Track Listing

1. Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting
2. Prayer for Passive Resistance
3. What Love?
4. I'll Remember April
5. Folk Forms, No. 1
6. Better Get Hit in Yo' Soul

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #17392 in Music
• Released on: 2009-10-27
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .20 pounds

Album Description
Mingus At Antibes by MINGUS, CHARLES

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Amazon.com essential recording
The fleet group that Charles Mingus brought to the Antibes jazz festival in 1960 was likely the most powerful group, pound-for-pound, that the bassist ever led. The front line was comprised of trumpeter Ted Curson, alto saxophonist Eric Dolphy, and, for this stint, tenor saxophonist Booker Ervin. Without a piano for most of this Antibes concert, the band relied on a combustion that Mingus created with his antiphonal compositions and a gospel bent. Dolphy, Curson, and Ervin sound jubilant on "Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting" and then full of longing on "Prayer for Passive Resistance." But it's on "Folk Forms I" that you hear how much leap the group has without a formal harmonic anchor. Mingus chugs along, using his lowest-end bustle as a backbone for rhythmic variations across the top. As usual, drummer Dannie Richmond cracks the percussion with speed-shifting exactness. As if that all weren't enough, one of bebop's quirkier architects, Bud Powell, joins the band for a touching read of "I'll Remember April." --Andrew Bartlett

Customer Reviews

Ahead of Its Time
Very progressive music for its time -- even for what Mingus was doing in the studio during this "Golden Age." From a music historian's perspective, it does rate five stars for that reason, and also because this is probably the best live recording that we have of Mingus. The music itself is also wonderful, except that Bud Powell's never-ending, never-interesting piano solo on I'll Remember April is, indeed, truly lame. If you are on a tight budget, I would opt first for Mingus Ah Um, Picanthropus Erectus, and (Mingus' masterpiece, in my opinion) The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady. On the other hand, those are not live recordings so my advice would be to splurge and get this one, too. Hey, it's Mingus, and that is a beautiful thing.

Live It... Play This One Loud!
from California
Recorded live at the Antibes Jazz Festival in 1960, this CD presents some of Mingus' best live output, as well as superlative solo playing. At over 70 minutes long, with excellent, detailed liner notes by Robert Palmer, this is a must have for any jazz fan of the period. Perhaps not as wholly satisfying as "Ah Um" or "Oh Yeah," it is still a brilliant achievement.

"Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting" (11:54) is in the Mingus tradition of jazz/gospel/folk forms and features Ted Curson on trumpet and Eric Dolphy on alto sax. These horns produce torrents of sound against Mingus' turbulent bass and Dannie Richmond's cascades of percussion. Booker Ervin blows an extended Texas/avant-garde sax solo, wailing and zigzagging with Curson's trumpet. Amid some hand clapping and a minimal background, Dolphy overlays some outstanding and exciting work. Mingus' varied bass riffs are superbly imaginative (and well recorded)--this piece cooks! A nice messy gumbo of texture, sound, and jazz history.

"Prayer for Passive Resistance" (8:06) opens with a slap bass blues figure, while Booker Ervin blows some simple, soulful blues and squawks. Ervin's full tones sound very "present," while Mingus and the rhythm section get increasingly rapid and abstract. Overall, this song evolves rapidly between simplicity and complexity, perhaps reflecting the many implications of its title. The ending, returns to the opening prayer/blues format, perhaps a simple call to resolute action.

Mingus varied the song "What Is This Thing Called Love" many times; his "What Love" (13:34) on the 'Antibes' CD is a thoughtful, balletic composition. Mingus plays some beautiful, high register notes while the trumpet plays searching, somewhat melancholic tones. It is almost a prayer; a backdrop for contemplation. Mingus introduces some excellent tempo changes. At times, the trumpet's "Spanish" sound may remind you of Miles Davis' "Sketches of Spain," though the comping by Mingus (especially) lends energy not always heard on the Davis record. Ervin's tenor sax and Dolphy's brief but memorable bass clarinet grooves lend considerable depth. Dolphy and Mingus enjoy one of their famous bass/horn (again, bass clarinet) "conversations" towards the end. I have sometimes heard these exchanges as somewhat gimmicky and overrated, but this one is aesthetically and emotionally satisfying. The restatement of the theme lasts too long, but this is a beautiful song.

