Reviews (page 3 of 14)
Not my thing
Fairly avant garde for my taste but not bad
Нуарный клуб кабаре. Сумасшедший и грандиозный вход в этот альбом, трудно оторваться от прослушивания, хотя середина первой композиции специально создала вражескую баталию звучаний, кажется что танцор перепил и ему нужно посидеть. Танец двух, явно женщины и мужчины, романтичное, наивно романтичное начало быстро перерастает в склоки и ссору друг с другом, доходит до предела - передышка и вновь. Примерение, страсть, секс. Краткий влажный и приторный разговор и снова танец. Замедление, успокоение, обыденность. Любовь и уважение царят в конце этого "танца". Дальше нас ожидает одна из прекраснейших интерпретаций испанских ярких и живых мотивов - track C. Качели и постоянные нарастания и спуск вселяют столько жизни что сложно сидеть и или лежать, вы обязательно пойдете в может и побежите. Сборник всех танцев но немного в другой больше точной и выверенной интерпретации - Mode D. Мне показалось что танец влюбленных слился с толпой все перемешалось кроме одиночки. Постоянные подъемы и падения не дают живости теперь, а изматывают, приятно изматывают но все же. Конец композиции - все смешалось, нет ни взлетов ни падений, скучная однообразная и серая повседневность. Трубы словно плачут в конце. Это траур жизни, любви и человечества. А может это сладкая и приятная грусть и тоска по угасающей жизни, любви и погибшему человечеству. А может все просто устали под конец вечера. Этому альбому я ставлю 8,5/10, неожиданный джаз меня в себя внезапно влюбил, прекрасная интеграция гитары в музыку и испанские мотивы.
Good
This was a stranger one. I felt off-kilter on the first few tracks. It kind of falls into a normal jazz later on. I'm glad I tried it out, I probably would only revisit the first track or two.
"The Black Saint..." resembles a feeling of trying to read hieroglyphs (or sinograms?). You indeed would not manage to comprehend the underlying text, but if you listen to it with attention, you may start noticing the poetry of it. That being said, the quote on the artwork is wonderfully nice. Now, the only track that I am keen on on this record is C (Group dancers). The last composition does use the same core melodies at once but just randoms switches its tone and speed which does not always achieve good results. The first two tracks are quite obscure in terms of what they try to achive. It these are impovisations, the way the instruments switch so many musical parameters is crazy. But it looks like they are not. So, the third track is pretty much a masterpiece to me; is is varied in so many ways yet not a too long composition. This is jazz that you certainly may try to understand and like. However I have to show restraint in rating this, as one track of four is not much. Still, a great work worth giving a try. I suppose jazz fans are mostly excited about the record.
probably pretty good jazz if you have the ear for jazz that i don't have. there's a handful of enjoyable parts but the tracks' lengths make trudging through less engaging sections for those parts less worth it for future replays. hit the 'meh' button!
It was okay. I've heard better jazz records
Must listen for pretty much anyone even though it might not be for everyone. Texture baby, texture
Not a huge jazz fan but this was interesting and intriguing and for people who want to experience music, this is a must listen
Free Jazz und Bepop ist mir zu anstrengend...
Cool durch-komponierter, modern klingender Jazz. Die Bläser machen eine ganz weirde aber coole Stimmung
war mir viel zu stressig für jazz, hab eher was entspannteres erwartet 😅
Loved this!
My name is andermingus Nah this is straight fire. A dark, atonal symphony of raw emotion akin to legends of traditional early 20th-century opera such as Strauss and Mahler. Was entranced front-to-back by this album, which tells a more vivid story without a single word than most records can with a thousand. Fav tracks: Group Dancers
A sublime, towering achievement. Can't even begin to figure out what a genius work of art this is.
This was cool to listen to, very unsettling. That said, I never need to listen to this again. I’m honestly stumped on how to rate this properly.
No estaba familiarizada con éste género, me agradó, pero no es buen soundtrack para cortarte el cabello en el baño.
Typically, I don't know what I'm listening for in jazz, but here I feel like the motifs that he's varying on are a lot easier for me to notice. I still wouldn't say that I *get* it really, but unlike most jazz, at least here I can hear exactly what it is there is for me to get!
Mingus is good and I like Jazz.
Fair enough
This was more than slightly mindblowing. An abstract collage of jazz, flamenco style guitar and sax to knock your sox off (sorry) this album became an instant 5.
I'm starting to think I like the idea of jazz more than I like jazz. Every jazz album I've gotten from this list has been 1-2 hours, 3 tracks. That said, I enjoyed all 4 tracks seperately, but not the album.
There was definitely a lot happening. A little anxiety inducing. Did I love it? No. But that’s ok, music is cool because there’s something for everyone. This one just wasn’t for me. (4 songs, 39 mins)
I am a fan of Mingus and own several of his albums. Pretty sure I was the only guy on record store day who was there to pick up the Mingus At Monterey album. This is great work, I think he is really brilliant and innovative. His work is something I am almost always in the mood to listen to and I keep going back for more. He is a gifted musician. Really glad to find one of his albums on this list.
ambient album good to study to but not my vibe
If I was in the right mood, I think I would have really liked this, but it was just a bit too dissonant for me on this listen.
I listened to this album once and loved it so much I was gifted the record. I was saving it for this day. I read the liner notes while listening and got goosebumps reading his thoughts: "Last and least is me. Mingus. I wrote the music for dancing and listening. It is true music with much and many of my meanings. It is my living epitaph from birth til the day I first heard of Bird and Diz. Now it is me again. This music is only one little wave of styles and waves of little ideas my mind has encompassed through living in a society that calls itself sane, as long as you're not behind iron bars where there at least one can't be half as crazy as in most of the ventures our leaders take upon themselves to do and think for us, even to the day we should be blown up to preserve their idea of how life should be. Crazy? They'd never get out of the observation ward at Bellevue. I did. So, listen how. Play this record."
The Jazz keeps happening.
DAMN - WHAT A FUCKIN VIBE. This is as good as it gets imo. The layers, the tones, the instruments, the compositions, the storytelling - all exceptional. Definitely one of the greatest Jazz entries of all time.
