Charles Mingus - The Clown [Mono]

Titles

1. Haitian Fight Song

2. Blue Cee

3. Reincarnation Of A Lovebird

4. The Clown

With 1957's The Clown, the follow-up to Pithecanthropus Erectus, Mingus cemented his avant-garde position on the scene and delivered two of his finest compositions: The driving 'Haitian Fight Song' and the melancholy, '40s-inspired 'Reincarnation of a Lovebird'.

Also exciting are the free improvisations on the title track, led by trombonist Jimmy Knepper, in which the group responds to the story told by Jean Shepherd and paints the sonic background. They serve as evidence that Mingus's compositional palette was becoming much more modern, with increasing use of dissonance and sudden tempo changes. It tells the story of a clown who, according to Mingus, had one thing in common with many jazz musicians: the goal of wanting to inspire people, the despair of doing so, and the fact that only after death will he find fame and peace.

This MONO recording is released on Analogue Productions' popular 'Atlantic75' series - a clown that belongs in every collection.