Product Description

Compilation contains all of Mingus' first recordings as a leader, when he was known as "Baron" - the 24 tracks presented here were originally recorded for 5 post-war California independents - they have taken on legendary status & have rarely been heard; 96 pg. booklet contains complete discography, rare photos, bios & detailed analysis by Mingus expert Andrew Homzy

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This unprecedented set compiles a dozen cleanly remastered rare 78s of Charles Mingus's earliest sessions as a leader of combos in the Bay Area. Most of the 24 tracks fall squarely in the postwar small-band (four to 10 pieces plus singer) era, moving incautiously from swing to bebop. A-side jump tunes are backed with B-side ballads, as the opening "Texas Hop" is backed with the first of three versions of "Baby, Take a Chance with Me." There's a lot to like, from Mingus's already commanding bass taking on the band ("Shuffle Bass Blues") to lusty choruses by tenormen Maxwell Davis and William Woodman, and singers Claude Trenier and Herb Gayle. It's instructive to hear the strong Ellingtonian influence on Mingus's writing (he models "Make Believe" on "Everything But You") and enjoyable to hear ur-versions of oft-recorded Mingus classics, like "Weird Nightmare" (featuring Lucky Thompson and appearing later in the set as "Pipe Dream" with pianist Will Carr) and "Mingus Fingus." Two tunes--"The Story of Love" and "Inspiration"--feature Mingus fronting a 22-piece band of mostly Stan Kenton's sidemen, with Eric Dolphy and Art Pepper on altos. Here's clear anticipation of his later ambitious works, like "Epitaph." The 96-page booklet by historians Andrew Homzy and Bob Sunenblick lovingly documents the players (photos and bios of Buddy Collette and a dozen sidemen) and discography, including a historical overview of the earliest record labels to document Mingus: Dolphins of Hollywood, Excelsior, Fentone, Hollywood, and Rex. --Fred Bouchard