The Mingus Big Band
For the past 3 decades, the Mingus Big Band with its rolling rota of bright young players and seasoned veterans has kept the music of Charles Mingus alive with a weekly residency at various institutional jazz clubs in New York City.
The musical legacy of Charles Mingus transcends jazz, having a wide appeal, particularly those listeners with eclectic tastes since it encompasses the direct soulfulness of hard bop, black gospel, blues, free jazz and classical. His main influence as well as being early employer, was pianist/bandleader Duke Ellington, who had been able to meld a variety of genres from within the Afro-American experience and beyond, of the last century into his compositions and ensemble writing. Mingus was thrilled to perform with Ellington and drummer Max Roach, as a trio on the now classic recording, ‘Money Jungle’.
The musical legacy of Charles Mingus transcends jazz, having a wide appeal, particularly those listeners with eclectic tastes since it encompasses the direct soulfulness of hard bop, black gospel, blues, free jazz and classical. His main influence as well as being early employer, was pianist/bandleader Duke Ellington, who had been able to meld a variety of genres from within the Afro-American experience and beyond, of the last century into his compositions and ensemble writing. Mingus was thrilled to perform with Ellington and drummer Max Roach, as a trio on the now classic recording, ‘Money Jungle’.