Completely overwhelming. Feels like the soundtrack to an old cartoon in spots and then bombards you with 4 different horns playing 4 different parts just a moment later. It tricks you into thinking it's straight forward big band music, but it's anything but that. It's all over the place.
thrilling -- each time I've listened to this I've discovered another passage that didn't stand out to me the time before. consistently makes my body move. I love the variety of instruments that at times create massive swells and at others trade off in moments of quiet. also one of the more approachable Mingus records I've heard.
First time listening to this, I think. It just sounds like it’s absolutely falling apart, like a really long controlled demolition with fireworks interspersed. Like what I imagine the house band at the Restaurant at the End of the Universe is playing in Hitchhiker’s Guide. Will definitely be coming back to this.
I could feel my eyes roll back into my head at getting another jazz offering. This was great though - full of chaotic twists and turns. At no point this this drag (which a lot of these albums have). A pleasant surprise.
I actually enjoyed it!
I like jazz and this is one hell of a jazz album. One of my criteria for 5 stars is re-listenability and this one is a bit too frenetic and avant garde at times for me to regularly return to it.
Not quite my tempo.
Pretty cool Freeform jazz album. Really enjoyed this one overall!
Weird one, it's early free form jazz. Not really a huge fan of a casual listen to this, I feel like I'd have to be way more into music studies to really appreciate this.
Interesting experimental jazz. There's a lot to be heard with a great variety of instruments, including clarinet, many saxophones, and much more. The flamenco guitar that comes and goes was a fun surprise that kept the music interesting and provided a bit of genre blending. The final track pulls out all the stops with very bombastic orchestration that included many refrains and all the instruments. I truly enjoyed my first Mingus experience.
I knew I was going to have a tough time with jazz.
Jazz masterpiece
jazzy, but again, not my cup of tea, tho this would be a nice album to listen while at some jazzy bar or something
Headache jazz. Jazz to induce a headache 5/5 i love mingus
Jazz isn’t my thing but I feel it’s unfair to be harsh on it. The playing is really great I just don’t think it sounds good. Giving a three based mostly on the technicality. 3/5.
It's so damn weird. I guess that's the point.
Lovely and relaxing !! Fav song is ‘Track A’.
Jazz is growing on me too!
Not my genre
Jazz storytelling! Very well done, love it
This sounds like the music my dad listened to in his den smoking weed. I do like it.
I love jazz and instantly recognized this artist. 39 minutes went by too quickly.
Pretty interesting album nice and cool to listen to so this was written like for a ballet piece or musical, makes sense!
Rate: 8/10. Good Jazz.
I would never choose to listen to Jazz recreationally but I always enjoy it when I listen to it for list. I don’t think I don’t understand Jazz and probably never will but I really appreciate its existence.
Behöver en ny lyssning
I hoped this could be like a nice jazz-type elevator music, but this just sounded like a bunch of toddlers given random instruments.
Annoying. I feel like people pretend to like this to appear sophisticated.
8.5/10 - Jazz is not a style I have a large bank to pull from, but this is my favorite Jazz album so far. I would listen to this again.
I love this album and wish I could speak more about jazz than I can, but I do know that it slaps.
I’m going to need more time with this one to fully comprehend and appreciate it, but undoubtedly a classic jazz record.
Thoughts before listening: I don't know Mingus' music very well, but this album definitely gets cited heavily as a classic on par with Kind of Blue, A Love Supreme, etc. As a general rule, I enjoy listening to jazz quite a bit, even if I don't necessarily have the ear to tell good jazz from bad jazz. What I have found is that focusing my jazz listening on the canonized classics is a always a good bet, so I am sure this will be outstanding. Review: Very avant-garde and experimental sounding. These songs flow all over the place with varying tempos and melodies. Sometimes its just a cacophony of noise. I certainly don't dislike this album, but I can't say I love it either. I can obviously hear that there is immense talent and orchestration on display with this album, but I do often find myself lost in the noise. I'll give this 3-stars.
YESS PEAK
I write this from the standpoint of a jazz admirer but not necessarily from the view of all the main jazz critics. I have grown to like some of Mingus's recordings in recent years but must confess to find this somewhat cacophonous and although he was innovating in the way jazz ensemble writing and arrangements were being done, it doesn't take away the fact that as a listening experience it delights less than I hoped it would. One of jazz's most divisive and important figures without doubt.
One of the greatest jazz albums of all time! I love the textures, which clearly tell a story. How is Black Saint currently rated at only 3.33 on the project? What?!
I dont like this album
good
“I've always thought I hated jazz, maybe I was wrong. Maybe it's great to hear all the notes at once”
I don’t like jazz. I don’t understand it, and I don’t enjoy it. However, this album I did really rather enjoy. Maybe it’s because Mingus plays more of a background role on the rhythm section, as opposed to Coltrane or Davis firing off self-fellating fireworks at the front end and that appeals to me more, but it is comfortably the best jazz album I’ve heard.
Mingus was always the painter of the post bop jazz. His work almost flows like a painting. Borrowing from landscapes all across the world. This one tends to focus on Spanish and African themes. I loved it. A perfect mingus album only nerfed by being released in such a similar time period as other classics.
not my type
39 minutes in a fun house that's burning down, where the mirrors are warping and the speakers are playing parade music that's in a time signature that doesn't exist. Absolutely (and understandably) not for everyone, but it's truly in a league of it's own. Mingus never did anything like this again, because it probably would've scarred him too much to dive back into the madness. Singular and engrossing, from the first horn squawl to the last one.
Pretty neat
I’ll often rate jazz albums two stars because I respect it even though I don’t really enjoy it much. But this was just too unpleasant. Another reviewer used the word cacophany. And that’s perfect.
Damn, is good
Very moody and atmospheric, kept the sound pretty interesting throughout.
Love Charles Mingus, but sometimes it’s too chaotic to really enjoy
legendary jazz musician of his time as well
The slow buildups pushed my tolerance on this one. I kept saying, "ok, let's get this song going", and then they get stuck on the same riffs and progressions for what feels like 10-20 measures too long. I understand that jazz is meant to be experimental and allow for the creative nature of each instrument to come out, but this one was just a bit too unstructured for my tastes. I also didn't care for the squeaky sax and trumpets, nor the heavy bari/bass sax lines behind everything.
holy fuck dude! ive listened to this like 5 times already now and im still taking it in. its so soulful and full of emotion, and good lord can these lads play! what a fucking sound! i never heard brass yelp and growl and scream like that before! i gotta listen to more jazz! i don't have words for this. i think when i was shit-talking big band this is why, like, this music is what brass was made for dude.... all those acts that were using it to make formulaic big band, that feels wasteful after hearing what a jazz band can do with the same instruments, and at around the same time too. damn...... mingus was moving different......... incredible album. i fucking love music so much......
