Charles Mingus: Epitaph

Charles Mingus; Bill Evans; Art Farmer; Louis Mucci; Teddy Charles; Barry Galbraith; Joe Benjamin; Teddy Sommer; Jimmy Knepper; Teo Macero; Eric Dolphy; Danny Richmond and more...

Shuffle Bass Boogie; Pipe Dream; Mingus Fingers; Mingus Fingus; Move; Conception; Extrasensory Perception; How High The Moon; Hallelujah; Wee; Smooch; Spontaneous Combustion; The Pendulum at Falcon's Lair; Thrice Upon a Theme; Easy Living; Jump Monk; Haitian Fight Song; Pithecanthropus Erectus; Revelations 1st movement; Dizzy Moods; Ysabel's Table Dance; My Jelly Roll Soul; Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting; Better Get It In Your Soul; Fables of Faubus; Goodbye Pork Pie Hat; Put Me In That Dungeon

Here is a CD that is a rarity in recorded jazz: an artist compilation that appeals to both the uninitiated and the collector. There are many more than just your usual suspects for a Mingus compilation, this is a succinct double CD release that deals with (seemingly) the entire breadth of the iconic musician/composer's contribution to music. For the Mingus enthusiast, please read on, there is a gem within...
One of the reasons I like this release is that it gives the listener an idea of his superior strength as a bass player and as a composer. The early material was recorded when he was a mere 24 years old. His influence on future generations of bass players, technique-wise, is quite evident. This release also follows his progress as a composer; out of 38 tracks, less than 10 are not his own.
Perhaps due to the label's French origin, the material here escapes (or perhaps doesn't care about) any copyright issues that might be problematic for a North American release. Perhaps the dates of the recordings are past the reach of copyright. Regardless, this compilation spans a 14 year period from 1946-1959, a time in Mingus's life that was full of musical searching, exploratory compositions, and atypical groups. You can hear Mingus's 1946 dabblings in large groups with two cuts (Shuffle Bass Boogie and Pipe Dream) from the Charles Mingus Orchestra. A track from 1947 finds Mingus with the Lionel Hampton Orchestra performing "Mingus Fingus". Also in this set are a few Debut recordings with the likes of Spaulding Givens, Oscar Pettiford, and Canadian pianist Paul Bley.
There are some inevitable tracks from his Atlantic and Columbia years. These need not be commented on further as they are some of his finest. The aforementioned gem in this set is Mingus's appearance at the Third-Stream festival at Brandeis University from 1957. The debut performance of Revelations, 1st movement, features the inimitable Bill Evans at the piano during a concert featuring other composers such as Gunther Schuller, George Russell, and Milton Babbitt. As far as I have seen, this is the most economical way to get this 12 minute, forward-looking piece.
I can't recommend this set enough. The first disc is the most accessible, but by no means pandering, and the second disc features Mingus at the height of his performing and composing abilities. Look for other titles from this label that are equally intriguing.

Price: $20.98