CHARLES MINGUS

CHARLES MINGUS

Mingus big band 93

Moanin

Ronnie Cuber - bari sax

AllMusic Review by Scott Yanow  [-]

There have been many attempts to revisit the music of Charles Mingus ever since his death in 1979 (with several of the groups being called Mingus Dynasty), but this is by far the most successful of all the Mingus tribute albums. The 20-piece Mingus Big Band is an all-star unit comprised of mostly younger musicians who have spent several years really studying and getting inside the great bassist's music. The band's debut CD has such spirited soloists as baritonist Ronnie Cuber (who introduces "Nostalgia in Times Square" with a memorable story of his first encounter with Mingus), trumpeters Randy Brecker, Ryan Kisor, and Jack Walrath, trombonists Art Baron, Frank Lacy, and Dave Taylor, altoist Steve Slagle, tenors Chris Potter, Craig Handy, and John Stubblefield, and pianist Kenny Drew, Jr., among others. The ten Mingus compositions are all given memorable treatments, particularly "Moanin'," the witty and somewhat nutty "Don't Be Afraid, the Clown's Afraid Too," and "Weird Nightmare." The new arrangements by Sy Johnson, Jack Walrath, and Ronnie Cuber are quite crowded and very much in the spirit of Mingus. This was one of the top recordings to be released in 1994 and is essential for all serious jazz collections.

Michael Formanek

Bass

Andy McKee

Bass

Marvin "Smitty" Smith

Drums, Guest Artist

Victor Jones

Drums

Ronnie Cuber

Guest Artist, Reeds

Craig Handy

Guest Artist, Reeds

Randy Brecker

Guest Artist, Trumpet

Lew Soloff

Guest Artist, Trumpet

Jack Walrath

Guest Artist, Trumpet

Sy Johnson

Guest Artist

Kenny Drew, Jr.

Piano

Alex Foster

Reeds

Roger Rosenberg

Reeds

Steve Slagle

Reeds

John Stubblefield

Reeds

Art Baron

Trombone, Trombone (Bass)

Sam Burtis

Trombone

Frank Lacy

Trombone

Chris Kase

Trumpet

Ryan Kisor

Trumpet

Joe Locke

Vibraphone