American jazz bassist, composer and bandleader (1922–1979)
Charles Mingus
Mingus in 1976
Background information
Birth name
Charles Mingus Jr.
Born
(1922-04-22)April 22, 1922 Nogales, Arizona, U.S.
Origin
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Died
January 5, 1979(1979-01-05) (aged 56) Cuernavaca, Mexico
Genres
Jazz
hard bop
bebop
avant-garde jazz
post-bop
third stream
orchestral jazz
free jazz
Occupation(s)
Musician
composer
bandleader
Instrument(s)
Double bass
piano
Years active
1943–1979
Labels
Atlantic
Candid
Columbia
Debut
Impulse!
Mercury
United Artists
Website
www.charlesmingus.com
Musical artist
Charles Mingus Jr. (April 22, 1922 – January 5, 1979) was an American jazz upright bassist, composer, bandleader, pianist, and author. A major proponent of collective improvisation, he is considered to be one of the greatest jazz musicians and composers in history,[1] with a career spanning three decades and collaborations with other jazz greats such as Duke Ellington, Charlie Parker, Max Roach, and Eric Dolphy. Mingus' work ranged from advanced bebop and avant-garde jazz with small and midsize ensembles, to pioneering the post-bop style on seminal recordings like Pithecanthropus Erectus (1956) and Mingus Ah Um (1959), and progressive big band experiments such as The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady (1963).
Mingus' compositions continue to be played by contemporary musicians ranging from the repertory bands Mingus Big Band, Mingus Dynasty, and Mingus Orchestra, to the high school students who play the charts and compete in the Charles Mingus High School Competition.[2] In 1993, the Library of Congress acquired Mingus' collected papers—including scores, sound recordings, correspondence and photos—in what they described as "the most important acquisition of a manuscript collection relating to jazz in the Library's history".[3]
^See the 1998 documentary Triumph of the Underdog
^Barteldes, Ernest (February 18, 2009). "Thirty Years On, The Music Remains Strong; Charles Mingus's legacy revisited at the Manhattan School of Music". Nypress.com. Archived from the original on April 14, 2014. Retrieved October 26, 2009.
^Rule, Sheila (June 14, 1993). "Library of Congress Buys Charles Mingus Archive". The New York Times. Retrieved February 13, 2023.
CharlesMingus Jr. (April 22, 1922 – January 5, 1979) was an American jazz upright bassist, composer, bandleader, pianist, and author. A major proponent...
bandleader, the American jazz bassist CharlesMingus released 51 albums between 1949 and 1977; as a sideman, Mingus appeared on a total of 34 albums. Four...
CharlesMingus Presents CharlesMingus is an album by the jazz double bassist and composer CharlesMingus, recorded in October 1960 and released in December...
MingusMingusMingusMingusMingus is a studio album by the American jazz composer and bassist CharlesMingus which was released on January 9, 1964. Mingus...
Mingus Ah Um is a studio album by American jazz musician CharlesMingus which was released in October 1959 by Columbia Records. It was his first album...
Mingus Dynasty is a jazz album by CharlesMingus, recorded in 1959 and released on Columbia Records in May 1960. It is a companion album to his 1959 record...
poem "Mingus at the Showplace" by William Matthews), and appeared on the leader's two Candid label albums, CharlesMingus Presents CharlesMingus and Mingus...
CharlesMingus with Orchestra is an album by American bassist, composer and bandleader CharlesMingus which was recorded in Japan in 1971 and first released...
The Mingus Big Band is a 14-piece ensemble, based in New York City, that specializes in the compositions of CharlesMingus. It was managed by his widow...
Charles Daniel Richmond (December 15, 1931 – March 16, 1988) was an American jazz drummer who is best known for his work with CharlesMingus. He also worked...
Composed by Mingus is the autobiography of jazz bassist and composer CharlesMingus. It was first published in 1971, by Alfred A. Knopf. Mingus worked on...
producer and band manager. She was married to jazz composer and bassist CharlesMingus, and formed tribute groups to perform his music after his death. She...
Mingus at the Bohemia is a live album by CharlesMingus that was recorded at Café Bohemia in New York City on December 23, 1955. It was released in August...
The Great Concert of CharlesMingus is a live album by the jazz bassist and composer CharlesMingus, recorded at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées, Paris...
Mingus Moves is an album by the jazz composer and bassist CharlesMingus, released in 1973. Mingus Moves (Atlantic SD 1653) is one of the late works of...
Mingus at Antibes was originally issued by BYG Records under the title CharlesMingus Live With Eric Dolphy in Japan in 1974. It was recorded at a live...
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