Mingus Ah Um

I'd love to write something eloquent about how beautiful this is, but I can't. I lack the talent to do it justice. Amazing stuff.

Over 4 years ago in my notes to Charles Mingus’ “The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady” album I wrote: ‘Rounding this one up to a 4 although I'm hoping some future version of me will want to change it to a 5.’ I should go back and listen to that and determine if this is the future version of me I was hoping for, because I really enjoyed this album and can easily rate this a 5.

Good shit good shit good shit good shit good shit 5

Mingus Ah Um is a classic jazz album that was missing in the original list. It's an album full of references to other jazz greats ("Open Letter to Duke", "Bird Calls", "Jelly Roll") and to racial segregation ("Fables of Faubus") and a tribute to gospel ("Better Git It in Your Soul"). Beautiful play by the horns and of course the rhythm section with Mingus himself.

Yes one of my top 5 all time jazz albums. A clear omission for the original list.

One of the best jazz albums out there for variety and skill of both players and arrangement. If you are just getting into jazz, this is absolutely one of the first albums to pick up. If not the very first, honestly.

This has got to be up there with some of the best jazz albums. I may not be educated in music composition or theory but my ears do not deceive me. This is just phenomenal from beginning to end. 8.9/10

Dimery hated jazz. Contrary to us, it seems. 5/5 for the purposes of this list dedicated to essential albums. 10/10 for more general purposes (5 + 5) ---- Number of albums from the original list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 465 Albums from the original list I *might* include in mine later on: 288 Albums from the original list I won't include in mine: 336 ---- Number of albums from the users list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 82 (including this one -- as you may have noticed, my "review" up there indirectly refers to the high global score of this album... I was so pleased to see that this Charles Mingus record is actually so popular. "Better Git It in Your Soul", "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat" and "Fables of Faubus" are absolute milestones. Jazz was a genre that was infamously done dirty by Dimery and co, and the inclusion of this masterpiece in the second list sets the karmic balance right. This here is Mingus' magnum opus, enough said, so you got to start there. But if you like this record I suggest to other listeners to return to *The Sinner and the Black Lady* -- a terrific but also far more experimental entry mentioned in the original list, because contemporary critics raved so much about it at the time, I guess -- and also to give a spin to *Blues & Roots*, *Oh Yeah*, *Tijuana Moods*, *Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus* and *Let The Children Hear Music*. Mingus throws a long shadow to this day, far beyond the field of jazz, actually. His post-bop horn orchestrations -- at times near-atonal, and yet so often also mellifluous and evocative -- have influenced many legendary rock, pop rock, and post-punk acts, from Frank Zappa, Captain Beefheart, King Crimson and Joni Mitchell to Radiohead, Black Midi, Squid, and Black Country New Road. And the man was also a killer double bass player and a fine piano performer. My "official" review, way up there, is kept short as a tribute to the user who suggested this masterpiece, because that's the sort of reviews they wrote -- never more than one line. I actually wish I could be this economical, lol. But I just *had to* write a few extra words about this album. You can't change a leopard its spots) Albums from the users list I *might* select for mine later on: 104 Albums from the users list I won't select for mine: 211 ---- Émile, j'ai vu ta dernière réponse. J'essaie de trouver le temps de te laisser la mienne dans les jours qui viennent. Désolé, ça fait longtemps que je te dis ça, mais la situation est un peu compliquée par chez moi en ce moment... Rien de grave, mais je trouve pas beaucoup de temps pour moi. Porte-toi bien

My man can cook

Good stuff. More jazz please. My personal rating: 55 My rating relative to the list: 5/5 Should this have been included on the original list? Yes.

Amazing Jazz album that should have been on the list from the first place.

Finally some jazz, two great albums in a row!

5/5 jazz album, no notes.

OUIOUIOUUUUIIII!!! Il manquait tellement de jazz dans la liste originale, je suis vraiment content que certain d’entre nous on décidé de boucher les trous. En plus, le nom est vraiment drôle, 5/5 all day everyday

I'm really surprised this wasn't in the book list. Absolute classic!

Jazz great playing jazz greatly

Very upbeat and a staple in jazz. An omission that this wasn't in the original list.

