Rating:
Genre:
Jazz
Release Date: 02/09/1999
Charles Mingus' debut for
Columbia,
Mingus Ah Um is a stunning summation of the bassist's talents and probably the best reference point for beginners. While there's also a strong case for
The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady as his best work overall, it lacks
Ah Um's immediate acccessibility and brilliantly sculpted individual tunes.
Mingus' compositions and arrangements were always extremely focused, assimilating individual spontaneity into a firm consistency of mood, and that approach reaches an ultra-tight zenith on
Mingus Ah Um. The band includes longtime
Mingus stalwarts already well versed in his music, like saxophonists
John Handy,
Shafi Hadi, and
Booker Ervin, trombonists
Jimmy Knepper and
Willie Dennis, pianist
Horace Parlan, and drummer
Dannie Richmond. Their razor-sharp performances tie together what may well be
Mingus' greatest, most emotionally varied set of compositions. At least three became instant classics, starting with the irrepressible spiritual exuberance of signature tune
"Better Get Hit in Yo' Soul," taken in a hard-charging 6/8 and punctuated by joyous
gospel shouts.
"Goodbye Pork Pie Hat" is a slow, graceful elegy for
Lester Young, who died not long before the sessions. The sharply contrasting
"Fables of Faubus" is a savage mockery of segregationist Arkansas governor
Orval Faubus, portrayed musically as a bumbling
vaudeville clown (the scathing lyrics, censored by skittish executives, can be heard on
Charles Mingus Presents Charles Mingus). The underrated
"Boogie Stop Shuffle" is bursting with aggressive
swing, and elsewhere there are tributes to
Mingus' three most revered influences:
"Open Letter to Duke" is a suite of three tunes;
"Bird Calls" is inspired by
Charlie Parker; and
"Jelly Roll" is an idiosyncratic yet affectionate nod to
jazz's first great composer,
Jelly Roll Morton. It simply isn't possible to single out one
Mingus album as definitive, but
Mingus Ah Um comes the closest. [The 1999 remastered reissue includes four of the original tracks in an unedited form never heard before on CD, and adds three bonus tracks not on the original LP.]
~Steve Huey, All Music Guide
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