Search - Charles Mingus :: Great Concert Paris 1964

One of the greatest live recordings ever.

greg taylor | Portland, Oregon United States | 12/07/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I know that title sounds like hypebole. But once you know this album, you cannot help but wish you had been in the audience. I challenge anyone to listen to James Brown at the Apollo, B.B. King at the Regal, the Allman Brothers at the Fillmore, or this album and not feel the same way.
Mingus fans know that there are many pirate recordings of this 1964 European tour. This was the official Columbia release and it beats all others that I have heard not only in the quality of sound but in the performances. These guys were totally on their game when this was recorded.
What a band. Eric Dolphy playing the alto sax, bass clarinet and flute, Clifford Jordan on the tenor, Jaki Byard on piano and Mingus' great soulmate, Dannie Richmond on the drums. Johnny Coles was on the tour but he only plays on one of the songs due to illness.
There are only six tunes on these two discs. More than two hours of music of extraordinary strength. Mingus fans will know that he was well versed in classical music as well as jazz. This group somehow combines the best of a jazz combo with the best of a chamber group. There is superb ensemble and individual playing of some of the greatest music ever written by an American composer. There are astounding solos. Jaki Byard had the entire history of the piano deeply engrained in his soul and that knowledge could flow out of his fingers in one solo. Eric Dolphy is one of the unique voices in music, instantly recognizable yet tremendously influential. Clifford Jordan is, for my money, the most underrated tenor player of all time. The guy has such a soulful sound, was technically superb, took great pride in his ensemble work and was a wonderful soloist. If you ever find his In The World CD buy it. Danny is great-alway there, sounding powerful and understated at the same time. The heart of the band was, of course, Mingus. If you ever saw him live you will know what I mean. Shouting out encouragement, challenging everybody and anything complacent, pouring out his heart through that great bass of his.
This is great great music. Music like this exhausts my vocabulary. This disc like Kind of Blue, like Monk and Trane playing together belongs in every collection of modern jazz."