Search - Charles Mingus :: In a Soulful Mood

Fine presentation of Charles and friends...

William E. Adams | Midland, Texas USA | 08/17/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This is my third CD of Mingus, and while it is not quite as instantly fascinating as "Mingus Ah Um" on Columbia, it is plenty good. Certainly, it is much stronger overall than "Pithecanthropus Erectus", the Atlantic label release which came out in 1957, three years before "Soulful Mood." Of the eight tunes, four are Mingus originals, and three are old standards offered in extended form with lengthy solo sections. Keeping Charles' company are Booker Ervin on tenor sax, Eric Dolphy on alto sax and on bass clarinet, Roy Eldridge on trumpet, Tommy Flanagan on piano, and Dannie Richmond and Jo Jones sharing percussion. "Stormy Weather" takes up 13-and-a-half minutes, and "Body and Soul" is extended for nearly 11 minutes. While most of the moments on this long disc are mellow, there are some swing elements, some bop, and some experimental passages. Almost all of it, however, is melodic and happy. I'd still say "Mingus Ah Um" is the best introduction to his genius, and his attempts to bring the Duke Ellington tradition to the 1960's. But "In a Soulful Mood" actually has more of Mingus' bass playing than the much more famous "Ah Um." It's a good second choice for exposure to the complications, contradictions and controversies which Charles' brought to American jazz in the years inbetween the Korean War and Vietnam. These selections feature four to eight players, and were laid down in a studio in NYC over two sessions near the end of 1960. This Music Club edition, meant for distribution in Europe and released in 1995, has a nice cardboard outer case, a jewel case, an eight-page booklet, and three stiff cards with photos of Mingus at his bass. Classy production all around, and the sounds on the disc are classic as well."

Little known but excellent sides

William E. Adams | 07/01/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Originally released on the Candid label, it's strange to think that this album isn't more well known to jazz fans, considering some of the big names that appear and some of the inspired soloing they unleash. Dannie Richmond, Mingus' quintessential drummer is the only one who appears on all tracks, along with Mingus, but appearing on and off are more than capable sidemen such as Booker Ervin, Charles MacPehrson, Jo Jones and Tommy Flanagan, but it's the last five tracks that are truly amazing. Mingus manages to bridge two schools of jazz, swing and avant-garde, like the bridge never existed, bringing together colossal swing trumpeter Roy Eldridge and free jazz prodigy Eric Dolphy. The highlight of the album is a lengthy rendition of 'Body and Soul', which features some truly awe-inspiring solos by Eldridge, Dolphy, and trombonist Jimmy Knepper, and the everpresent and always fiery boom of Mingus' bass, keeping superb time and swinging like crazy while letting rip some of his notorious vocal exclamations to push the music along. The rest of the disc rarely matches that energy, but this is still essential music for any Mingus fan."

Standard Mingus, but that ain't bad!

William E. Adams | 05/08/1999

(4 out of 5 stars)

"With Candid's recordings of Mingus work currently not available, this is about the best one can do to get Mingus's studio work with Dolphy and others. Many of the tracks are fairly mellow (as the title suggests) unlike other, more intense recordings such as Ah Um and Mingus etc. Nevertheless, a solid recording that any serious Mingus fan will want."