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Charles Mingus - Mingus Ah Um
- The year 1959 was a great year for jazz. Miles Davis’s “Kind of Blue” revolutionized the ensemble’s approach to jazz, and albums like Charles Mingus’s “Mingus Ah Um” took what was tried and true about the genre and pushed it further. The sound of “Mingus Ah Um” is firmly rooted in the blues, and yet the song structures recall very little of the genre’s conventions. The album is defined by its churning rhythms, subtle melodies, and well-conceived experimentation.
“Better Git Hit in Your Soul” is a brilliant opener with an aggressive rhythm section and soaring melodies. “Goodbye Pork Pie Hat” is a tribute to a fallen friend with a mysterious, blues-derived melody and bass playing by Mingus that could only be described as “cool.” “Boogie Stop Shuffle” is the most straightforward blues on the album with a distinctive shuffle rhythm and swingin’ horn melodies. “Self-Portrait in Three Colors” is a slower, Bossa Nova inspired ballad. “Open Letter to Duke” is a lightning-quick swing piece that suddenly slows down and then builds back up as an odd chromatic experimentation. “Fables of Faubus” is probably the album’s most unconventional track. It is straightforward and bluesy at times, and abrasive and unpredictable at others. “Pussy Cat Dues” showcases Mingus’s stylish, meandering bass. “Jelly Roll” is a bouncy composition with fantastic percussive elements from all instruments.
“Mingus Ah Um” has just the right amount of swing and melodic subtlety to be a well balanced and dynamic album. It celebrates its influences but isn’t afraid to experiment. Truly an excellent jazz record and Mingus at his best.
Reviewer: Kris Lorenz
new
Reviewer's Rating: 9
Reader's Rating: 7.00
Reader's Votes: 1
Added: 13-Jul-2009
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