CHARLES MINGUS - Charles Mingus @ Bremen 1964 & 1975
Sunnyside SSC 1570
Eric Dolphy - Alto Saxophone, Flute, Bass Clarinet; Charles Mingus - Bass; Dannie Richmond - Drums; Jaki Byard - Piano; Clifford Jordan - Tenor Saxophone; Johnny Coles - Trumpet
Recorded Bremen April 16, 1964.
Charles Mingus- Bass; Jack Walrath - Trumpet; George Adams - Tenor Saxophone; Don Pullen - Piano; Dannie Richmond - Drums
Recorded Bremen 9th July 1975
Bremen was very fortunate to get two visits from Charles Mingus groups in the sixties and seventies. Contemporary accounts show that the group was not really appreciated on the first visit with both audience and critics bewildered by the caustic, angry, belligerent behaviour of the leader, the innovative improvising and the length of some of the pieces. Records of the two visits are issued together on this issue from the always innovative Sunnyside.
Visit One was from the group that Mingus toured with in 1964, a group that many consider a highpoint in the Mingus’ discography. The inclusion of Eric Dolphy fresh from his work with Coltrane was key. Mingus loved Dolphy’s eccentric, wayward improvisations on alto, flute and bass clarinet. Just as wayward, Jaki Byard during the long European tour played a solo called ‘ATFW’ (Art Tatum, Fats Waller) homage to the two great pianists. On this disk it is simply labelled ‘Solo’. It follows the same structure that was heard on other concerts. The styles of both pianists and a modish tinge that is pure Byard are clear. Throughout the first concert Byard impresses with the full energy and dominance of his playing.
Johnny Coles is magnificent. Coles was taken ill at a concert later in the tour but there is no sign of it here. He is a player who was never really acknowledged for the unique voice that he was. His playing is never brash and always slightly eccentric. His solo on the first track of the concert ‘Hope So Eric’ is both wayward and lyrical.
Eric Dolphy is the most compelling voice in the group. He died in June only a few months after this concert. Dolphy was a pure original with his own styles on alto, flute, and bass clarinet. An avant garde player who did not reject conventional improvisation completely, his sound is unique: one of those jazz artists that you can identify after a couple of bars.
A rhythm section consisting of Mingus, Jaki Byard and Danny Richmond is a considerable force and one of the joys of this 1964 concert is listening to the way that they shift the rhythm constantly. For the soloists it must have been like standing on an earthquake. The rhythm changes and swirls, the tempo shifts under the soloists frequently. Listen to the way that they stir up Johnny Coles during his solo on ‘Hope So Eric’. Rhythmic developments like this were often attributed to the Miles Davis group of the mid sixties with Tony Williams. The Mingus rhythmic team was just as innovative, just as turbulent but always driving forward.
‘Parkeriana’ is a loose homage to Charlie. It is a melange of Parker themes such as ‘Ornithology’, ‘52nd Street Theme’ and strangely ‘If I Should lLose You’ with Clifford Jordan able to display his ballad playing. Byard as he often did goes into his own brand of ragtime.
‘Meditations on Integration’ is a meditation on the history of black Americans, from the transportation on the slave ships, to slavery, leading one day to the liberation of emancipation and the struggle for civil rights. The piece features Johnny Coles and Clifford Jordan, with Eric Dolphy's sad sounding flute and Mingus' melancholy bass, driven by Dannie Richmond's drums.
Clifford Jordan is the quiet man of the group. Probably the most conventional player with influences from Lester Young and Sonny Rollins, his work in the Mingus group can sound pedestrian when compared to the genius of Eric Dolphy. His playing on ‘Parkeriana’ is probably closer to Parker than anyone else. It is just a pity that he is followed by Dolphy who sounds as though he is from a different era.
Most of the Mingus’ European concerts in 1964 have found their way onto bootlegs with often inferior sound. Sunnyside claim that they have gone back to the original tapes. The sonic quality of this concert is the best that I have heard and that includes the Mingus box issued by Mosaic.
Linking the two concerts is the glowering, angry inspiring presence of Mingus and the restless drumming of Richmond.
Visit Two is the Changes band on the second concert. Mingus was now appreciated as an important figure in jazz. The tour took place around the time when Mingus recorded Changes 1 and Changes 2. Most of the music played at the concert can be found on those albums.
