18 August 2012







Abstractions. Other frames of reference.


4 comments:

David K Wayne said...

Favourite use of a Mingus sample during Jeru's bit:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qNRuR5-zXe0

God knows why they don't sample his basslines more.

Greyhoos said...

I know of a few, but not many. Maybe the arrangements are such that they don't easily lend themselves to isolating certain parts. Dunno. While I own a fair amount of Mingus, but there's loads I've never heard. (As it is, I seem to an odd number of live albums by him.)

Found on an online forum while I was a little poking about: "Listen closely to Dolphy's bass clarinet solo during 'What Love' on Live at Antibes to hear Mingus tell some rude frog heckler 'You can go fuck y'self!'"

Greyhoos said...

And I think for years Mingus adhered to the old-school etiquette of the big bands he came up in: that a musician should always try to look his best, and conduct himself in a dignified and professional manner, and etc. But at the same time, he had a foul temper and zero patience with rude audiences; so those standards really took a slide over the years.

I remember reading an interview done shortly before his death where he was talking about Miles; about how Miles had started out as a "sweet kid" but then let the business turn him "evil." He described a gig they were doing in some concert hall, and a young Miles was there. And Mingus gave the audience a spiel, "There's a very talented and very promising young player in our midst tonight that I'd like to introduce to you; and if he'd be so kind, we'd be honored if he'd join us on the stage..." To which Miles supposedly yelled from the back of the hall, "Fuck you, Charlie -- I don't feel like playing right now!!" Mingus was absolutely aghast.

David K Wayne said...

'Antibes' is an all-time favourite, but can't hear the 'go fuck yourself" bit. Time to adjust the EQ!

I kind of like how Mingus was so ornery - ahead of his time in that respect (he was '60s before the 60s' if you know what I mean). Heard he even gave his heroes - like Ellington - a hard time, but the talent he generously nurtured weighs that out.

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