A valuable addition to the Mingus canon, this archive recording is available on vinyl, CD and streaming. It includes a previously unreleased version of the Jerome Kern standard All The Things You Are, here entitled All The Things You Are (All). It was influenced by Art Tatum’s rendition of the tune, whom Mingus name checks in his introduction. It was sourced from the tape that contained the other four tracks to be heard here.
Mingus had a thing about the tune; hence the alternate titles of his own versions of the number such as All The Things You Could Be By Now If Sigmund Freud’s Wife Was Your Mother which appeared on Charles Mingus Presents Charles Mingus (Candid, 1960), one of the three albums recorded around the same time as the other four tracks on this archival release. The other two were Mingus (Candid, 1961) and Newport Rebels (Candid, 1961).
Rebels, recorded on 1 and 11 November 1960, was so entitled because the various musicians on the album (under the collective name Jazz Artists Guild) were protesting against George Wein’s Newport Jazz Festival debacle which was cancelled mid-event due to rioting in the streets. Mingus and Max Roach were the main protagonists of the “anti-festival” and its subsequent record. Other participants included Roy Eldridge, Tommy Flanagan and Jo Jones who, amongst others, are credited on this recording.
Reincarnation Of A Love Bird first appeared on The Clown (Atlantic, 1957). In its later version, along with Bugs, R&R and Body And Soul, it appeared on various compilation albums, comprising tracks gleaned from the November 1960 sessions.
This record affords an opportunity to hear some fine playing from players not regularly associated with Mingus, such as Jo Jones (whose snappy drum breaks appear on R&R), Roy Eldridge (who solos elegantly on Body And Soul) and Paul Bley (taking a sprightly outing on the swinging bop of Bugs). These meticulously remastered and lovingly curated Candid records continue to enthral.
Discography
Bugs (take 3); R&R (take 1); All The Things You Are (All); Reincarnation Of A Love Bird (2nd version, Take 1); Body And Soul (42.46)
Mingus (b); Booker Ervin (ts); Eric Dolphy, Charles McPherson (as); Ted Curson, Lonnie Hillyer, Roy Eldridge (t); Jimmy Knepper, Britt Woodman (tb); Tommy Flanagan, Paul Bley (p); Dannie Richmond, Jo Jones (d). New York City, 20 October & 11 November 1960.
Candid CAN33123 /CAN33122 /CAN33121