This quintet is joined by Bud Powell on "I'll Remember April" (13:39), a song where you can actually hear the original melody! It's a joyous outing, and the slightly conventional opening is thoroughly routed by Bud Powell's masterful piano break. Powell is confident and swinging (but less oblique); this is some of his most solid playing I've heard. While the horns lay out, Mingus, Richmond, and Powell form a dream trio, playing with clarity, empathy, and style! Curson's trumpet sounds a bit tentative (I was wishing for Clifford Brown more rounded tones here), but Ervin's bold flair and angularity on sax eventually lift the song. There's also a wonderful study in contrasts: Ervin's bold, slightly rough sax versus Dolphy's sinewy alto. Of Dolphy /bass clarinet. Mingus, as always, plays energetic, well placed counterpoint. The ending is too long, but this annoyance is offset by the continuing horn improvisations: there are just the briefest hints of both "A Night in Tunisia" and even "52nd Street Theme". One can also understand the length of a live performance.

"Folk Forms" begins with a familiar Mingus motif, then joined by the horns, particularly Curson on muted trumpet. There are various tempo changes, including disjointed stops and the composition resembles Ornette Coleman in its abstract bursts of tone. Dolphy and Mingus play some of their work on the CD here, with Mingus again in perfect counterpoint. Right when the intensity seems too much (and, unfortunately, too repetitive), Mingus' rapid bass backdrops several horn solos, with perfect punctuation by Richmond's drums. This middle section (about 4 minutes in) is where the band shines, especially Mingus. His bass sounds years ahead of his time, in an almost English rock/ blues attack (a la the Yardbirds, Cream, and perhaps even some David Bowie).

At about six minutes into the cut, the cacophony returns via Ervin's sax. His work is a little disappointing here, although Mingus continues to supply fecund kinetics. Then back to the simple bass figure that opened it. Overall, this is the most uneven of the tracks, but there's much to appreciate anyway, including a monster ending with Mingus exhorting the musicians on and whooping it up.

The opening of "Better Get Hit In Your Soul" (11:00) sounds more like march music here, and the riffs sound formal against a heavily accented beat. Then (as on much of this album) Mingus charges ahead as the other musicians solo off his turbo-charged bass. Ervin wails though some heavy blues amid some churchly hand clapping Ervin's intensity is evident, tearing a joyful noise into the salt air, and Dolphy adds much interest. It's pure bop with the Mingus touch. Designed to clean out your inner cobwebs! . This is not my favorite version of the song (there's not enough of Mingus' great piano riffing and is slightly disconnected), but is definitely a worthy version. The closing features great vocalizing by Mingus et al., along with a bowed bass that sounds like a baritone sax!

This is a very intense album, perhaps too much to absorb at one sitting. Although the studio albums "Ah Um" and "Oh Yeah" contain the definitive versions some of these compositions (and, therefore, are slightly better CDs), this is a rare chance to hear a quintessential Mingus quintet playing live and unrestrained. Mingus drives the whole album, he is simultaneously everywhere AND at the center.

OTHERWORLDLY
Where to start? Listening to this album, I wonder if I would have been able to prevent myself from fainting had I been present at Juan les Pins seeing Mingus live. You see, the urgency, the virtuosity, the volatile elements that Mingus so effortlessly combines here make for some intense and challenging listening. And, when I say virtuosity, I mean it in both ways - individually and collectively. Every musician here is a master of his instrument, yet the almost telepathic communication between them is nothing short of miraculous. On "Better Git Hit in your soul", the band shifts tempos, meters and feels, and sections where the clapping of the band members is the only accompaniment, while the soloists soar in the stratosphere. The effect on me is incredible, even physical - I have stopped breathing sometimes! I wonder if Dolphy is even human. His playing here is pure fire, an incessant barrage of sound that never sounds repetitive and ignites the band to indescribable heights. Yet, he can also be pensive without losing his edge, as he does in "What Love?" - his trialogue with Mingus and Danny must be heard to be believed. Bass and bass clarinet dancing together like a choreographed couple, yet it is improvised. I don't want to ramble on. Just get this if you like Jazz or just creative music by creative musicians. You will be challenged. You will be moved. You will be swept off your feet. You will be different.