Charles Mingus Presents Charles Mingus
| Charles Mingus Presents Charles Mingus | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by Charles Mingus | ||||
| Released | 1961 | |||
| Recorded | October 20, 1960 | |||
| Studio | Nola Penthouse Sound Studios, New York City | |||
| Genre | Jazz | |||
| Length | 46:23 | |||
| Label | Candid | |||
| Charles Mingus chronology | ||||
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| Professional ratings | |
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| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |   |
| The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide | |
Charles Mingus Presents Charles Mingus is an album by jazz bassist and composer Charles Mingus, recorded in 1960 and released in 1961. The quartet of Mingus, Eric Dolphy, Ted Curson and Dannie Richmond constituted Mingus's core working band at the time, and had been performing the material on this album for weeks at The Showplace in New York. To recreate this atmosphere, Mingus introduces the songs as if he were speaking to the audience, even admonishing them to not applaud or rattle their glasses.
The album was recorded in October 1960 in New York for Nat Hentoff's label Candid. Mingus usually recorded on major labels like Columbia and Atlantic, but was given more freedom on Hentoff's independent label.
"Folk Forms, No. 1" is built on a rhythmic pattern. According to Mingus, "they had to listen to what I do on the bass. If I changed it, they'd have to go a different way. This is a very flexible work. About the only other guidance I give them is that if I hear them doing something particularly good one night, I remind them of it next time we play the number and suggest they keep it in. But as a whole, it never comes out the same". This song features melodic drum work from Dannie Richmond and sympathetic interplay by Ted Curson and Eric Dolphy. The quartet also performed the tune in Antibes with the addition of Booker Ervin on tenor saxophone; the concert is released on Mingus at Antibes.
"Original Faubus Fables", a.k.a. "Fables of Faubus", originally appeared on Mingus Ah Um. Mingus introduces it sarcastically as "dedicated to the first, or second or third, all-American heel, Faubus." The lyrics are sung by Mingus and Dannie Richmond, denouncing segregation. Nat Hentoff's liner notes state, "In the club, the mood of the caricature was much more bitingly sardonic and there was a great deal more tension. Mingus says the other label would not allow him to record the talking sections, which he feels are an important part of the overall color and movement of the piece. This version is the way Mingus did intend the work to sound". Eric Dolphy plays alto saxophone on this version, and would perform many more on bass clarinet when he rejoined Mingus in 1964. One example of that year can be found on the live recording at Cornell which expands to almost half an hour.
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