This was cacophonous. Freeform Jazz? It sounded like no one was playing the same song. (double)
The best/most interesting record by one of the giants of Jazz.
7/10 As someone who enjoys Jazz without being a fanatic, and is familiar with some of Charles Mingus’ other work such as Mingus Ah Um, this was an interesting album to listen to. Rather than shorter form tracks, this is much more of a roaming and challenging listen in which Mingus invokes passages of brashness and dissonance to impart the feel of emotional strife and mental confusion. While that sounds like a hard listen, the way that he transitions the band in and out of those moments are very beautifully managed and controlled so that everything feels organic and natural, despite the fact that you would occasionally find yourself in thick tonal clouds that sound slightly confusing to the layman’s ear. On closer inspection, there were lots of moments that really sucked me in, with motifs jumping out from each of the instruments and pulling me in to the experience. Stylistically, there were moments of more traditional jazz that conjured up thoughts of New York detective dramas, but these were interspersed with those more frantic and compositionally complex phases, which made the whole thing feel like a deliberately confusing journey. And you could definitely hear the purpose of it all. While things became cluttered, the way the band kept in complete control and pulled things back to the more traditional without ever missing a beat or drifting away from each other was a joy to behold. Ultimately, I don’t think I’m deep enough into jazz to actually get the most out of this record, and if I was a bit more familiar with the nuances of this type of jazz, I’d probably get more out of it, but it’s certainly intrigued me enough to give this another few tries in the coming weeks and days, but for now, I’m off to give Mingus Ah Um a spin. Track A - There’s a nice bit of swing to the rhythm here and the pulse of the main motif creates quite a cool tonal edge to the groove. The sax solo is cool too. We then move into a smooth, smoky sounding section that gradually starts to find a rhythmic hold and pick up the pace. We then move into a more traditional phase where the swinging groove holds things down, while we get another sax solo and the band drop in with more intensity and drive. It’s one hell of a journey of a track that moves through phases in a not entirely coherent way, but gathers things together at points to maintain direction. Track B - We start with some beautiful piano here, but no one instrument holds focus, with a beautiful horn arrangement. It drops into a less musically clear middle section, but the tempo changes are really cool and the passing around of the focus among the instruments is great. It’s got such an infectious sense of urgency that it’s almost stressful to listen to, but you can just about keep up with it. And then we dip back out into something more straight again, but with echoes of the middle section still coming through from the brass. Track C - Moments of the piano in this one are heart-wrenching, but it drifts in and out of that into more playful moments, particularly when the band joins in. I actually quite like the fact that this jumps too and fro emotionally and has moments of clarity mixed in with more scattergun, broadly orchestrated sections. It’s a bit like the moments of clarity of a fevered mind clinging on to a loose grip on reality. There are motifs all over the shop that pop into and out of focus but could easily be lost in the mass of sound without due focus. Medley - This has got a proper New York detective vibe about it that we’ve touched on elsewhere, but is in full focus now. That’s probably not a very contemporary read on this, but 60 years after the fact, it’s very much the feel. The moments of pause into Spanish guitar are very nice. The builds into frenzy across the band creates so much frenetic energy that it’s infectious and when it drops back out to the more stripped back piano parts, it feels so free yet stark. There are lots of lovely moments in this track where things come together in a more traditional way than some of the more dissonant and complex parts, but that helps to create a sense of onward journey about it and tell an interesting and engaging musical narrative. The performances are obviously top notch and everything feels so deliberate, even when those more dissonant, clashing moments arrive, as the transitions in and out of those sections are so smooth and deftly delivered. They’ve got so much control over tempo while staying tight and under control, and it’s been show elsewhere, but is particularly of note here. There are so many cool moments on this that it’s kind of hard to deconstruct, but it’s a cool, if slightly wild ride.
Very, very jazzy
Taas tämmöstä perus jazzia eikä vaan lähe oikein missään tilanteessa
Medleyssä oli pari hyvää kohtaa, muuten aika raskasta taustamusiikkia. Muksu alko jossain kohdassa hakkaamaan omaa päätään kovalla esineellä. Tuu points
Nojoo... Oli joissain kohdissa ihan kivaa ideaa, mutta aika geneeristä kuitenkin, ja sekoiluks meni lopussa.
Tää on kyl niin semmosta jatsia, että ei oo viel syventävät kurssit käytynä, joilla nää nyanssit aukeis. Varmaan upeinta ikinä, mut kun ei ymmärrä niin voi turakaisena antaa kakkosta.
En mä oikein päässyt tähän sisälle. Meni taustamusiikkina töissä, olis varmaan vaatinut enempi keskittymistä.
I know this is supposed to be a masterpiece, but it's too messy for me I think. A lot of jazz is, and generally the more cutting edge or experimental it gets the less likely it is that I'll get it or like it unfortunately Standouts - 2/5
Boy do I love a good jazz piece! Only problem is the first song had some repetition that ruined the atmosphere of it, but the following songs picked it right back up. Best song was Group Dancers.
ME gusta mucho pero mucho lo jugado que es. Oscuro por momentos pero con mucha expresividad.
Egentlig er Mingus best i fullt jaxzdriv med en sju, åtte medspillere, men denne ambisiøse plata er også helt fantastisk. Både stappfull av musikalske ideer og stemmer, men samtidig uanstrengt og luftig. Kanskje det beste eksemplet på jazz som orkestermusikk? 9,5/10
I like jazz but something about this just didn't really click with me
I have never even heard the name Charles Mingus and I am only scratching the surface with any knowledge of jazz. Actually my biggest exposure to jazz music is from this project where I have listened to Herbie Hancock, Sarah Vaughn, Count Basie, Dave Brubeck and Frank Sinatra (though he seems less "jazzy" than all of the others to my untrained ears). I have definitely liked some of it. I even liked every song on Herbie Hancock's album called "Head Hunters" and so gave it a 5 star review. So I've got my jazz training wheels on I guess. Thoughts after listening to this 3 times... On the first song I started thinking - wow some of this reminds me of Radiohead - especially songs like "National Anthem" on the Kid A album. I looked it up and sure enough Radiohead members discuss that they have definitely been inspired by jazz artists and specifically mention Charles Mingus! And apparently lots of modern jazz artists have covered Radiohead songs - because they see the similarities. Did not know that. I love finding connections like that - especially since Radiohead is one of my favorite artists. After repeated listens, I'll admit I had a hard time getting into all of this. It feels almost too random and cacophonous for me. I did end up liking the first song - so I will hear this on my playlists. Maybe this will grow on me more after I hear that track more over time. It's also the shortest song on this album - so does not require as much investment in it when it does play. Liked songs on Spotify: 1/4 Rating: 2/5
I have decided I just don't like jazz
The description in Apple Music made this sound like some amazing, groundbreaking work but I couldn’t say the same thing. It was a confusing mess. Makes me wonder what they were thinking when they recorded it…“Hey, let’s all play at the same time and out of tune and call it hip!”