I'm not a jazz head so my opinions are suspect, but I usually like the stuff that is also deemed as important and I liked this. Minus sounds like he could be a grade a prick and the older I get the sicker I get of the narrative of the fiery tempered genius - defects are defects and genius neither explains or excuses it. But I'm not reviewing the artist's personality so hey.

Ah um… I did not have sexual relations with that woman

All time classic jazz artist

More jazz ✅ More Mingus ✅ I am pleased

Nice to see some more jazz on the list, enjoyed Mingus’ unique brand of instrumental chaos on ‘Bird Calls’ especially but there’s so much range on this LP! Soft, loud, bold, meek – there’s dynamic and melodic contrast in spades, and it makes the relatively compact album feel lived in and genuine.

Smooth

Rating: 7/10 Best songs: Boogie stop shuffle, Fables of faubus, Jelly roll

Just classic. Ellingtonian, though maybe a bit funkier and a bit wilder (very much in a good way). Calypso, gospel and social commentary – one's down with all of the above. The supporting cast may not be household names but acquit themselves brilliantly for the most part. Listeners, go dig Kamasi Washington as a contemporary inheritor to Mingus, maybe. And don't sleep on East Coasting either.

great tecnique, great inspiration and feeling, easy to listen, a friendly jazz with enormous quality

good one

Music for when wacky hijinks are afoot. Quite mischievous indeed.

I don’t know enough about jazz to explain why I like this, but I really like this! Only thing stopping it getting full marks is that I love lyrics - even a couple of songs with words would have elevated it even further. I am aware that this is a bit petty, but it's my review! This album would perhaps have to take the place of something similar to get in the book, but it's certainly worthy of consideration.

Absolutely stellar album. Definately one that deserved to be featured in the original 1001. Thanks for the recommendation. Favourite songs: Boogie Stop Shuffle, Better Get Hit in Your Soul, Bird Calls, Pussy Cat Dues Least favourite songs: Self-Portrait in Three Colours 4/5

Not first listen (1001 generator be playing all the hits this week) Now, something I didn't realize before is the version I've heard is an "uncut" version released in 1979. USUALLY I try to avoid deluxe versions, but in this case the longer version seems more in tune with Mingus's original vision, so I'll stick with it. I didn't actually retain much from the first listen (according to my handy-dandy music diary, for whatever reason I put it on when I was listening to pop from the likes of Japanese Breakfast and Charli XCX, so maybe my brain just wasn't in jazz mode) Halfway through today's listen, I am struck by the variety of moods. The "Hallelujah!" accented opening track is still a highlight, but also the weirdness of "Open Letter" is something I didn't appreciate last time. I'm also learning that "Fable of Faubus" is meant to be a protest song with lyrics; however, being anti-racist is not a position Mingus's record label wanted to be associated with at the time. It's still a great, groovy tune as an instrumental, though. And "Jelly Roll" is a nice final track to end on, with Mingus's bass skills front-and-centre HL: "Better Git it in Your Soul", "Open Letter to Duke", "Fable of Faubus", "Jelly Roll"

Yeah, that’s the good shit right there. I loved that Mingus. I didn’t really dig the other Mingus album, so call me uncultured. Give me the hard bop any day.

The gospel-tinged shouting in the background of the first track, the explosions of joy on the horns, the constant underlying boogie throughout that reaches heights as easily as it does depths--all this starts this amazing jazz album off with an unforgettable beginning. The whole album alternates pretty consistently between smooth 'n lazy and jumping 'n energetic. From beginning to end, this album feels like the stages of an all-night party.

4.5

Post-bop. Ni fu ni fa.

It's jazz!

Fun

No secret that I enjoy jazz. So, I was favorably impressed with this album from 1959.

Mingus Ah Um is good solid jazz, 3 please.

Kanske är lite i gnizzligaste laget kan jag tycka. Men det är ändå ganska okej.

This feels like an impressive jazz album but my enjoyment didn't necessarily match

I think I liked this one a little more than the Mingus album we had on the original list, I felt it was more accessible. But I did not finish the original list and think "You know what we need? More jazz."

Jazz. I can’t.

Elevator jazz.

Another jazz record.