If you had only one album with which to understand the power, spontaneity, and "controlled freedom" of jazz, this Mingus masterpiece would do the trick. Combining elements of church music, swing, and bop, the burly bassist produced a work of great fire and emotion. The eight-piece ensemble displays a tangible looseness with all voices blending together to produce a passionate and coherent statement. Mingus had come close on previous records, but on this opus, he reaches beyond the standard small-group style of theme, solo, and rideout, perfectly balancing ideas of structure and freedom, composition and improvisation.
The classic "Better Git It In Your Soul" boasts amazing urgency: taking his cue from the call-and-response of a church congregation, Mingus' screams of approval and inspiration are clearly audible. His homage to Lester Young, the fragile "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat," captures the dignified sadness with which Young carried himself after his military incarceration. The ensemble seems held together by a thread during the frenetic opening of "Open Letter to Duke." The tempo then slows to unveil haunting statements from all the horns; all play against the others, but with a remarkably coherent result. (Mingus would write out a "range" for each player to roam in rather than specific notes.) The tempo quickens again, leading into a marvelously quaint closing figure with Caribbean overtones.
Mingus shows his keen sense of humor on pieces such as "Fables of Faubus" and "Jelly Roll." The former, named for segregationist Arkansas Gov. Orval E. Faubus, features a loping, almost vaudevillian melody and a shifting rhythmic pattern that moves from jagged stop time to smooth swing to fleet double time. "Jelly Roll," as the title indicates, harkens pack to jazz's early period. The ragtime feel drips with sarcasm but is never disrespectful as Jimmy Knepper's moaning trombone offsets the rest of the group.
Mention should be made of drummer Dannie Richmond, who'd only been playing drums for a short time. He offers a steady smattering of creative, melodic percussion that sounds as if it's being refracted through a prism. His delicate accents and nuances are a perfect fit for Mingus' music; this is why he stayed with Mingus for decades.
Mingus Ah Um represents the realization of Charles Mingus' vision of collective improvisation. In a sense, it fuses the mindset of a big band with elements of the small group, and the result is a unique and influential record.
If you like Charles Mingus, check out:
Duke Ellington Money Jungle
Horace Silver Blowin' the Blues Away
Various ArtistsWeird Nightmare - Meditations on Mingus
Pinetop Seven Rigging The Toplights
psst...you might wanna check out our bebop abode for more features on bebop artists.