Beautiful horns, beautiful stuff. I'm not too well-versed in jazz but I love what it's done for what I am versed in. This is one of the rare times that the song titles really informed how I listened to an album which is really cool. I could feel the stories and motions in a way I surely wouldn't have picked up on listening blindly. The second track in particular felt so much like the "physical embraces" its subtitle describes (maybe I would have picked up on that one, I dunno). A very pleasant listen
an album that really grabs your attention, great musical storytelling this being written partially as a ballet makes a Lot of sense, i would love to see what a performance to this looks like
going to sound fake but this takes me back to sitting in a jazz club but like. better music than what i heard that night. waist-touching, absinthe-sipping type of album. fav: trio and group dancers
Begynder godt, ender bedre
Perfekt tightrope mellem kaos og groove. SÅ fed.
Chaotic. My cat didn't like it though.
One of the coolest records ever made full stop. It is so well composed and performed and weird
This might take the cake for favorite jazz album we’ve heard so far. So fucking cool.
It feels too messy somehow. I think this is the jazz I don’t “get”
I was amazed by this album: it's genuinely experimental jazz (and it's true it reminds at times of a ballet piece: of course avant-garde ballet, of the Diaghilev-Stravinsky kind...) yet very listenable and even catchy. In addition, the Spanish guitar out of nowhere shouldn't fit in but it does and kicks asses...
Another jazz album that I think is great, but I'm still not sure that I really understand it or can appreciate it fully. I know that it's different from other subgenres of jazz, I can hear that much, but I can't really put my finger on how. I feel like this one is a mix of traditional and experimental or free form. There is structure there, it's not totally avant garde, but it has elements that are maybe signaling a new and different direction towards a more free sound.
La primera canción es una definición del género alternativo que me parece muy potente La segunda canción sentí que me hablaba con ese instrumento de viento La tercera es una composición así como las sinfonías de orquesta La cuarta combina todo lo anterior y da un viaje bastante convulso, pero innovador y personalmente cautivador El mejor álbum de jazz que he escuchado hasta ahora
10/10
Incredible jazz
I can't lie, I don't see the value in this one. It's simultaneously too prescribed to qualify as "jazz" and too chaotic to qualify as "must-hear", especially while I still have a pulse. I gain nothing by hearing this, and you likely don't either.
Dont like jazz
This one makes me regret some of my earlier 5s. 10/5. Magisterial.
Probably not going to come back to it much, but Mingus is dark and smoky as hell and generally I love it.
One thing about this list is that it has genuinely helped me get my ear in for jazz in a way I wouldn't otherwise have done. Anyway, I love this. It's accessible, but elusive. There are returning themes that mean I don't get lost so much, and allow me to actually hear and identify all the interesting experimental play going on around. And it does this while being hugely pleasurable to listen to. There are acoustic worlds in here. I'm going to return to this a lot.
surprisingly schmaltzy for mingus
Goes hard
I’m not really a fan of jazz so it’s hard to rate this album but I appreciate it for what it is
Jazz album. I’m sure this is wonderful but it just isn’t my type of music. It’s getting a two but not cause it’s bad but because I don’t like jazz.
Brilliant, loved it
Opening track (and most of the rest of the record) is a noirish big band song that shifts time signatures and styles, but in kind of a familiar way. It's less of a song and more of a gestalt vibe. Track 2 starts with a sumptuous, languorous piano intro, slinky saxes joining in. It eventually evolves into a sinister sounding groove whose tempo waxes and wanes in a menacing way before reverting back to a slow big-band dance number for the finish. The 3rd track goes back and forth between a solo piano performance and a waltz interlude until it inexplicably hits a Latin section before segueing into a freeform improv section. It seems like the overarching theme is something about how music is ephemeral and ever-changing maybe. While this album is challenging, it's challenging in an engaging way, like it's begging you to feel the extraordinary while also enjoying the familiar. The horn work is tight, and the bass and piano is stellar. Cool stuff.
Blissfully short. Chaotic unplanned jazz. The opposite of ‘nice’
the filthiness and sharpness was really good here, its like umami if it was jazz
started to sound like the same. jazz isnt for me. 2.5
Nice
Didn't listen to
7/10 - Like this a lot more than I thought I would Fav Tracks: Track C-Group Dancers Heard before? ---–- ❌ Saved a Song? ----- ✅ Saved Album? --–-- ❌ Will Listen Again? -- ❌
Jazz is cool, but I don't understand it
Good jass album
3.5, id give a 4 but u dont like instrumentals
Amazing, an album that's worth the listen
Have I listened to this album before? No How familiar am I with this album? Completely unfamiliar How do I feel about this artist? I’ve heard he’s good at jazz Favorite song(s)? I’m not sure if this question applies here because it was all kind of one song Overall Thoughts: This was a very listenable jazz album. I’m not a big jazz fan, so I’m never gonna love a jazz album but this one was fine.
Iconic.
One of my favourite records ever, all genres included - and a serious contender for "best album on the list" for me. Mingus was a genius. Although his work with the contrabass doesn't shine as much as the horns here, he was an incredible composer in the most classic sense of the term, brilliantly bringing together the millimetric precision of the orchestra and the exhilarating freedom of avant-garde jazz. This is probably his best work (although Tijuana Moods is also a strong candidate) - written as a ballet / symphony, it's a cinematic rollercoaster of moods and emotions, going from dark and ominous to light and playful, then smooth and sexy, then threatening again, then spiritual and soulful... Tumultuous and cacophonic at times, this organized madness is carried by amazing players, and should absolutely dispel the notion that jazz is "quiet background music". A very easy 10/10.
