4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Brilliant, April 28, 2001
This review is from: Modern Jazz Symposium of Music & Poetry (Audio CD)
This is the best jazz CD I have purchased in quite some time - it is a long lost gem from jazz genius Charles Mingus, recently reissued with stellar sound quality by Bethlehem/Avenue Jazz. Like Chet Baker's Baby Breeze, it is one of those CD's that somehow got lost among the artist's more famous releases, and are thankfully being re-discovered just in the last couple years.
The CD opens with an eloquent jazz opus - Scenes in the City - the perfect song to listen to while riding a NYC subway train. A combination of spoken word vignettes describing New York city life and high energy hard bop, this is a 50's jazz essential - one of those tunes that highlight the best of beatnik culture - free form spoken word and jazz.
The rest of the CD contains no spoken word (the title is a bit misleading), however this is some tight, perfectly executed late 50's jazz. Mingus may have hit his peak a few years before, but he is having fun with this band. The sax playing by Shafi Hadi is vibrant and colorful and the piano flourishes by both Bob Hammer and Horace Panlan are perfectly executed. This is a smokin' band - musicians that are not well known, but obviously working their hearts out for Mr. Mingus.
If you like Charles Mingus and if you enjoy the East coast hard bop sound of the mid to late 50's - you will love this CD. It will not disappoint. If you are a new jazz fan and have heard of Mingus but don't know his music, I also recommend this. This CD is a gem and a worthy reissue of Charles Mingus.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Plenty of music (and a little poetry), February 23, 2001
This review is from: Modern Jazz Symposium of Music & Poetry (Audio CD)
A welcome addition to the Mingus CD universe from the Bethlehem vaults, "Modern Jazz Symposium of Music and Poetry with Charles Mingus" is an elaborate title for another fine session from the late 50s. Most tracks are mid-to-up-tempo jams, while some feature characteristic Mingus mood & tempo shifting as well (especially on the interesting track "New York Sketchbook").
The "poetry" referred to in the title is present only on the first track, "Scenes in the City," where a narrator reflects on life in New York, jazz, landlords, women, being broke, etc. while accompanied by Mingus' sweetly lyrical and raucously swingin' music... hey, it works!
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