But the effect of those chords was that you couldn’t play a scale you had to play blue notes. The song sounds like it’s in a minor key, but it’s not. So John Handy didn’t know the chords for “Pork Pie Hat” he didn’t know about the flatted loths, I call ‘em, beautiful chords. That sentiment was supported by Knepper’s recollection of the sessions, from Gene Santoro’s Mingus biography Myself When I Am Real: In this way I can keep my own compositional flavor in the pieces and yet allow the musicians more individual freedom in the creation of their group lines and solos. They are given different rows of notes to use against each chord but they choose their own notes and play them in their own style, from scales as well as chords, except where a particular mood is indicated. Each man’s particular style is taken into consideration. I play them the ‘framework’ on piano so that they are all familiar with my interpretation and feeling and with the scale and chord progressions to be used. I ‘write’ compositions on mental score paper, then I lay out the composition part by part to the musicians. My present working methods use very little written material. Mingus illuminated some of his process in the album’s liner notes: They also recorded the languorous “Pussy Cat Dues” (two takes), “Pedal Point Blues,” with Mingus on piano (one take), and three takes of “Jelly Roll,” a reworked version of Jelly Roll Morton tribute“My Jelly Roll Soul” (which appeared on Blues & Roots). Why are they so sick and ridiculous?Two, four, six, eight: Name me a handful that’s ridiculous, Dannie Richmond. Then he’s a fool! Boo! Nazi Fascist supremacists!īoo! Ku Klux Klan (with your Jim Crow plan)

Name me someone who’s ridiculous, Dannie. Ah Um marked the tune’s recorded debut the delayed genesis of its lyrics, printed below, is sometimes attributed to Columbia’s conservatism - but they were included when he re-recorded the tune in 1960 for the Candid label. Faubus who had attempted to block the integration of Little Rock schools by calling in the National Guard. Third on the bill was protest anthem “Fables of Faubus” (one take), directed at Arkansas governer Orval E. It was supposed to sound like birds – the first part,” Mingus apocryphally said later of the tune, recorded in three takes - but it’s hard to hear anything besides dizzy bebop). The Mingus septet recorded bluesy breakdown “Better Git It In Your Soul” (two takes) and Charlie Parker non-tribute “Bird Calls” (“It wasn’t supposed to sound like Charlie Parker.

P.C.” (one take) and “Giant Steps” (three takes).

His quartet recorded “Countdown” (two takes), “Syeeda’s Song Flute” (two takes), “Mr. Present were Jimmy Knepper, John Handy, Shafi Hadi, Booker Ervin, Horace Parlan and Dannie Richmond.Ībout 30 blocks uptown, John Coltrane was recording his second session for Giant Steps, including the revolutionary tune itself. Charles Mingus recording Mingus Ah Um at Columbia’s 30th Street Studios, 1959 (Don Hunstein)Ĭharles Mingus assembled his Workshop at Columbia’s 30th Street Studios (30th Street between 2nd and 3rd Avenues) for his first session for the label, which would become his best known album, Mingus Ah Um.

Better git it in your soul analysis