Search - Charles Mingus :: Mingus Move

A forgotten performance ?

Patrik Lemberg | Tammisaari Finland | 09/28/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This review refers to the edition released on Rhino that features the two outstanding bonus tracks "Big Alice" & "The Call."

The album is a studio recording of three October dates in 1973 and it was released the following year. It's not the most talked about Mingus album, but the compositions are outstanding. The quality of performance is not far from any other album recorded with this line-up (Mingus, Richmond, Don Pullen, Ronald Hampton and George Adams.) The title track features Honey Gordon (who also sang on the bonus track "Strollin'" on "Mingus Dynasty") and the song's composer--Doug Hammond--both on vocals.

A variaty of styles is presented: There are two very different ballads: "Canon" and "Moves." There's also a chop-craving up-tempo waltz titled "Opus 4." "Opus 3" reminds me of Mingus' composing-style at the "Pithecantropus"-era. There's the bonus track "Big Alice" - a latin-influenced Don Pullen composition. The solos on the other bonus track "The Call" give you a feeling of something from the "Changes" session (which wasn't recorded long after these 1973 sessions.) Good sound-quality. The whole album has a clear mix.

I deeply recommend this album as much as e.g. "Blues & Roots," but I most point out that this is not the album to start with if you aren't familiar with Mingus' music.

Start with "Ah Um" or "Mingus Dynasty" - they're easier manuals to make you understand what the fuzz is about."