Mingus, one of the first ones who made bass matter. I never heard this album from him but I am familiar with other of his works. This one sounds like a soundtrack to a dark, slightly unhinged film noir. Sometimes tense and unsettling, sometimes soft or even playful. A rare kind of richness for a jazz record, both in styles and instrumentation. Muted trumpet and flamenco guitars sit next to each other and somehow work. A small gem, I loved it.
One of the more digestible jazz. 3.4
Not my typa jazz . Honestly jarring . Can respect the talent tho
Really interesting piece of Jazz. I vibes with Track C a lot. Gives some noir vibes. The guitar parts were especially nice. Loved that flamenco.
There's certain types of art that I can appreciate the talent, but also recognise that it's not for me. Would have made for an entertaining film score, but it wasn't compelling enough for me to listen to in isolation
I love how weird it was while still feeling like jazz music.
This was absolutely bananas
Carlos Domingo
Ik vind de jazzalbums in deze lijst eigenlijk niet zo leuk. Het is een beetje zoals dure wijn: ik vind dat mensen er veel te stoer mee doen. Het lukt mij niet zo goed om de hele goede van de slechte te onderscheiden omdat ik er niet genoeg van weet. Het interesseert mij niet genoeg. Bij Jazz word ik vaak afgeleid en lukt het mij niet goed om naar de muziek te luisteren. Ik ben net zoals bij goede wijn ook altijd bang dat ik er per ongeluk iets doms over zeg wat niet blijkt te kloppen. Hmm deze goedkope jazz van het huis vind ik heel erg goed! Ik proef muzieknoten van cashew. Doe mij dan maar een lekker verkoelend biertje gemaakt van gerst en pop. Oja nog iets over dit album: ik vond de trompet wel leuk.
Cees zal weer zeggen dat er betere jazz is dan dit. Zijn er dan in ieder geval niet veel, misschien monk
Fijne weekend-plaat, ben het veel aan het luisteren. Het album is erg levendig, bij vlagen klinkt het als georkestreerde chaos. Het schuurt en beweegt en het klinkt erg dynamisch en spannend. Ook de flamenco invloeden vind ik tof om te horen. Jammer dat Teun zijn speakers stuk zijn (rip) ik denk dat hij t ook leuk zou vinden.
I appreciate the overall premise but I didn't connect strongly with this on the first listen. I confess I listened to it only in my car which doesn't hlave the greatest bass fidelity
Musica bien hecha, no es algo q escucharia nienpedo
This was new to me! Engaging from the beginning. Definitely one I'm coming back to.
Appreciate the quality but experimental jazz is not for me
Im not going to be able to review this after a couple of listens on one day but i can do first impressions. My journey into jazz has made me officially a fan. This hasnt changed that, its just introduced another offshoot to follow and gain more understanding. On the surface it is dense and complicated and raw. It probably wasnt helped by being on holiday and listening on headphone whilst discovering Munich was a weird combo.
Ya like Jazzz 🐝
Favorite track(s): the whole damn thing. Pretty much everything you hope a jazz record is. Complex without losing any listenability. Every instrument has so much character but none are lost in the crowd. You'll dance, you'll cry, and you'll ask for just one more ride. Heard before Previous rating: 9/10
I didn’t weally wike it vewy much
Track a - very heavy, alto soloist awesome Track b - plunger sounds so good - like this one a lot more got a slow swing then it speeds up. I like when the saxes come in and are just so sassy The jazz is very very chaotic (don’t hate it) Charles Mingus being a bassist and making this music makes a lot of sense Spotify says he wanted this to be a ballet… not sure that would work very well Track c - I’ve heard this before! Guitar??? Track c my fav so far by a lot. Blend is so good very good supporting line Medley - also heard this before love the bass at the start. I love the guitar. Love the sections. 🪠 finally some trombone This album just got better and better as it went on storytelling so good lots of emotion Ranking: c > b = medley > a
Track A: yeah this shit is pretty fire. The ending segment is straight gas but sadly I’m too stupid in the music realm to understand what’s going on beyond “this shit good” Track B: wow yeah I’m starting to get jazz here Track C: piano banger and I liking it Track D: Bounced on my boy's dick to this song
masterpiece
Really nice music and a very interesting composition.
I STILL FEAR THE JAZZ
not my genre but it was enjoyable and i definitely understand why it’s considered great, would listen to it when im not feeling like listening to songs with lyrics, track a is my favourite
Jesus Christ. I actually enjoy Jazz and Jazz fusion compared to the average cretin. This was so BAD it’s not even mid. Want to listen to an incoherent Jazz jam session where half the instruments enter and exit at random intervals? Well listen to this shit!
The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady by Charles Mingus is one of those jazz albums that critics often hail as a masterpiece, but for me it lands squarely in "perfectly fine" territory. It's a dense, ambitious work, part suite, part extended composition, with Mingus's signature blend of gospel, blues, and avant-garde swing. The ensemble playing is tight, the arrangements are complex, and there's real emotional weight behind the horns and rhythms. That said, it never quite grabbed me on a visceral level. The music feels more like a technical achievement than something I'd reach for when I want to feel jazz. The pieces flow into each other, but they don't leave a strong individual imprint. It's respectable, well-crafted jazz... and that's about it. 6/10
Didn't see the mariachi/flamenco-jazz combo coming but honestly? It works so well. Moving, sensual, and emotionally complex. The kind of album that makes you feel things you don't quite have words for.
Not for me
once again wishing i can give .5 stars case this is a solid 3.5 im sure some people love it but me and jazz just aren’t friends
Nasty! In the best way possible. Loved it.
i’m not a jazz hater by any means but i don’t care about it enough to sit through an entire album without lyrics. i do like a lot of kinds of jazz when they have interesting lyrics but not when it’s almost 40 minutes
Wow. I’m getting a lot of greats. This album is iconic. So excited to listen to it again. I actually listen to it fairly regularly. Man, it really is good. My understanding is this was done in a single take. My issue with Mingus, if it’s an issue, is that I think he’s an amazing bass player and an amazing composer, but he’s not accessible on a first listen. And as much as I love this, I don’t throw it on as much as others, and I lean to Bitches Brew type improv ultimately for “difficult listens.” 4 really 4.5
geht so
Pas l'album de jazz que j'ai le plus apprécié, Je n'ai pas été entrainé par celui-là, même si des moments sont sympas et tranquilles, d'autres sont plus 'brouillon' (même si c'est du jazz) et c'était un peu plus dur à écouter
This is some good shit and you don't have to know anything about jazz to appreciate it. Favorite track: Trio and Group Dancers 4.5/5
Wow. I'm not someone who gets the feels from most jazz, I prefer my grooves in the pocket rather than swinging. But this is an exception, an obvious masterwork even to the unrefined like me. Mingus brings a manic fury to these pieces, and it's hypnotic.
