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Charles Mingus Sextet with Eric Dolphy
Cornell 1964
(Blue Note)
#4 Boxed Set/Live Album/Music DVD for 2007
First Appeared in The Music Box, September 2007, Volume 14, #9
Written by Douglas Heselgrave
Cornell 1964, a newly discovered live set by legendary jazz bassist
Charles Mingus, is an uneasy work of genius. Soothing and melodic one minute,
busy and aggressive the next, the collection is not an easy ride. Nevertheless,
although it traverses some very challenging terrain, stalwart listeners who make
it to the end of its second disc will be glad that they persevered.
Mingus, of course, occupies a place at the pinnacle of the jazz pantheon.
Along with giants like Thelonious Monk, John Coltrane, and Miles Davis, Mingus
did much to redefine the landscape of jazz during the latter half of the 20th
century. Using his bass as a teaser and conductor’s baton — in much the same way
as the Grateful Dead’s Phil Lesh wields his instrument — Mingus doesn’t play
bass lines so much as he throws out musical suggestions with which his sidemen
can wrestle. Depending on intuition and trust, he sometimes offers a phrase and
sometimes an entire melody line before switching tacks and diving into
completely new keys and ideas. Clearly, those who accepted a seat in Mingus’
band could not afford to be asleep at the wheel, and the group that assembled at
New York’s Cornell University in the spring of 1964 clearly was equal to any
challenges that its leader had up his sleeve.
Music that exists exclusively as a platform for virtuosity has, at best, a
limited appeal. (The fusion disasters, which sprang up in the 1970s and almost
ruined jazz, are enduring testaments to this). Charles Mingus had too much
sense, and his love of melody was too deeply ingrained for him to fall prey to
this type of self-indulgence. Though many of his compositions are devilishly
difficult to play and appreciate, there is, embedded in each of his pieces, a
melody line that dances lyrically throughout its performance. His ability to be
complex and tuneful at the same time demonstrates a mastery of form that few
artists have ever reached or, much less, managed to sustain over the course of a
career.
Recently discovered by Sue Mingus, Charles’ widow, Cornell 1964 is one
of the best, previously unreleased, classic jazz sets of the year. Not only does
the recording shed new light on Mingus’ artistic development, but it also is as
important a collection as Thelonious Monk and John Coltrane’s long lost At
Carnegie Hall, which finally was unveiled in 2005. Cornell 1964
boasts the same lineup as was featured on Mingus’ Town Hall Concert,
which was recorded later in the tour, and astute listeners will be able to
appreciate the embryonic performances of Orange Was the Colour of Her Dress,
Then Blue Silk and Meditations, both of which sound significantly
different from the standard versions.
The musicians throughout Cornell 1964 are singularly outstanding. From
the outset, with a pounding version of ATFW You — a tribute to jazz
greats Art Tatum and Fats Waller — pianist Jaki Byard takes no prisoners. Then,
Mingus dives into a solo rendition of Duke Ellington’s Sophisticated Lady
that leaves no doubt about his chops. In the wake of such elegance, Mingus
shakes up the audience with a half-hour version of Fables of Faubus, a
journey through America’s history of racism and segregation that endures as one
of his most popular "jazz protest pieces." This song provided all of the band
members with room to stretch out, and it prepared the audience for legendary
clarinetist Eric Dolphy’s often frantic sonic attacks.
Lovers of traditional jazz need not despair completely when considering
whether or not to purchase Cornell 1964. Perhaps sensing that even the
most adventurous sets of ears require a brief respite, Mingus concluded his
first set with a bouncing rendition of Take the "A" Train, and he rounded
out the concert with a delightful romp through Fats Waller’s Jitterbug Jump.
In doing so, he balanced familiarity with his otherwise primordial sonic soup.
In between, there are passages of indescribable beauty — especially in the
slower sections of Meditations and Orange Was the Colour of Her Dress,
Then Blue Silk — and enough experimental squonk and grind to satisfy the
most off-kilter fans of Captain Beefheart and Ornette Coleman.
No one likes to be told to listen to an album because it’s good for them.
Most people enjoy Mozart better than Bartok, and it’s easy to understand why.
The appreciation of art is not supposed to be an endurance test, and to the
uninitiated, the recordings of Charles Mingus can require a lot of work.
Nevertheless, Cornell 1964 is an outstanding two-disc collection that not
only offers a wealth of surprises but also initiates enough intellectual ideas
to occupy the most discerning fans of improvised music for years to come. Given
time and patience, Cornell 1964 may be just the right thing to kick-start
one’s ears out of a rut, and it’s certain to open new worlds of pleasure to the
hearts and minds of followers and newcomers alike. Simply put, Cornell 1964
is an essential endeavor that comes highly recommended. 
Cornell 1964 is available from Amazon.com.
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Ratings
1 Star: Pitiful
2 Stars: Listenable
3 Stars: Respectable
4 Stars: Excellent
5 Stars: Can't Live Without It!!
Copyright © 2007 The Music Box
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