Mingus - The Lost Album From Ronnie Scott's

[felser]

Mine's due from Amazon tomorrow.

[JSngry]

Very nice set. Where can I go to learn more about John Foster?

[jazzbo]

He does have a discogs.com page.

[JSngry]

He does indeed, but it ain't got shit for biography.

[JSngry]

Realizing that Mingus is a cultural crossover, so that no doubt puts me in a probable distinct minority on this, but more research into John Foster and less quotes from Fran Liebowitz (who I certainly enjoy elsewhere) would have added real value to this already valuable package. I had relatively low expectations, but hell, this band was TIGHT. Even the weak and weakest links (Jones and Faddis, respectively) do right, and Foster grabs the ear and keeps it.

Columbia fucked up. Oh well!

[jazzbo]

I couldn't find much about him. I'm looking forward to the set.

[bertrand]

Is the CD limited edition or do I have a few weeks?

[jazzbo]

Only the LP set is "limited."

[jlhoots]

I'm still on the fence on this. Not sure why.

[T.D.]

  On 5/1/2022 at 10:55 PM, jlhoots said:

I'm still on the fence on this. Not sure why.

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There've been a heckuva lot of Mingus releases over the past few years.

Edited May 1, 2022 by T.D.

[JSngry]

There has, but - John Foster is a treat here. not perfect, but a treat. Like if you're wondering how do you get from Jacki Byard to Don Pullen, well, John Foster shows you how, as much musically as chronologically.

[jlhoots]

  On 5/2/2022 at 12:37 AM, JSngry said:

There has, but - John Foster is a treat here. not perfect, but a treat. Like if you're wondering how do you get from Jacki Byard to Don Pullen, well, John Foster shows you how, as much musically as chronologically.

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May or may not be good enough for me. Still contemplating.

 

[mjzee]

I think I have enough Mingus.  He really needed a good editor.  One reason that Ah Um and Dynasty made such an impact is because Teo wasn't afraid to shorten and tighten up the tunes.  Mingus may have been "great" (whatever that means), but he really wasn't 35 minutes a tune great.  This is from an Amazon review: "There's nine performances of tunes like (the 35 minute) "Fables Of Faustus", and (the 30 + minute) "Orange Was The Color Of Her Dress Then Silk Blues", or (the 19 + minute) "Noddin' Ya Head Blues", plus other good arrangements of Mingus' compositions. "Mind Readers' (sic) Convention In Milano (AKA Number 29)", at just under 30 minutes, is also a great example of Mingus and this band."  Sorry, but that's way too long.

[sidewinder]

The best way to enjoy this set I find is to put the disks on and imagine that you are an audience member at Ronnie Scott’s for that engagement. Works for me and very glad that this set has been put out and as a quality release.

[jazzbo]

Yes, I tend to really like the length of Mingus studio productions without editing, but the live things can be a bit much unless you pretend to be there seeing the music performed--I think being there the lengths would seem appropriate but on record a bit less so.

[JSngry]

Depends on the players. with the right players, it's magic. With Bobby Jones, it's tolerable, and with Jon Faddis it's like, please stop.

 

But with John Foster, it's like, who IS this guy?!?!?!?!?!?!?

[felser]

  On 5/1/2022 at 10:55 PM, jlhoots said:

I'm still on the fence on this. Not sure why.

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I just completed listening.  It's a treat.  Maybe my favorite rendition of "Orange Was The Color", a solid "Fables of Faubus", and 50 minutes of good compositions/performances I was not really familar with (30 minute "Mind Readers' Convention in Milano" and 20 minute "The Man Who Never Sleeps").  Best Jon Faddis on record, Bobby Jones sounds good.  I think Jim may have briefly mentioned John Foster .  McPherson is McPherson, which is a good thing.  Roy Brooks fits fine.

  On 5/2/2022 at 5:32 PM, mjzee said:

I think I have enough Mingus.  

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[JSngry]

  On 5/3/2022 at 4:28 PM, felser said:

 Roy Brooks fits fine.

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Yeah, that was another "surprise" for me, how organic Brooks was. I had not really heard it to this extent previously. It's good.

[jlhoots]

  On 5/3/2022 at 5:25 PM, JSngry said:

Yeah, that was another "surprise" for me, how organic Brooks was. I had not really heard it to this extent previously. It's good.

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Brooks is also the drummer on Mingus: Jazz In Detroit / Strata Concert Gallery / 46 Selden  (5 CD set) that no one seems to talk about. Stubblefield / Pullen etc. I have it & like it just fine.

[Dub Modal]

Sign me up for long-form, live Mingus. I love that live in Bremen set, big time. Looks like I need to pick up both the Jazz in Detroit/Strata & Ronnie Scott's.  

[JSngry]

  On 5/3/2022 at 6:30 PM, jlhoots said:

Brooks is also the drummer on Mingus: Jazz In Detroit / Strata Concert Gallery / 46 Selden  (5 CD set) that no one seems to talk about. Stubblefield / Pullen etc. I have it & like it just fine.

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I like it just fine too, but in so many ways the band in Detroit was not settled in the way this one was.

[medjuck]

  On 5/3/2022 at 5:25 PM, JSngry said:

Yeah, that was another "surprise" for me, how organic Brooks was. I had not really heard it to this extent previously. It's good.

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He is fine but I missed Dannie Richmond. (Would I have known it wasn't him if  I hadn't been told? I dunno. Lacked a bit of his snap.)  

BTW Why don't they list Jones as playing soprano as well as tenor and clarinet? Brian Priestly mentions it in his essay but I hadn't read that when I first listened to "Orange Was..." and I didn't know what was going on when I heard the soprano. (Thought maybe he was sounding like Bechet whose clarinet is sometimes hard to distinguish from his soprano.)

  On 5/2/2022 at 12:37 AM, JSngry said:

There has, but - John Foster is a treat here. not perfect, but a treat. Like if you're wondering how do you get from Jacki Byard to Don Pullen, well, John Foster shows you how, as much musically as chronologically.

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Well said. (But I could live without the vocals.)

[JSngry]

Actually, I like Jones' clarinet playing best of the three axes he plays here. When they play that Pops thing, you can tell that he's played this stuff on past gigs as a real thing, no "context" involved.

[colinmce]

Interesting post on Facebook:

"I recently found this at a thrift store here in WA. Charles Mingus live at the Tyee Motor Lodge, Tumwater WA 1977. I have since had it professionally digitized by a master archivist and am in contact with the Mingus estate to see about releasing it. It’s rough in spots, but there’s some magic on there too. Including a 46 minute burner of Sue’s Changes. I can post MP3 of it once I get the copyright".

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1110595615993343/posts/1838289456557285/

The group on the tape box is listed as:

Bob - piano (I'm assuming Bob Neloms)
Ricky Ford - tenor sax
Jack Wallace - trumpet (I'm assuming Jack Walrath)
Danny Richmond - drums

This would track with the band on the July 1977 tape from Spain, three months after this Washington date.

https://www.discogs.com/release/9300074-Charles-Mingus-Quintet-Spain-77

There is also a broadcast from France with this group that's quite good 

 

[bertrand]

How the heck does an unreleased Mingus reel to reel end up in a thrift store?