." - "Haitian Fight Song" on Plus Max Roach and The Clown
  3. "Freedom" - "Freedom" on Epitaph (Mingus)
  4. "Better Get Hit in Your Soul" - "Better Git It in Your Soul" on Mingus Ah Um
  5. "Hora Decubitus" - "E's Flat, Ah's Flat Too" on Blues & Roots

On the other hand, "II B.S." is a reinterpretation, taken at a faster tempo, of the "Haitian Fight Song" from The Clown (1957, released 1961).

[edit] Freedom

Freedom, by Charles Mingus (excerpt)

This mule ain't from Moscow,

this mule ain't from the South.

But this mule's had some learning,

mostly mouth-to-mouth.

The lyrics, "This mule ain't from Moscow", might be a reference to a Moscow Mule, a drink made of vodka and ginger beer popular in the 1950's, but is most likely referring to African-American slaves as the "mule".

Mingus did a number of other songs with spoken poetry

  • "Scenes in the City"
  • "The Chill of Death"
  • "The Clown"
  • "Weary Blues" (read by Langston Hughes).

Several other pieces have lyrics

  • "Fables of Faubus"
  • "Oh Lord, Don't Let Them Drop That Atomic Bomb on Me"
  • "Devil Woman"

[edit] Track listing

All tracks written by Charles Mingus, except where noted.

  1. "II B.S." – 4:46
  2. "I X Love" – 7:38
  3. "Celia" – 6:12
  4. "Mood Indigo" (Duke Ellington/Barney Bigard) – 4:43
  5. "Better Get Hit in Yo' Soul" – 6:28
  6. "Theme for Lester Young" – 5:50
  7. "Hora Decubitus" – 4:41
  8. "Freedom" – 5:10

[edit] Personnel

Tracks #1 and 4-8, recorded in New York on September 20, 1963:

Tracks #2 and 3, recorded in New York on January 20, 1963:

  • Bob Hammer - Music arranger
  • Bob Thiele - Producer
  • Michael Cuscuna - Reissue Producer
  • Bob Simpson - Engineer
  • Erick Labson - Remastering
Languages