Really enjoyed, always happy to see a jazz album on my list to shake things up. Rating: 8/10 Favorite Song: Track A
It sounds creative, but like most jazz, it just goes on too long and is too chaotic for my taste.
We listened to this walking through Eastway on a very beautiful but very hot(!) afternoon in April. You fell fast asleep. It didn't exactly match the vibe of a Spring afternoon stroll, but it definitely got Pickett jazzed up. He ran right into the mudpit creek and his paws turned from white to jet black. He was (and still is this evening) a mess! This is clearly a work of art, but I am too much of a pleb to appreciate it for what it is. I will probably have to revisit when I mature, but it is a good thing you got your first listen under your belt.
I've listened to a lot of great jazz albums for this project but this one is definitely my favourite. For as much as I love the chill, lowkey sound of a Kind Of Blue or a Time Out, the loud, chaotic nature of this album is really what grabbed me about this, and what set it apart from other jazz projects that I've heard. The playing here is otherworldly too, with constant changes in tempo and time signature which keeps things interesting across the lengthy runtimes of some of these songs. Even though I'm still new to jazz, I had a really great time with this and with more time, I could definitely see myself enjoying this one a lot more than I already do. Fav Songs: All Least Fav: N/A 9.5/10
I will never pretend to be a jazz expert or enthusiast, but I do always enjoy it when I listen to it, at least once my ears have had time to adjust to the abstract arrangements. This album itself was particularly enjoyable. It felt quite atmospheric, dark and in a way fairly unsettling, unlike any jazz albums I’ve listen to before. Whilst I’m not going to be sat at home with it on repeat, I was a big fan of it as jazz record. 8/10.
Slow, crooning city jazz vibes
джазус он и есть джазус
It’s aight. I gave it three stars out of deference to the art of jazz. And the musicianship is as always amazing. But the shapes they create are a little more 50s than 60s for my taste. I didn’t t love the flamenco guitar. Still, guys like Mingus are pioneers and always kick ass.
Day 16 The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady by Charles Mingus I was making chili con carne while listening to this, and it actually fit the mood perfectly. It’s short, dreamy, and works really well as background jazz. I don’t know a lot about jazz, I just know I enjoy it in the right setting, and this definitely hit that kind of vibe. It’s very pleasant and easy to get lost in, but at the same time it didn’t fully grab me as a top-tier jazz record. I can’t really point to one specific thing that holds it back, it just didn’t hit me the same way some other jazz albums have. That said, I did enjoy it. It’s one of those albums that feels more like a mood than something you actively focus on. Wine pairing? Something earthy and a bit complex like a Syrah. It matches the slightly darker, layered feel of the album. Food pairing? Chili con carne, obviously. Perfect match. Favourite song? “Track A – Solo Dancer” Vinyl? No. Dont want it. First listen? Yes. Overall 3 out of 5
🥞
king of cool
Not the biggest fan of Jazz unfortunately still good
69# Tripping balls finesse at utmost level The use of space and stereo in this is amazing. It just doesn't click at few times. I'm missing that feeling of floating from this, which is why i won't give it a 5, but it pretty much is.
El uso de la trompeta es bastante enriquecedor en cada pieza, además que dependiendo el ambiente que crea la música, la trompeta ayuda a comentar aún más el color que adquiere la composición. Muy buen álbum.
I did enjoy several passages of this album, but not enough to give it 4 stars
5/10
Álbum para un te en día de lluvia
I like jazz. This is jazz. I like this.
As a total jazz idiot, it's hard for me to rate any of the jazz Greats. That said, I was very entertained by this and I doubly appreciate the bits of classical guitar
Pretty fun album.
This feels like the soundtrack to the hippest film noir ever. The mood is consistent, but the music is never boring or repetitive. The band manages to jump from style to style within a single track, while still keeping it cohesive.
Wild, cool
This was like a full-on assault on the senses, with every element taking turns in competing to overpower the whole thing. This could have really irritated me but I was evidently in just the right frame of mind for this.
Usually I like jazz. This I do not. It's not pretty, and it isn't fun, which sorta is the whole point of jazz.
I LOVE JAZZ!!! I’m going to be quite stingy about giving 5 stars to an album though, so it’s not quite there yet
Loved it! I found it cinematic and could follow the tension and release like a movie. You know I listened to the whole album because at some point in track three someone yells “goddamn it” Went down a rabbit hole on Mingus, noticed the cover art looked similar to Brubeck’s Take Five and sure enough they are both by the artist S. Neil Fujita
This is great. A fabulous album using a range of instruments and including a Latin American sound at times. It feels like a really good combination of composition and improvisation. You have to like this type of music to rate it highly and I'm not really familiar with the jazz greats. This is my first encounter with Charles Mingus and I think I might like his work more than the more famous names.
First time listen and I thought this was absolutely amazing. Each instrument is incredibly expressive, especially the brass, which at times seems to speak in words. Every track is richly developed and a joy to listen to.
really beautiful
cool jazzy
Excellent instrumental album
Restaurant music. Not a big fan
Charles Mingus sounds like a speed addict roaming the streets of New York.
I just dont love jazz that much
Symphonie d’instruments, parties mélodiques et d’autres plus free, parfois un peu difficile à aborder.
Ameeee
lesgo
Enjoyable album, I'm a big fan of jazz rock, and so do enjoy some jazz as an occasional change, this was a particularly good jazz album, kept me engaged and was not too noodly.
So cool
I’m not a huge fan of this genre, but this was chill background music.
Gem of an album. One of the best ever.
Good background music . 2.5. Getting tired of jazz albums
Non ce la faccio.
Iconic jazz. No consequences music. Definitely should be on this list even though I found myself thinking "What the fuck is happening" over half the time.
3.5
This was awesome. So now I got to listen to more of this guy, and also revisit some John Coltrane now that I know I may just like Avant-garde jazz. This just escaped in as a 4,but would have been an easy 4 if there was less piano and guitar.
