Ken Burns JAZZ Collection: Charles Mingus

Ken Burns JAZZ Collection: Charles Mingus

ASIN: B000050HVV

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Bassist Charles Mingus was known for his hot-headed behavior and outrageous statements, but those extracurriculars are secondary to the magical music he created. This compilation is part of the 22-CD single-artist series that is the bulk of the musical component for Ken Burns's documentary Jazz. Featuring nine tracks, this is an accurate but thumbnail profile of one of jazz's most complex and gifted musicians. Many will remember the incorporation of "Haitian Fight Song" as the soundtrack to a VW car advertisement, but the sentimental beauty of "Goodbye, Porkpie Hat," the urgency of "Better Get Hit in Your Soul," and the cover of Ellington's "Mood Indigo" reveal a musical portrait that is strikingly broad and beautiful. More varied in his influences than many jazzmen, Mingus incorporated such disparate influences as Ellington, gospel, Mexican music, Dixieland, European masters, and even politics. Probably the most challenging of bop greats, Charles Mingus is an iconoclastic icon whose music never severed its tie with its roots, even as he continually broke new ground. --Tad Hendrickson

Tracks:

Haitian Fight Song
Ysabel's Table Dance
Goodbye Pork Pie Hat
Better Git It In Your Soul
Original Faubus Fables
Peggy's Blue Skylight
Eat That Chicken
Solo Dancer
Mood Indigo
The Shoes Of The Fisherman's Wife Are Some Jive Ass Slippers

Amazon.com

Bassist Charles Mingus was known for his hot-headed behavior and outrageous statements, but those extracurriculars are secondary to the magical music he created. This compilation is part of the 22-CD single-artist series that is the bulk of the musical component for Ken Burns's documentary Jazz. Featuring nine tracks, this is an accurate but thumbnail profile of one of jazz's most complex and gifted musicians. Many will remember the incorporation of "Haitian Fight Song" as the soundtrack to a VW car advertisement, but the sentimental beauty of "Goodbye, Porkpie Hat," the urgency of "Better Get Hit in Your Soul," and the cover of Ellington's "Mood Indigo" reveal a musical portrait that is strikingly broad and beautiful. More varied in his influences than many jazzmen, Mingus incorporated such disparate influences as Ellington, gospel, Mexican music, Dixieland, European masters, and even politics. Probably the most challenging of bop greats, Charles Mingus is an iconoclastic icon whose music never severed its tie with its roots, even as he continually broke new ground. --Tad Hendrickson

Customer Reviews:

Mingus the Kingus.......2005-06-11

Although a lot of people take their shots at the Ken Burns Jazz sets and compilation cd's, the compilation cd's are the best best of's I've ever seen and one cd with Original Faubus Fables, Better Git Hit in Yo Soul, and Mood Indigo is pure gold in my view.

Even the cover is cool. Mingus was the stereotypical "beatnik" with the beret hat, the goatee, and the "jelly roll soul." Mingus was just a cool hep cat who knew where it was at. Eat that Chicken is a great song. It's very funny that the Great Mingus just took the stereotype of Black people loving chicken to his advantage in a great song. Mingus was a great Genius. My introduction to Mingus was through the song, Original Faubus Fables in the great Ken Burns Jazz set. It blew me to the back of the room with it's very distinctive sound. Charles Mingus (1922-1979) had a great combination of soul, the blues, and New Orleans style mixed with bebop.

The best intro to Mingus, most Mingus fans say, is through the 1959 classic album, "Ah Um;" but this is probably the best alternative, although I must say that Ah Um is great.

Either get this or Ah Um; or if you have the cash, you're the lucky sob who can buy the great set "Passions of a Man" Complete Atlantic Recordings of Charles Mingus 1956-1961!

Better Git Hit in Yo' Soul or you'll be angrier than Mingus!!

Mingus Mingus Mingus.......2002-12-13

I am new to mingus, but this definitive collection says a lot about a musician of this caliber. The music is definitive of the art, definitive of the artist, and definitive for this era. You have to appreciate the sound of jazz, it is seen throughout music today. Musical Genius.

Close to Definitive.......2002-09-21

Falls a little short for a one CD definitive overview of Mingus. A big omission is 'Pithecantropus Erectus', an essential track in Mingus discography and probably my favourite of his compositions. Why including 'Mood Indigo'? He was very much influenced by the Duke and he would be the first to tell you that, but is an insult not to include another Mingus original instead of this one. STill, is a very good introduction to his music.

Guys, shut up........2001-12-17

Listen kids. A lot of people wrote reviews who say they have never really been into jazz, but thanks to Mr. Burns, now they love it. Then they continue to either bash this cd and say Mr. Burns is an overrated incompetent moron, or they'll say that they love it but they can't explain why. I play jazz bass myself. Mingus is The Bass Player. Anyone that will ever play jazz bass will learn that Mingus was a founder of great music. He prefected the art of the rythmic bass. No one comes close to him. He is The Virtuoso. If you are into jazz, don't ever tell anyone that you don't own a Mingus cd. You must own a Mingus cd. If not this one, another but you must get one; steal, lie, cheat and kill for a Mingus cd, because nobody who was ever a jazz listener didn't already own a Mingus cd. This is a good example of a good Mingus cd. It takes all of his classic songs and puts them all on one nicely done compilation. I would definetely recommend this album. The quality isn't great, but then again only something heard live can really satisfy you; too bad he's dead. GET THIS CD!

Brilliant.......2001-06-29

Before buying this album I really wasn't that familiar with Mingus. And that is the great thing about the Ken Burn's Jazz Series. It introduces artists to people who may not have known that much about them before. I have a few of the Ken Burns cds, and find them an excellent way to discover an artists work over many years and record labels. It annoys me when I see people criticizing the work Ken Burns did on his documentary series and these albums. Of course nothing is perfect, but it did bring a whole new flock of fans to jazz, and that can only be a good thing.

This album by Mingus happens to be my favourite so far out of the KB's collection that I have. And I will most definately be buying more albums by Mingus in the near future. And it's all thanks to this cd. The 12 page booklet contains photos and an essay on Mingus. Highly recommended.

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