With Herbie Hancock's recent Album of the Year win this past Sunday for River: The Joni Letters at the Grammy Awards, I was thinking today of Joni Mitchell's collaboration Mingus. Elvis Costello did something similar back in 2001 with "Hora Decubitus". Costello is also on Hal Wilner's Weird Nightmare Mingus tribute, which I first heard in college and led me to explore the vast and wonderful catalog of, well, weirdness that is Charles Mingus.
So, anyway, the point is I listened to Mingus' Let My Children Hear Music this morning as I drove to vote in the Virginia presidential primary. As corny as it sounds, since I'm recently married and hope to begin a family in the next year or two, I can't wait for my children to hear music of all kinds.
Mingus was an irascible and difficult man, notorious for a number of reasons. Triumph of the Underdog is a good place to begin your own explorations of this twentieth century jazz giant.
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3 comments:
Just wanted to mention gratuitously that I saw Mingus in a small club in Bloomington, Indiana in 1976. About the time he came with two different albums called "Changes."
That's all I got. And to recommend "Three or Four Shades of Blues," which includes "Caucasian Folk
Blues."
Pete
I saw that version of the Jazz Workshop too, in DC at the Cellar Door. Jack Walrath had a split lip that night, but sounded great nonetheless.
Mike, you should check out Mingus Ah Um. The version of Haitian Fight Song used in Jerry MacGuire was the best!
Pete, that's pretty cool. Very cool, in fact.
Woody, I also have Mingus Ah Um and New Tijuana Moods. Better Git It In Your Soul!
Thanks for the comments, gentlemen!
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