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Blues and Roots

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Released
  
March/April 1960

Blues & Roots (1960)
  
Pre-Bird (1960)

Release date
  
4 April 1960

Label
  
Atlantic Records

Length
  
38:49

Artist
  
Charles Mingus

Producer
  
Nesuhi Ertegun

Blues & Roots httpsuploadwikimediaorgwikipediaen77aBlu

Recorded
  
4 February 1959, Atlantic Studios, New York City

Genres
  
Post-bop, Avant-garde jazz

Similar
  
Charles Mingus albums, Avant-garde jazz albums, Other albums

Blues & Roots is an album by Charles Mingus, recorded in 1959 and released in 1960. It has been reissued twice as a CD, first by Atlantic Records, and then again by Rhino Entertainment in 1998.

Contents

Mingus explained the birth of this record in the album's liner notes:

This record is unusual—it presents only one part of my musical world, the blues. A year ago, Nesuhi Ertegün suggested that I record an entire blues album in the style of Haitian Fight Song (in Atlantic LP 1260), because some people, particularly critics, were saying I didn't swing enough. He wanted to give them a barrage of soul music: churchy, blues, swinging, earthy. I thought it over. I was born swinging and clapped my hands in church as a little boy, but I've grown up and I like to do things other than just swing. But blues can do more than just swing. So I agreed.

Reception

  • Q magazine (7/93, p. 110) - 4 Stars - Excellent - "...at his best he could drive his fellow musicians onwards and upwards with big bass playing and hoarse exhortations. Blues & Roots contains six servings of this brilliance..."
  • Down Beat (1960) - 4 Stars - Very Good - "...vital and important music...[Mingus] is outstanding in his solo work...this is something worth careful and thorough listening..."

    • Track listing

    1. "Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting" – 5:39
    2. "Cryin' Blues" – 4:58
    3. "Moanin'" – 8:01
    4. "Tensions" – 6:27
    5. "My Jelly Roll Soul" – 6:47
    6. "E's Flat Ah's Flat Too" – 6:37


    The 1998 Rhino CD reissue included these additional tracks:

    1. "Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting" – 6:59 – alternate take
    2. "Tensions" – 5:18 – alternate take
    3. "My Jelly Roll Soul" – 11:25 – alternate take
    4. "E's Flat Ah's Flat Too" – 6:47 – alternate take

    All tracks composed by Charles Mingus. Recorded February 4, 1959 at Atlantic Studios in New York City.

    Personnel

  • Charles Mingus – bass
  • John Handy – alto sax
  • Jackie McLean – alto sax
  • Booker Ervin – tenor sax
  • Pepper Adams – baritone sax
  • Jimmy Knepper – trombone
  • Willie Dennis – trombone
  • Dannie Richmond – drums
  • Horace Parlan – piano, except for "E's Flat Ah's Flat Too"
  • Mal Waldron – piano on "E's Flat Ah's Flat Too"
  • Nesuhi Ertegün – producer
  • Tom Dowd – recording engineer

    • Songs

    1Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting5:43
    2Cryin' Blues5:02
    3Moanin'8:02

    References

    Blues & Roots Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA