The Mingus Awareness Project concerts have been presented as benefits to raise funds for research into the disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). These concerts celebrate the life and music of Charles Mingus, an American musician, jazz bassist, composer and pianist, whose death was ultimately caused by his affliction with ALS. The Mingus Awareness Project concerts have been sponsored by the Borderbend Arts Collective, in partnership with the Les Turner ALS Foundation.
Mingus Awareness Project concerts have been presented in Chicago, Illinois, at HotHouse (2007), the Velvet Lounge (2008), The Hideout (2009), The Jazz Showcase (2010), Martyrs' (2011) and Fitzgerald's (2012) as well as in Richmond, Virginia, at The Camel and Rhythm Hall (2007–2012).
The 16th Mingus Awareness Project concert will be presented at the The Promontory 5311 South Lake Park Ave West, Chicago, IL on Tuesday, November 10, 2015.
The 12th Mingus Awareness Project concerts were presented on Sunday, July 21, 2013 and Monday July 22, 2103 at Balliceaux, 203 N. Lombardy Street Richmond, VA 23220
The 13th Mingus Awareness Project concert was presented on Monday, December 16, 2013 at Martyrs', 3855 N Lincoln Ave, Chicago, IL 60613
The 14th Mingus Awareness Project concert was presented on Sunday, July 27, 2014 at The Camel, 1621 West Broad Street Richmond, VA 23220. Performers were the Quartet of Jones/D’earth/Kuhl/Pharr, The Toby Whitaker Ensemble, The Alan Parker Group and Cameron Ralston
The 15th Mingus Awareness Project concert was presented on Sunday December 7, 2014 at the The Promontory 5311 South Lake Park Ave West, Chicago, IL
This concert included:
Renée Baker - guest violinist
Thomas (Tom) Berg - flute, clarinet, tenor saxophone, bass clarinet
Rebecca Cohn - trombone
Dan Godston - trumpet
Jon Godston - soprano saxophone
Paul Hartsaw - tenor saxophone
Michael Hesiak - alto and tenor saxophones
Jonathan (Jon) Hey - piano, composer, arranger
Damon Short - drums
Alex Wing - upright bass, composer, arranger
Juli Wood - baritone saxophone
Concerts in Chicago, Illinois have included these individual musicians, performing under the name MAPtet:
Thomas (Tom) Berg - baritone saxophone, tenor saxophone, bass clarinet, flute
Stephen E. (Steve) Berry - trombone
Cory Biggerstaff - upright bass
Rebecca Cohn - trombone
Jerry Coleman - drums
Rich Corpolongo - saxophones
Raphael Crawford - trombone
Dan Godston - trumpet
Jon Godston - soprano saxophone
Ben Gray - drums
Paul Hartsaw - tenor saxophone
Michael Hesiak - alto saxophone
Jonathan (Jon) Hey - piano, composer, arranger
Fredrick (Fred) Jackson - alto saxophone
Brian Jones - drums
Dave Levit - sound engineering, recordist
Bill MacKay - electric guitar
Steve Maxwell Jr. - drums
Nick Moran - baritone saxophone, flute, and bass clarinet
Fred Moyer - alto saxophone
Norman Palm - trombone
Ed Roberson - poetry
Damon Short - drums
Joel Wanek - upright bass
Alex Wing - upright bass, composer, arranger
Juli Wood - baritone saxophone
Saalik Ahmad Ziyad - vocals
Concerts in Richmond, Virginia, have included these groups: The Brian Jones Quartet, the Mingus Awareness Project Big Band, the No BS! Brass Band, The Angry Man Quintet, Glows in the Dark, Scott Clark 4tet, Hooten/Levin/Jones w/ JC Kuhl, Jon Hey Quartet, Jason Jenkins Quartet, Brian Jones Guitar Quartet and the RVA Big Band
Concerts in Richmond, Virginia have included these individual musicians:
Taylor Barnett - trumpet, arranger
Scott Burton - guitar, arranger
Scott Clark - drums
Stefan Demetriadis - tuba
Dan Godston - trumpet
Jonathan (Jon) Hey - piano, composer
David Hood - alto saxophone, arranger
Bryan Hooten - trombone, arranger
John Hulley - trombone
Brian Jones - drums
Lance Koehler - drums
JC Kuhl - tenor saxophone, bass clarinet
Daniel Levin - cello
John Lilley - saxophone
Bob Miller - trumpet
Randall Pharr - bass
Trey Pollard - guitar
Cameron Ralston - upright bass
Jason Scott - alto saxophone
Marcus Tenney - trumpet
Dillard Watt - bass trombone
An additional associated concert presentation was Jon Hey presents "Better Get Hit In Your Soul" - The Music of Charles Mingus - at The Skokie Theatre, Skokie, IL on September 25, 2011. The group was named The Míngtiāns for performances outside of the auspices of ALS benefit concerts.
