A fantastic album by a true genius. I have just started to explore the albums on which Mingus is the leader. This is my first album by him. Seems a pretty good way to start. I have sunk my teeth into 60’s post bop and free jazz quite a bit for the past 6 months or so. This isn’t hard bop. Far from it. I really dig the different sounds, layers and influences on this album. From what I’ve gathered it is partially written as a ballet. The arrangements are inspiring and so well executed by all players. One of them is a fellow Swede, Rolf Ericson on trumpet, which is very cool. I have a lot of his output on several 7” Metronome EP’s and I love him. The album has elements of classical and even a little touch of flamenco or mariachi music and It’s so powerful. A big, bold sound. The vinyl sounds superb just like all the other Impulse! albums that I’ve heard so far.
The music stays highly interesting and engaging in all kinds of ways all the way through. This is a masterpiece and I’m looking forward to exploring more of the Mingus catalogue. I’m taking it slowly and I like it that way. To really discover a few artists at the time. Right now it’s a lot of Coltrane, Eric Dolphy, Thelonious Monk and also Mingus. I’m taking my time. Enjoying a few albums at the time and let them sink in. It’s a beautiful thing to have so many great records still to listen to. Some of the great geniuses takes a lot of time to fully grasp and the journey will be interesting and hopefully very fulfilling.
I’m enjoying exploring the period after the 50’s and early 60’s hard bop and getting into a lot of the Impulse! output and later Blue Note stuff. Like I’ve said, I’m exploring free jazz as well. I like it. Coltrane’s late period for example. Some Albert Ayler as well. It’s an exciting time!
Questions for my readers: What’s your take on Mingus and this album in particular? Do you have a favorite album by him that you can recommend?
Summer’s here in Stockholm for real and vacation time is not far away now. I’m aiming to add one or two records to the collection in the next month or so. I have some more as well in the collection that I haven’t posted yet, so stay tuned… Cheers!