Mingus often claimed this was his favourite group, because they were together longer than most of his other bands. George Adams is a tenor player who produces the full tonal sound of the instrument. His volcanic playing is turbulent, full hearted and yet does not stray too far from the theme: he is playing for his audience not just for himself . His solo on ‘Fables of Faubus’ is pure Adams, rough, passionate and bursting with energy. His solo on ‘Duke Ellington’s Sound of Love’ is an affectionate tribute to the great tenor players that have graced the Ellington saxophone section.
Don Pullen in his solos moves inexorably from meditation to thunder. It is easy to see why in subsequent years he did so well as a partner to George Adams in their own group. On ‘Duke Ellington’s Sound of Love’ Pullen shows his lyrical side as does Jack Walrath with a solo that is thoughtful and emotional.
Dannie Richmond is as powerful in the second concert as he was on the first. He is not a subtle drummer but his power is undeniable. His solo on ‘Fables of Faubus’ is coherent and apt but his virtues are the way that he powers and lifts the soloists.
‘Sue’s Changes’ is a collection of moods, moving from ballad to a faster uptempo section ending with a return to the ballad theme. ‘Duke Ellington’s Sound of Love’ was written shortly after Ellington’s death. Mingus’ appreciation of Ellington was very close to idolatry.
Mingus always extended musical challenges but the political challenges were straight down the throat. ‘Fables of Faubus’, the piece excoriating the racist governor of Arkansas who attempted to stop integration, displays contempt. It is featured on both concerts. ‘Free Cell Block F Tis Nazi USA’ ,hardly subtle, refers to a particular cell block in the deep South. ‘Remember Rockefeller at Attica’ refers to Governor Nelson Rockefeller’s order to the NY State Police to use force to quash the riot in the state penitentiary at Attica.
Was Mingus a great bass player as opposed to a powerful one? Listen to the opening to ‘Devil Blues’ on the second concert and ‘Sophisticated Lady’ on the first. He is no subtle Scott La Faro but Mingus is after raw power and that is what he wanted to draw out of his bass and his group.
The four disc package is beautifully presented with tapes sourced from Radio Bremen. The booklet with notes by Bret Sjerven gives the background to both concerts. Black Lives did matter passionately to Mingus. He was well ahead of his time and these two concerts are exhilarating compelling evidence.
Reviewed by Jack Kenny
Sunnyside SSC 1570
Eric Dolphy - Alto Saxophone, Flute, Bass Clarinet; Charles Mingus - Bass; Dannie Richmond - Drums; Jaki Byard - Piano; Clifford Jordan - Tenor Saxophone; Johnny Coles - Trumpet
Recorded Bremen April 16, 1964.
Charles Mingus- Bass; Jack Walrath - Trumpet; George Adams - Tenor Saxophone; Don Pullen - Piano; Dannie Richmond - Drums
Recorded Bremen 9th July 1975
Bremen was very fortunate to get two visits from Charles Mingus groups in the sixties and seventies. Contemporary accounts show that the group was not really appreciated on the first visit with both audience and critics bewildered by the caustic, angry, belligerent behaviour of the leader, the innovative improvising and the length of some of the pieces. Records of the two visits are issued together on this issue from the always innovative Sunnyside.
Visit One was from the group that Mingus toured with in 1964, a group that many consider a highpoint in the Mingus’ discography. The inclusion of Eric Dolphy fresh from his work with Coltrane was key. Mingus loved Dolphy’s eccentric, wayward improvisations on alto, flute and bass clarinet. Just as wayward, Jaki Byard during the long European tour played a solo called ‘ATFW’ (Art Tatum, Fats Waller) homage to the two great pianists. On this disk it is simply labelled ‘Solo’. It follows the same structure that was heard on other concerts. The styles of both pianists and a modish tinge that is pure Byard are clear. Throughout the first concert Byard impresses with the full energy and dominance of his playing.
Johnny Coles is magnificent. Coles was taken ill at a concert later in the tour but there is no sign of it here. He is a player who was never really acknowledged for the unique voice that he was. His playing is never brash and always slightly eccentric. His solo on the first track of the concert ‘Hope So Eric’ is both wayward and lyrical.
Eric Dolphy is the most compelling voice in the group. He died in June only a few months after this concert. Dolphy was a pure original with his own styles on alto, flute, and bass clarinet. An avant garde player who did not reject conventional improvisation completely, his sound is unique: one of those jazz artists that you can identify after a couple of bars.
