Charles Mingus

April 22nd – Charles Mingus’ birthday. In 2013 there is 91 years since he was born.


Charles Mingus – a talented composer, bandleader, pianist, double bassist,
As well as “Jazz Workshop” founder and free jazz passionate propagandist.
Integrating hard bop, bebop, post-bop, gospel, Third Stream, avant-garde,
Charles’ music vision, execution and techniques had been state-of-the-art.

His music was somewhat extreme as was his temperament and personality.
Mingus promoted musical integrity and talented performers’ individuality.
He reinforced his band musicians to improvise with intuition, emotionality.
Charles was a genius who had possessed a pioneering mindset or mentality.

Admiring and building on Duke Ellington’s band leading, playing approach,
He came up with free jazz, and he became his band members’ strict coach.
Charles guided and even insisted on each player’s inventive improvisation,
Which had tremendously contributed to collaborative efforts’ innovation.

Charles was prolific, versatile, spontaneous, determined, intense, ambitious.
His nontraditional imagination, rhythm, tempo made him a virtuoso musician.
Mingus was a genius composer with a distinctive structural music originality.
Incorporating God given composition gift, subtle bass skills led to universality.

April 22nd – birthday of Charles Mingus, jazz master, icon, legend of all times.
His talents, virtuosity has been incomparable, boundless and of a giant size.
Mingus’ influence, contribution to jazz evolution, transformation - profound.
His spirit, creativity, force, perseverance, vision can still inspire and astound.


Copyright©2013 Mila Alper


* Photo is from the Internet