Charles Mingus Jr. (April 22, 1922 – January 5, 1979) was a highly influential American jazz double bassist, composer and bandleader. Mingus's compositions retained the hot and soulful feel of hard bop and drew heavily from black gospel music while sometimes drawing on elements of Third Stream, free jazz, and classical music. Yet Mingus avoided categorization, forging his own brand of music that fused tradition with unique and unexplored realms of jazz. He once cited Duke Ellington and church as his main influences.Mingus focused on collective improvisation, similar to the old New Orleans jazz parades, paying particular attention to how each band member interacted with the group as a whole. In creating his bands, he looked not only at the skills of the available musicians, but also their personalities. Many musicians passed through his bands and later went on to impressive careers. He recruited talented and sometimes little-known artists, whom he utilized to assemble unconventional instrumental configurations. As a performer, Mingus was a pioneer in double bass technique, widely recognized as one of the instrument's most proficient players.Nearly as well known as his ambitious music was Mingus's often fearsome temperament, which earned him the nickname "The Angry Man of Jazz". His refusal to compromise his musical integrity led to many onstage eruptions, exhortations to musicians, and dismissals. Because of his brilliant writing for midsize ensembles, and his catering to and emphasizing the strengths of the musicians in his groups, Mingus is often considered the heir of Duke Ellington, for whom he expressed great admiration. Indeed, Dizzy Gillespie had once claimed Mingus reminded him "of a young Duke", citing their shared "organizational genius".Some once believed that Mingus's music was too difficult to play without Mingus's leadership. However, many musicians play Mingus compositions today, from the repertory bands Mingus Big Band, Mingus Dynasty, and Mingus Orchestra, to the high school students who play the charts and compete in the Charles Mingus High School Competition.Gunther Schuller has suggested that Mingus should be ranked among the most important American composers, jazz or otherwise. In 1988, a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts made possible the cataloging of Mingus compositions, which were then donated to the Music Division of the New York Public Library for public use. In 1993, The Library of Congress acquired Mingus's collected papers—including scores, sound recordings, correspondence and photos—in what they described as "the most important acquisition of a manuscript collection relating to jazz in the Library's history".
Sue Mingus, Celia Zaentz, Judy Starkey, Moanin', Haitian Fight Song, Goodbye, Pork Pie Hat
Parents
Charles Mingus Sr., Harriet Sophia Mingus, Moanin', Haitian Fight Song, Goodbye, Pork Pie Hat
Awards
Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, Grammy Hall of Fame, Guggenheim Fellowship for Creative Arts, US & Canada, Moanin', Haitian Fight Song, Goodbye, Pork Pie Hat
Movies
Photographic Memory, Charles Mingus: Triumph of the Underdog, Stations of the Elevated, Shadows and Light, Mingus: Charlie Mingus 1968, Jazz Icons: Charles Mingus: Live in '64, All Night Long, Shadows, Charles Mingus: Live at Montreux 1975
Star Sign
Taurus
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Fact
1
Recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship in composition in 1971.
2
Virtuoso double bass player, inspired to play jazz by the music of Duke Ellington.
3
Was of mixed ancestry, having British-born Chinese, Swedish and African-American grandparents.
4
One of the first African-American musicians to form his own record label ('Debut') in 1953.
5
Began with Kid Ory and Barney Bigard. First achieved international recognition as a member of the Red Norvo Trio in 1950.
6
Co-founded, with Sue Mingus and Max Roach, Debut Records (1952-1957), Los Angeles, CA.
7
Inducted into the Big Band and Jazz Hall of Fame in 1982.
writer: "Boogie Stop Shuffle The Rough and the Smooth", "Better Git It in Your Soul The Hot and the Cool"
Kerouac, the Movie
1985
Documentary performer: "Percussion Discussion", "So Long Eric" / writer: "Percussion Discussion", "So Long Eric"
Shadows and Light
1980
Video documentary writer: "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat", "Dry Cleaner from Des Moines"
America, the Beautiful
1965
Documentary performer: "Love Chant", "Don't Be Afraid, The Clown's Afraid Too", "Don't Let It Happen Here", "They Trespass The Land Of The Sacred Sioux" / writer: "Love Chant", "Don't Be Afraid, The Clown's Afraid Too", "Don't Let It Happen Here", "They Trespass The Land Of The Sacred Sioux"
All Night Long
1962
music: "Peggy's Blue Skylight"
Composer
Title
Year
Status
Character
Schijnsel
1996
Stations of the Elevated
1981
Documentary
Shadows and Light
1980
Video documentary
Vie et mort d'Untel
1980
TV Movie
Tentativa I
1977
Documentary short
The Robert Herridge Theater
1960
TV Series 1 episode
Music Department
Title
Year
Status
Character
Fearing's Funhouse
2016
stock music post-production
Shadows
1959
composer: additional music / musician: additional music
Self
Title
Year
Status
Character
1959: The Year That Changed Jazz
2009
TV Movie documentary
Charles Mingus
De laatste sessie
1991
Documentary
Himself
All You Need Is Love
1977
TV Series documentary
Himself
Chronicles: Van's Last Performance
1971
Documentary
Himself
Mingus: Charlie Mingus 1968
1968
Documentary
Himself
All Night Long
1962
Himself - Bass
Q for Quest
1961
TV Series
Himself
Archive Footage
Title
Year
Status
Character
Io sono Tony Scott, ovvero come l'Italia fece fuori il più grande clarinettista del jazz