Some more late Mingus, in a pair of magnificent quintet records that were recorded at the same December 1974 sessions, then released separately and also as a double-album. The opening minutes of Changes One find Mingus' political fire undimmed in the title Remember Rockefeller At Attica, but the music is incongrously bright and breezy. Perhaps it started out with satirical lyrics a la Fables Of Faubus, who knows. This is followed by the 17 sublime minutes of Sue's Changes, that rank among Mingus' most enduring music. On the second half of the album, a riotous blues calls back to the Oh Yeah era, then the gorgeous Duke Ellington's Sound Of Love is the perfect closer.
Changes Two starts out following the same pattern as its sister album. Free Cell Block F, 'Tis Nazi USA swings like it ought to have a much less weighty title, but in the cases of both openers Mingus will have known exactly what he was doing. This is followed by another 17-minute epic, a freshly minted reworking of the Mingus classic Orange Was The Color Of Her Dress, Then Silk Blue. Duke Ellington's Sound Of Love makes another appearance, this time with a Jackie Paris vocal, and is bookended by great compositions from band member Jack Walrath and arranger Sy Johnson. Both albums are hugely recommended pinnacles of Mingus' career, alongside the other late classic Let My Children Hear Music.
Changes One
Changes Two
pw: sgtg
Previously posted at SGTG:
Oh Yeah
The Black Saint And The Sinner Lady
Mingus Plays Piano
Let My Children Hear Music
Cumbia & Jazz Fusion
plus:
Blue Moods
Money Jungle
BBC Proms Tribute by Metropole Orkest
"Sue's Changes" is wonderful. Changes One & Two are great, with no dud minute between them. Very underrated.
ReplyDeleteAlso: these albums introduced me to Jack Walrath. He's a very good bandleader too, and has got many good albums, though mostly probably hard to get now.
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