The Míngtiāns:
Stephen E. (Steve) Berry - trombone
Jonathon Edwards - baritone saxophone
Dan Godston - trumpet
Jon Godston - soprano saxophone
Paul Hartsaw - tenor saxophone
Jonathan (Jon) Hey - piano, composer, arranger
Fredrick (Fred) Jackson - alto saxophone
Justin Kramer - drums
Alex Wing - upright bass
At the Mingus Awareness Project concerts, Charles Mingus compositions have been performed along with music by musicians associated with Mingus such as Duke Ellington, Billy Strayhorn, Eric Dolphy and Rahsaan Roland Kirk.
Music performed includes these Mingus compositions:
"Better Get (Git) Hit (It) In Your Soul"
"Boogie Stop Shuffle"
"Duke Ellington's Sound of Love"
"East Coastin'" (arr. Jon Hey)
"Ecclusiastics"
"E’s Flat, Ah’s Flat Too" (aka "Hora Decubitus")
"Fables of Faubus"
"Free Cell Block F, 'Tis Nazi U.S.A." (arr. Jon Hey)
"Girl of My Dreams" (arr. Jon Hey)
"Goodbye Pork Pie Hat"
"Haitian Fight Song"
"Jelly Roll"
"Nostalgia in Times Square"
"O.P. (Oscar Pettiford)"
"Orange Was The Color of Her Dress, Then Blue Silk"
"Peggy’s Blue Skylight"
"Pithecanthropus Erectus"
"Prayer for Passive Resistance"
"Reincarnation of a Lovebird"
"Sue's Changes" (arr. Jon Hey)
"Weird Nightmare"
"Wham Bam, Thank You Ma'm"
and music by other composers/performers associated with Charles Mingus:
"A Crush Mingles" by Jonathan Hey
"Caravan" by Juan Tizol (Ellington Orchestra)
"Charlies’ Arch Isle" by Jonathan Hey
"Fire Waltz" by Mal Waldron
"For Jaki Byard" by Alex Wing
"From Bechet, Byas, and Fats" by Rahsaan Roland Kirk
"Gazzelloni" by Eric Dolphy
"Isfahan" (originally "Elf") by Billy Strayhorn (arr. Jon Hey)
"Petite Fleur Africaine" ("Fleurette Africaine" - "African Flower") by Duke Ellington
"Portrait of Those Beautiful Ladies" by Rahsaan Roland Kirk (arr. Jon Hey)
"Prelude to a Kiss" by Duke Ellington
"Rip, Rig, and Panic" by Rahsaan Roland Kirk
"Serenade to a Cuckoo" by Rahsaan Roland Kirk
"Stompin' Grounds" by Rahsaan Roland Kirk
"Warm Valley" by Duke Ellington (arr. Jon Hey)
"We Free Kings" [jazz version of the popular Christmas carol "We Three Kings" also known as "We Three Kings of Orient Are" or "The Quest of the Magi"] by Rahsaan Roland Kirk (arr. Jon Hey)
