Big Band Charlie Mingus

"Along with some of the most sophisticated orchestrations this side of Duke Ellington, the Mingus catalog contains a number of durable chassis that are ideally fitted for jump blues and gutbucket swing workouts. An impressive 11-piece ensemble stocked with many of the late composer's former bandmates (Jaki Byard, Clifford Jordan, John Handy, Jimmy Knepper) take full advantage. Between the upper-register capabilities of cornetist Jon Faddis and trumpeter Randy Brecker and the low-end leverage provided by bass clarinetist David Murray (who doubles on tenor sax), baritone saxophonist Nick Brignola and a pair of trombones (Claude Lawrence in addition to Knepper), the full tonal range of Mingus 'glorious horn voicings are provided. Right at the onset, a caterwauling "Jump Monk" cleans everyone's pipes with a full-scale blowout. The closer, "Ecclusiastics," envelops the murmured prayers, eloquent sermons and boisterous assents of an African-American church service into a 12-minute package. In between, moments of individual splendor (like Byard's piano intro to "Duke Ellington's Sound of Love") are interspersed with faithful group readings of Mingus's genius for juxtaposition, as with the unfurling of the suite-like sections of "The Shoes of the Fisherman's Wife Are Some Jive-Ass Slippers," a sublime journey from its sinuous intro to its closing benediction."

(source: eMusic.com, B. Robson)