A Modern Jazz Symposium of Music and Poetry explained

A Modern Jazz Symposium of Music and Poetry
Type:studio
Artist:Charles Mingus
Cover:Mingusmodernjazzsymposium.jpg
Released:May or June 1959
Recorded:October 1957
Genre:Jazz
Length:57:29
Label:Bethlehem
Producer:Jeff Palo
Prev Title:Weary Blues
Prev Year:1958
Next Year:1959

A Modern Jazz Symposium of Music and Poetry is an album by the jazz bassist, composer, and band leader Charles Mingus, released by Bethlehem Records in mid-1959.[1] [2] In spite of the title, the album does not contain any poetry. "Scenes in the City", however, includes narration performed by Mel Stewart and written by actor Lonne Elder with assistance from Langston Hughes.[3] [4] The composition "Duke's Choice" re-appears, in updated form, as "I X Love" on the 1963 album Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus.[5] [6] [7] "Nouroog", "Duke's Choice" and "Slippers" form the basis of the suite "Open Letter to Duke" on Mingus Ah Um.[8]

The CD issues of the album include three bonus tracks: the Dizzy Gillespie standard "Woody 'n' You", Charlie Parker's "Billie's Bounce", which is listed as "Bounce" and miscredited to Mingus, and an alternate take of "Slippers".[9]

Reception

The AllMusic review by Scott Yanow called the album "an excellent set of challenging yet often accessible music". The Penguin Guide to Jazz deemed it "an opportunity for Mingus to experiment with texts and with pure sound". The Penguin editors furthermore cite Clarence Shaw's performance on "New York Sketchbook" as "the best trumpet heard on a Mingus album for some time before or since".

Track listing

All titles by Charles Mingus, except where noted.

  1. "Scenes in the City" (Music: Mingus; Narrative: Elder, Hughes) – 11:55
  2. "Nouroog" – 4:52
  3. "New York Sketchbook" – 8:55
  4. "Duke's Choice" – 6:27
  5. "Slippers" – 3:29

Bonus tracks

  1. "Woody 'n' You" (Gillespie) – 8:44
    • Mistitled "Wouldn't You" on earlier releases
  2. "Bounce" (Parker) – 9:22
  3. "Slippers (Alternate Take)" – 3:50

Personnel

Notes and References

  1. News: Editorial Staff . Cash Box . May Album Releases . 2 September 2019 . The Cash Box . The Cash Box Publishing Co. Inc., NY . 16 May 1959.
  2. News: Editorial Staff . Billboard . A Modern Jazz Symposium of Music and Poetry with Charlie Mingus . 2 September 2019 . The Billboard . The Billboard Publishing Co. . 22 June 1959.
  3. A Modern Jazz Symposium of Music and Poetry . . 1957 . Nat . Hentoff . Nat Hentoff . 3–6 . CD booklet . . DK 37964 .
  4. The liner notes credit "Lonnie Elders"; other sources credit "Lonne Elder III."
  5. Book: Santoro, Gene . Myself when I Am Real . registration . 2000 . Oxford University Press US . . 0-19-514711-1 . 413 .
  6. Book: Mathieson, Kenny . Giant Steps . 1999 . Canongate US . 0-86241-859-3 . 217 .
  7. [Nat Hentoff]
  8. Mingus Ah Um . . 1998 . Charles Mingus . Brian . Priestley . Brian Priestley . 17–20 . CD booklet . . CK 65512 .
  9. Book: Jenkins. Todd S.. I Know what I Know: The Music of Charles Mingus. 2006. Praeger. Westport, CT. 55. 9780275981020.

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