This whole album makes me feel like I have a 12 inch cock
I’ve been jazzed
3 stars I’ve come to the determination that I start every jazz album as a 3. As I listen if I get less interested it becomes a 2, more interesting a 4. But I end up giving most of them a 3 because I don’t know what I’m listening for. This one was a little wild, the horns were raging. I enjoyed it. Maybe I’d try it again. Maybe it’s worthy of more than 3. But that’s what I landed on.
Pretty good jazz. Idk if it was anything notable though
Me encantó
GOOD ASS JAZZ
3/10
Not very well versed in Jazz. This was enjoyable, if a bit "chaotic" reminds me of a busy urban street corner with the sounds passing through.
I happen to have owned this album for a few years, any excuse to listen to it again is fine by me. This is my 2nd favorite Jazz album (behind A Love Supreme) and probably the best, non-lyrical album, at really painting a picture with the music.
Mindbending
6.5/10
Good
Könnte der Soundtrack zu einem Animationsfilm aus den 60ern über eine Maus vom Land sein, welche versucht sich in einer hektischen Großstadt zurechtzufinden
Jeg forstår mig ikke rigtig på det
Musik, man får angst af Jeg bliver aldrig fan af jazz 1.6
ill composed noise
I can't get into this. It's noisy and all over the place.
My snap reaction was to give this a 1. The relief i felt when I paused the last track halfway through made me realize I was listening to nothing but noise. But alas, I actually enjoy jazz. I even have enjoyed most of the Mingus I've heard so far. This album just isn't doing it for me. I know that it probably requires multiple listens, and I just don't have the time for that right now.
if this is a sin, sign me up!
eu sinto até uma certa vergonha pq eu fui criado escutando mingus e só fui conhecer esse álbum pq tocava na rádio de jazz do cyberpunk xD absurdamente bom. pedrada max pro turbo R
capa mto foda pqp eh pedradaça mesmo, que absurdo. 11 mano na banda e uma boa mistura com elementos de música africana e espanhola. bom DEMAIS to embasbacado
I just dont get why Norman didn't just name his kid Charles Reedus instead of Mingus Reedus.
Diria que es mi primer acercamiento a escuchar un disco completo de jazz, una muy buena experiencia, honestamente disfrutable.
It was fine wacky jazz
Absolutely incredible, I knew earlier hard and post bop Mingus, this was another level
Previously unknown. Too chaotic for me.
This was an absolute delight to listen to. They were having so much fun playing all this.
No soy muy fan del Jazz, pero este álbum me gusto
Not the biggest jazz fan, I got kinda fed up but I still respect it
Legend fr
I've learned that I like my chaos specifically in certain forms. I made it through. I'm sure in 1963 this would have been something. And it's good, don't get me wrong. I will give it up a point just because I recognize it as good. But it's not my kind of chaotic good. So I'm a bit afraid I'm starting to inflate my jazz category number because I've become more rational about this list.
muy bueno, me pareció entretenido, distinto, primera vez que escucho algo así como blues y jazz, me lo guardo
My goodness man. This guy’s cheeks must be at least 10 feet wide with the amount of wind he’s pushing out. Awesome listen - very emotional, with a beyond melodramatic-orchestral finale. It earned some self gratuity at that point, and let’s be real a 16 minute song better have it all.
Shoked by how many times I said to myself "wait I know this part". A concept executed at the highest level.
Lovely
Finalemente un 5*, rimane stabile tra i miei album preferiti da sempre
Nor a huge jazz fan
I like jazz
There's very few words that could do justice to this amazing album
its mingus. i had recently listened to ah um mingus and found this one as impressive. theres just so much going on and it lingers on my soul. i think anybody can enjoy this and i just love that kind of music that appeals to people regardless of the time, style or what the world is caught up in
Pretty interesting. I like jazz but didn’t know a lot about Mingus’ music. Thought this was good a new take departing from big band and swing roots. The low end bass stuff is particularly unique especially on track A. Track D went a bit off the rails at points but this is a unique and good listen to me.
OK. Mingus : one of the greats. Jazz: ok, I'll give some time to Sun Ra and the Free Jazz world. The Black Saint... : Highly regarded. Let's launch in. OK, that's a Nope from me.
I’m starting to like jazz. But I don’t know what makes it good or not yet. I like this album pretty well but it’s a long listen.
Gosh, I really enjoyed this! A very very cool jazz album, loves driving with it on! Definitely saving
Track a - solo dancer - 3 Track b - duete solo dancers - 3 Track c - group dancers - 4 Medley: mode d - trio and group dancers / mode e - single solos and group dance / mode f - group and solo dance - 4
Listens: 3 Standout Tracks: Track B - Duete Solo Dancers The music feels simultaneously harmonious and discordant. The first track feels so chaotic with the in-your-ear trumpet going all over the place, but its still all held together really well by some mysterious force I can't really put my finger on. And the same thing with Track B; it takes some time for the track to build up, but then it goes all haywire until the music almost crashes out with the sputtering trumpet (or maybe its some other brass instrument) around ~4:45... and then the track reboots and finds it ground again before wrapping up. Ok, so what jazz have I heard so far: couple of Miles Davis records, Thelonious Monk, Stan Getz, Herbie Handcock, Bill Evans Trio and a smattering of other artists that show up in the jazz genre when I filter my history; there's a lot of jazz overlapping with other genres like funk and rock and swing. Anyways, I think this was better than pretty much everything else I've listened to, except for maybe Herbie Handcock's Head Hunters, but that also has the whole funk angle going on, so from a pure jazz perspective, I think this is my number 1 record so far, beating out all three of the Miles David records, including what seems to be the undisputed king: Kind of Blue, which I gave a 4. This gets a 5.
This is a jazz fusion album. Jazz fusion is a kind of chaotic form of jam session that can go one of three ways: it can fade into the background (in a not unpleasant way) but one that is indirect. It can befuddle and become sometimes unsettling because there is no pattern or rhyme to it. OR, it can delight and be taken in in a purely emotional way. I typically am in that middle category while trying to slip into the first category, but it is too jarring for me to remain background for long, and too unpredictable for me to just relax and enjoy it. Yet I DO love jazz in-itself. So I don't hate on it at any point, just struggle to remain "in it" for any length of time while it rummages around in different conversations all at once.
