Mingus Orchestras Part IV

To complete this series on Charles Mingus and his work with large ensembles, I'm going to post a couple of favourite tunes, both of which illustrate the range of influences that Mingus brought to bear on his orchestral writing - Monk, Ellington, 20th Century classical composers, Bird, Fats Waller - it's all in there somewhere.

Rambunctious and confident, E.S.P. was recorded at the 1972 Philharmonic Hall concert. We hear solos from Lee Konitz (as), Lonnie Hillyer (tp), Gerry Mulligan (bs) and Charles McPherson (as). The back-announcement is by Bill Cosby, who was M.C. for the evening.

I like to think that Please Don't Come Back from the Moon is Mingus' acerbic response to the bouncy optimism of Bart Howard's Fly Me to the Moon. Solos are by Richard Williams (tp), Jaki Byard (pn), Zoot Sims (ts) and Charlie Mariano (as). The tune was the final "planned" tune recorded at the 1962 Town Hall concert, and ends suddenly during Mariano's solo as Mingus was given a signal to wrap the gig up before union overtime kicked in at midnight...

Charles Mingus Orchestra - E.S.P.
From Charles Mingus and Friends in Concert : Columbia C2K 64975 [Buy]

Charles Mingus Orchestra - Please Don't Come Back from the Moon
From The Complete Town Hall Concert : Blue Note 28353 2 5 [Buy]

Charles Mingus. Image Copyright Karlheinz Kluter