Mingus (Charles Mingus album)

Updated on Nov 23, 2024

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Released 1961 Artist Charles Mingus Label Candid Records		Length 39:52 Release date 1961 Genre Jazz
Recorded 20 October and 11 November 1960 at Nola Penthouse Sound Studios, New York City Similar Charles Mingus Presents, Changes One, Mingus Mingus Mingus M, Mingus Dynasty, Mingus Plays Piano

Mingus is an album by jazz bassist and composer Charles Mingus. The album was recorded in October and November 1960 in New York for Nat Hentoff's Candid label.

At this time Mingus was working regularly with a piano-less quartet featuring Eric Dolphy, Ted Curson and Dannie Richmond, as heard on the Charles Mingus Presents Charles Mingus album also recorded in November 1960. The Mingus album features one track, "Stormy Weather", recorded by the same quartet, plus two tracks recorded by a larger group featuring piano and additional horns.

The track "M.D.M." weaves together the themes from three compositions: Duke Ellington's "Main Stem", Thelonious Monk's "Straight, No Chaser" and Mingus's own "Fifty-First Street Blues". The track "Lock 'Em Up" was inspired by an apparently involuntary period of treatment Mingus underwent at New York's Bellevue psychiatric facility.

Charles mingus mingus ah um 1959 full album

Track listing

"M.D.M. (Monk, Duke and Me)" – 19:49
"Stormy Weather"* – 13:23
"Lock 'Em Up (Hellview of Bellevue)" – 6:40

All compositions by Charles Mingus except * by Harold Arlen & Ted Koehler

Barnaby reissue track listing

In April, 1974, Barnaby Records reissued this album as Mingus: The Candid Recordings (KZ-31034), adding the track "Vasserlean", which had appeared only on a 1961 Candid Records Various Artists collection called Jazz Life (CJM-8019/CJS-9019). The new track listing was:

"M.D.M. (Monk, Duke and Me)" – 19:49
"Vasserlean" – 6:35
"Stormy Weather" – 13:23
"Lock 'Em Up (Hellview of Bellevue)" – 6:40

Jazz Man reissue track listing

In 1980, Jazz Man Records reissued this album under it's original Candid title, "Mingus" (JAZ-5002), also including the track "Vasserlean." The track listing was:

"Stormy Weather" – 13:23
"Lock 'Em Up (Hellview of Bellevue)" – 6:40
"M.D.M. (Monk, Duke and Me)" – 19:49
"Vasserlean" – 6:35