Charles Mingus in Paris: The Complete America Recordings

Charles Mingus | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 22, 2007)
• Original Release Date: 2007
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: Sunny Side Records
• ASIN: B000P46QC2
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #33,129 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. I Left My Heart in San Francisco

2. Reincarnation of a Lovebird

3. Peggy's Blue Skylight

4. Love Is a Dangerous Necessity

5. Blue Bird

6. Pithecanthropus Erectus

Disc: 2

1. Reincarnation of a Lovebird: Second False Start [Alternate Take][#]

2. Reincarnation of a Lovebird: Incomplete [Alternate Take][#]

3. Peggy's Blue Skylight: Third False Start and Rehearsal [Alternate Take]

4. Peggy's Blue Skylight: Alternate [Fast Version][Alternate Take][#]

5. Blue Bird: Incomplete [Alternate Take][#]

6. Reprise [Alternate Take][#]

7. Love Is a Dangerous Necessity: First False Start [Alternate Take][#]

8. Love Is a Dangerous Necessity: Second False Start [Alternate Take][#]

9. Pithecanthropus Erectus: First Take, Incomplete [Alternate Take][#]

10. Pithecanthropus Erectus (Reprise) [Alternate Take][#]

See all 13 tracks on this disc

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Thankfully, the brains behind this double-disc reissue of two almost forgotten 1970 sessions determined that the first CD should be simply the six tracks originally released on the America label. The false starts and incomplete and alternate takes are left for the second disc. This way, the album closes properly -- in a fit of passion, with Mingus's sextet spinning intense yarns out of "Pithecanthropus Erectus," a tune un-recorded in the studio since 1956. Here, Jaki Byard gets a midnight solo, wobbling on the rails between his well-known clustering talent and his deeply lyrical bent. Bobby Jones on tenor, Charles McPherson on alto, and Eddie Preston on trumpet offer a variety of predispositions, mostly post-bop but certainly aware of the tonal advances Eric Dolphy made with Mingus. "I Left My Heart in San Francisco" is lovely, slightly tense – which helps with the drama, and "Peggy's Blue Skylight" is dynamic and lazily vigorous. As for the second disc, it's instructional in how Mingus the bandleader thought and led: beyond that, it's for the initiates only. Keep in mind that these tunes comprise the first studio album Mingus made after Mingus, Mingus, Mingus, Mingus, Mingus and show the bassist returning to the forge, readying himself for the great stuff yet to come with George Adams and Don Pullen. --Andrew Bartlett

Product Description

This was recorded on October 31st 1970 in a single, sleepless night, the fleeting space of a session that took place almost undetected, and in a sort of urgent calm. The scene was a deserted Decca studio on the rue Beaujon, a stone's throw from the Champs-Élysées. From both a historical and a musical standpoint, this unexpected session it was anything but premeditated undeniably stands apart in the bassist's work; originally released as two records (Pithycanthropus Erectus and Blue Bird), and here reissued for the first time in its entire, intimate dramaturgy, the recordings constitute precious and moving testimony to one of the least-documented periods of his exceptional career; with hindsight, it was a period that saw the decisive moment when, after years of doubt and silence, Mingus found a new confidence, and his faith in his music; it was the instant when he began his final, creative resurrection.

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantasy released this in the 1970's, May 23, 2007

By 

Lawrence L. Powell "larryp" (Weston, Fl) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Charles Mingus in Paris: The Complete America Recordings (Audio CD)

While acting like this has never been heard before in America, Fantasy (or maybe it was Milestone) released this music on 2 double albums in the early 1970's. It is a great set of music. This is my favorite version of Pithyecanthropus Erectus. Part of this session was also released on the French label Accord in 1985 and the CD was titled Charlie Mingus Pithycanthropus Erectus. Once again, it is truly a great set of Mingus music. If you like Mingus get it!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Mingus Between Times, December 30, 2010

By 

jazz lover since 1960 (Tampa, Fl. and Franklin, NC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Charles Mingus in Paris: The Complete America Recordings (Audio CD)

Mingus' golden years were 1964 and before. This includes his 1963 masterpiece "Black Saint and Sinner Lady" and his April 1964 tour of the US and Europe. He re-emerged in 1971 with the Columbia album "Let My Children Hear Music" and with a triumphant recorded 1972 concert at Lincoln Center entitled "Charles Mingus and Friends in Concert." (see my review in Amazon).

This recording is historic in that it his only studio recording in the period between 1963 to 1971. It is a great recording. It was recorded in Paris, France in 1970.

Mingus pretty much disappeared in a dark cloud of depression and the side effects of strong antipsychotic medications such as Thorazine between 1966 and 1969. If it were not for his relationship with girlfriend Sue, who later became his wife, Sue Mingus, he may have never emerged. We can also credit ex-wife Celia, who remarried to Fantasy label producer Saul Zaentz, with arranging for Fantasy to provide a royalty "pension" to Mingus, which allowed him to pay the rent for those dark years without having to work.

Sue became Mingus' manager, and he played a few club dates prior to the European tour she arranged. This recording was made at the end of that European tour. It includes a mesmerizing version of "Reincarnation of a Lovebird" and "Peggy's Blue Skylight," two of my favorite compositions of Mingus or any jazz composer.

I want to spotlight tenor sax player Bobby Jones. I don't know what happened to Bobby before or since he joined Mingus, but his contribution to this recording is the highlight here. Mingus' group includes his regular drummer, Dannie Richmond, as well as pianist Jackie Byard and Charles McPherson and Eddie Preston on trumpet.

This recording includes all the music issued previously on the single discs "Pithycanthropus Erectus" and "Blue Bird." In addition, it include a second disc of brief false starts and longer alternate takes in which Mingus stops the recording and give verbal instructions to the musicians on how he wants his compositions played. This disc is of value mainly to Mingus completists like myself, or jazz music students. However, it offers as insight into Mingus' mental state in 1970. Although some critics say this music is "polite" Mingus, I hear the old prickly, demanding Mingus speaking loud and clear. Therefore, this recording is not polite Mingus of lesser intensity, but Mingus regaining his old energy. It is a chance to hear reinterpretations of Mingus classic tunes, that he had not recorded for 10 or more years. Mingus is back!

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Classic Mingus from 1970, August 6, 2007

By 

K. Hooker "kh1958" (Dallas, Texas USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Charles Mingus in Paris: The Complete America Recordings (Audio CD)

This music was recorded in the studio during a 1970 European tour, the return of Mr. Mingus to active performance after a five year hiatus. The rhythm section is the same as for the famous 1964 European tour with Eric Dolphy, that is, Jaki Byard with Mingus and Dannie Richmond. Frequent Mingus collaborator Charles McPherson is on alto, along with Eddie Preston on trumpet and little recorded tenor saxophonist Bobby Jones. The repertoire is predominantly reworkings of Mingus classics (Reincarnation of a Lovebird, Pithecanthropus Erectus, and Peggy's Blue Skylight). Mingus is perhaps not quite as up-front and aggressive as usual on this date, but it nonetheless is a very solid group performance, all of the soloists are first-rate, and Byard/Mingus/Richmond rhythm section is virtually without peer. The bonus disc mostly features song fragments, but there is a complete additional performance of Peggy's Blue Skylight, and a nearly complete Pithecanthropus Erectus in two parts. This is a fine example of Mr. Mingus pausing to consolidate his past achievements before moving forward again in the near future (see Let My Children Hear Music, Mingus Moves, and Changes).