Fav- track B 3/5
A seminal jazz album that is Mingus’ masterpiece. This is not an easy listen, but it is an enjoyable listen if you give it the attention it deserves. I suppose some might find the discordant dissonance distracting, but I dig it. What really makes the album interesting are the shifts held together by repeated refrains. Shifts in mood. Shifts in subgenres. Yet, it is clearly a cohesive piece of work, meant to be listened to in its entirety. Mingus himself did not consider this to be a jazz album, but “ethnic folk dance music”, whatever that means. The composition does incorporate atypical jazz instruments, like the flute and nylon string guitar. However, to my ear and many others, it is clearly an experimental jazz album, far ahead of its 1962 release date. The Saint and the Sinner Lady is just cool. An amazing record that absolutely warrants a place on this list.
Meh compared to other jazz it's mid IMO, 2.5
In highschool jazz band we played Haitian Fight Song, my first introduction to Charles Mingus. I think he is unironically one of the best to ever do it.
Enjoyable
jazz und klassisch, zwischendurch ganz cool aber einfach nicht meins
ja
The harsh dissonance, particularly in Track A, is something that takes some time to grow on you. I'm not a jazz fan, but I enjoyed the unpredictable nature of this album. You never know what's coming next and it takes you on some wild rides (it also starts and ends with rhythmic farting).
Joyeusement crackpot. 4.5 étoiles
9/10 You know, it's funny: just the other day I got my first entirely jazz album, and I was not even remotely a fan. I've never been a jazz fan to begin with, but that album confirmed my general apathy towards the genre. Then I got this album - a decade earlier than the other, with a lower rating to boot, and I... really enjoyed myself. It's great background music, but I never found myself bored or frustrated by the length of the songs. I will admit that I'm skeptical about giving it 5 stars - I only realized that I wanted to do so in the last few minutes of the final track - but I really can't think of anything wrong with the album, or that could be better. I could see myself putting it on while cleaning or doing chores in the future. I'm happy to finally get another 5-star album!
If you focus, it grabs you. 7/10
Someone more into instrumental music and jazz type stuff would probably call this the epitome of something. But for me it’s just kind of eh. Nice background noise but nothing I’m going out of my way to listen to again.
Meh
i've realized i need to start listening to more mingus
ok
Yes, it s interessant!*
23/03/2026 This didn't blow me away, it was just fine. Talented, but fine. Spotify listeners: 505.1k
Great flamenco guitar in Mode D. Appreciate the ambition. Appreciate that he wrote a jazz ballet. Just not memorable and probably too experimental for my taste in jazz.
We get it. You like jazz.
This almost feels like listening to classical music at times. The skill is great and the moods it carries me through are deftly done. I've heard of him a lot but never listened to one of his albums. I get why he's renowned. This may be better than I can appreciate.
This is big music, much too thick to figure this out in this window of time. Textured. Conveying the soundtrack to any number of stories. Hard to retain on a single listen, but I would like to revisit. I feel something like this belongs on a sample platter of albums such as this.
Incredible album … one of the best jazz albums of all time!
Demasiado ruidoso para mi gusto.
Ah, my first Mingus. You know, listening through a lot of these jazz albums on this list is starting to bring me around. I actually really really dug this. This album feels alive and has a soul. All the instruments were lively, the tempos were unpredictable and change often, and the mood felt good throughout the listen. The runtime is very manageable too, making the album pretty approachable for an outsider. Overall, it's not the kind of thing I listen to regularly, but I enjoyed the experience. It's a strong 3/5 for me, I wouldn't complain if I had to listen to some more.
I think parts of this incredibly beautiful--the trumpets on track b, the spanish guitar on track c, the piano in tracks b &c... I think I'm losing the through-line a little bit when it comes to the more chaotic bits. I like that the medley has bits of the previous tracks included and interspersed. i love the drums on the medley. done! I enjoyed this a lot, I don't think I have the familiarity with jazz to fully appreciate the nuances, but I really enjoyed it
This piece is so sick. 4/5
4/5. I didn't expect to enjoy this album, but here we are. It's not easy listening; there's a lot of momentum and disruption, lots of rising and falling action. It's a really enjoyable listen in some parts, and in others you can't help but feel you're in an 80's bender montage with neon bar signs passing you as you walk forth in a stupor. Overall, this has a strong structure and vision. It's absolutely worth a listen at least once, but requires the right mindset to enjoy.
I’m not the type of person who is going to get much out of or enjoy these jazz/instrumental albums alone. A ballet/movie/choreography along with it would entice me to care, but on its own this isn’t my type of listening. I do feel I recognized some bits and pieces, possibly referenced in other works, and I have no doubts on its influence during the time it was created and since, but that’s about the best I can do.
More background jazz. It all sounds so similar. It’s not bad per se it just doesn’t move the musical needle for me at all.
I can only listen to jazz type stuff for a little bit. But my favorite music.
Something almost conversational about most of Track B, between the...instrument and the...other instrument. Found this one a bit more interesting than some of the other jazz ones we've had. Points for sick album cover too
I can tell it's good, I just still don't like jazz all that much. 2/5
Dark, menacing, confrontational, uncomfortable...and that's just the first track. This is surely about as harsh and punishing as jazz gets while retaining some semblance of musicality. Undoubtedly brilliant, only not giving it the full 5 stars because I'm not sure how much I actually enjoy listening to it, at least on first listen. Although I somehow get the feeling that this is not music made with the listeners comfort or enjoyment in mind... It actually gets much more melodic towards the latter half, with some very interesting composition and instrumentation (e.g. flamenco guitar). I think this will become a firm favourite in my jazz listening rotation, so bumping it up
3/10 Jazz for me is like movie horror, abstract art or a strong spice. A sprinkling of it within another style is fine - in fact, it can enhance flavour and make you take notice. But when it is the whole thing, it makes me sick
This was a wild ride of an album - tracks B & C especially. Track B sounded like one of those films where there's a compilation of the main character drinks or gambles himself into oblivion and the music before spiralling. Honestly this thing is fascinating. I can't help but think if this guy would be super into the modern industrial/experimental scene, this thing is full of experimentation and improvisation. It's super interesting to listen to considering this is from '63 where there was a lot more structure required in music; maybe not so much in jazz but even for jazz this is fucking wild. The last few minutes of track D got a bit stale but otherwise this was a very interesting listen.