A rhythm section consisting of Mingus, Jaki Byard and Danny Richmond is a considerable force and one of the joys of this 1964 concert is listening to the way that they shift the rhythm constantly. For the soloists it must have been like standing on an earthquake. The rhythm changes and swirls, the tempo shifts under the soloists frequently. Listen to the way that they stir up Johnny Coles during his solo on ‘Hope So Eric’. Rhythmic developments like this were often attributed to the Miles Davis group of the mid sixties with Tony Williams. The Mingus rhythmic team was just as innovative, just as turbulent but always driving forward.
‘Parkeriana’ is a loose homage to Charlie. It is a melange of Parker themes such as ‘Ornithology’, ‘52nd Street Theme’ and strangely ‘If I Should lLose You’ with Clifford Jordan able to display his ballad playing. Byard as he often did goes into his own brand of ragtime.
‘Meditations on Integration’ is a meditation on the history of black Americans, from the transportation on the slave ships, to slavery, leading one day to the liberation of emancipation and the struggle for civil rights. The piece features Johnny Coles and Clifford Jordan, with Eric Dolphy's sad sounding flute and Mingus' melancholy bass, driven by Dannie Richmond's drums.
Clifford Jordan is the quiet man of the group. Probably the most conventional player with influences from Lester Young and Sonny Rollins, his work in the Mingus group can sound pedestrian when compared to the genius of Eric Dolphy. His playing on ‘Parkeriana’ is probably closer to Parker than anyone else. It is just a pity that he is followed by Dolphy who sounds as though he is from a different era.
Most of the Mingus’ European concerts in 1964 have found their way onto bootlegs with often inferior sound. Sunnyside claim that they have gone back to the original tapes. The sonic quality of this concert is the best that I have heard and that includes the Mingus box issued by Mosaic.
Linking the two concerts is the glowering, angry inspiring presence of Mingus and the restless drumming of Richmond.
Visit Two is the Changes band on the second concert. Mingus was now appreciated as an important figure in jazz. The tour took place around the time when Mingus recorded Changes 1 and Changes 2. Most of the music played at the concert can be found on those albums.
Mingus often claimed this was his favourite group, because they were together longer than most of his other bands. George Adams is a tenor player who produces the full tonal sound of the instrument. His volcanic playing is turbulent, full hearted and yet does not stray too far from the theme: he is playing for his audience not just for himself . His solo on ‘Fables of Faubus’ is pure Adams, rough, passionate and bursting with energy. His solo on ‘Duke Ellington’s Sound of Love’ is an affectionate tribute to the great tenor players that have graced the Ellington saxophone section.
Don Pullen in his solos moves inexorably from meditation to thunder. It is easy to see why in subsequent years he did so well as a partner to George Adams in their own group. On ‘Duke Ellington’s Sound of Love’ Pullen shows his lyrical side as does Jack Walrath with a solo that is thoughtful and emotional.
Dannie Richmond is as powerful in the second concert as he was on the first. He is not a subtle drummer but his power is undeniable. His solo on ‘Fables of Faubus’ is coherent and apt but his virtues are the way that he powers and lifts the soloists.
‘Sue’s Changes’ is a collection of moods, moving from ballad to a faster uptempo section ending with a return to the ballad theme. ‘Duke Ellington’s Sound of Love’ was written shortly after Ellington’s death. Mingus’ appreciation of Ellington was very close to idolatry.
Mingus always extended musical challenges but the political challenges were straight down the throat. ‘Fables of Faubus’, the piece excoriating the racist governor of Arkansas who attempted to stop integration, displays contempt. It is featured on both concerts. ‘Free Cell Block F Tis Nazi USA’ ,hardly subtle, refers to a particular cell block in the deep South. ‘Remember Rockefeller at Attica’ refers to Governor Nelson Rockefeller’s order to the NY State Police to use force to quash the riot in the state penitentiary at Attica.
Was Mingus a great bass player as opposed to a powerful one? Listen to the opening to ‘Devil Blues’ on the second concert and ‘Sophisticated Lady’ on the first. He is no subtle Scott La Faro but Mingus is after raw power and that is what he wanted to draw out of his bass and his group.
The four disc package is beautifully presented with tapes sourced from Radio Bremen. The booklet with notes by Bret Sjerven gives the background to both concerts. Black Lives did matter passionately to Mingus. He was well ahead of his time and these two concerts are exhilarating compelling evidence.
Reviewed by Jack Kenny
