The 1959 album showcases Mingus's ambitious compositional voice and virtuosic ensemble arrangements, blending genres and moods with unparalleled dexterity.
- Recorded over just three sessions in October 1958 at 30th Street Studio in New York City, the album was produced by Nesuhi Ertegün.
- "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat," a tribute to Lester Young, became one of Mingus's most celebrated compositions.
- The album was critically acclaimed and has remained a staple of jazz programming and record collections for decades.
Charles Mingus was a bassist, composer, and bandleader, a towering figure in the jazz avant-garde and a key architect of post-bop. "Mingus Ah Um" arrived at a moment of immense creative fertility for Mingus, cementing his reputation as one of jazz's most vital and distinctive voices in the wake of his work with Miles Davis and his own burgeoning ensemble.
Tracklist
More from Charles Mingus
The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady2023
Mingus Ah Um2019
Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus1964
Tijuana Moods1962
Changes Two1975
Changes: The Complete 1970s Atlantic Studio Recordings2023
Three or Four Shades of Blues2013
Mingus at Antibes2007
Mingus at the Bohemia1956
The Lost Album from Ronnie Scott's2022
Mingus at Carnegie Hall2007
Pre-Bird1999
