"Goodbye Pork Pie Hat" is a slow, graceful elegy for Lester Young, who died not long before the sessions. At least three became instant classics, starting with the irrepressible spiritual exuberance of signature tune "Better Get It in Your Soul," taken in a hard-charging 6/8 and punctuated by joyous gospel shouts. Their razor-sharp performances tie together what may well be Mingus' greatest, most emotionally varied set of compositions. The band includes longtime Mingus stalwarts already well versed in his music, like saxophonists John Handy, Shafi Hadi, and Booker Ervin trombonists Jimmy Knepper and Willie Dennis pianist Horace Parlan and drummer Dannie Richmond. Mingus' compositions and arrangements were always extremely focused, assimilating individual spontaneity into a firm consistency of mood, and that approach reaches an ultra-tight zenith on Mingus Ah Um. While there's also a strong case for The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady as his best work overall, it lacks Ah Um's immediate accessibility and brilliantly sculpted individual tunes. Buy the album Starting at $10.09Ĭharles Mingus' debut for Columbia, Mingus Ah Um is a stunning summation of the bassist's talents and probably the best reference point for beginners. Purchase and download this album in a wide variety of formats depending on your needs.
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