Double Bass Mingus is a Monster!

[Keith Rawlings]

I’ve been checking out a lot of classic jazz lately and I have no idea why I’ve never really listened to Charles Mingus before - he’s amazing - and what a composer!

I love his tone too; which I’ve read was with Kaplan Golden Spiral strings (man I wish I could get a set of them!). This is the tone I’ve always sought out for my pizzicato playing. Haitian Fight Song from The Clown is my favorite tune of his right now and I’ve figured out the lick on the G string - which I’ve been playing over and over ever since. Such a killer bass line! Ah Um is a great album as well.

He was such an interesting cat from everything I’ve been reading about him. I guess the line between madman and genius is a thin one.

 

[Ed Fuqua]

I love his tone too; which I’ve read was with Kaplan Golden Spiral strings

?? Sure about that? I'm not sure that the gut Golden Spirals were available when Haitian Fight Song was recorded. There are lots of other guts strings around and he may have used them later in his career, but the timing just doesn't seem right for that. Could be wrong, of course...

 

[Keith Rawlings]

?? Sure about that? I'm not sure that the gut Golden Spirals were available when Haitian Fight Song was recorded. There are lots of other guts strings around and he may have used them later in his career, but the timing just doesn't seem right for that. Could be wrong, of course...

I’m not sure about that, but I read something on TB that appears to say he used golden spirals on his lion head bass, but it doesn’t say what era it was; but I know he always used gut strings because he talked trash about steel string players in several interviews before he died.

 

[La Faro]

Love Haitian Fight song.

Blues and Roots is my favourite Album of his, Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting, Pepper Adams on Moanin' the weird movement ins Tensions (reminds me of playing with LFOs on a synth). Such a great album.

Goodbye Pork Pie on Ah Um, man that's beautiful. (My middle name is Lester)

Beneath the Underdog (Autobiography) is a crazy read

 

[Reiska]

For whatever reason I`ve never really got to know Mingus stuff well and deep enough and have been taking it back lately. He was a musician, virtuoso and artist in a very holistic way. I had the priviledge to meet here in Finland the late great trumpetist Ted Curson ( RIP ) who played a lot with Mingus back in the day. Curson had tons of great stories and one detail stuck in my head forever. I don`t remember why, or if that even matters, but Mingus beat Curson up right before a gig once. That`s about how thin that line between genius and madman was.

 

[oren]

Check out Charles Mingus Presents Charles Mingus with Dolphy and Ted Curson. Great stuff!

 

[La Faro]

My first family cat was called Dolphy. Eric's passing was a shameful tragedy.

 

[jellymax]

you might enjoy this
An open letter to miles davis | Charles Mingus: The Official Site

 

[La Faro]

For whatever reason I`ve never really got to know Mingus stuff well and deep enough and have been taking it back lately. He was a musician, virtuoso and artist in a very holistic way. I had the priviledge to meet here in Finland the late great trumpetist Ted Curson ( RIP ) who played a lot with Mingus back in the day. Curson had tons of great stories and one detail stuck in my head forever. I don`t remember why, or if that even matters, but Mingus beat Curson up right before a gig once. That`s about how thin that line between genius and madman was.

Smashed up Jimmy Nepper's (Trombone player) lip too.

 

[Keith Rawlings]

Charles Mingus' Bass

This is where I read about Mingus’ bass; although it doesn’t give a time frame for what years he used Golden Spirals.

 

[Sean Riddle]

Smashed up Jimmy Nepper's (Trombone player) lip too.

Yusef Lateef though seems to be the only one who went up against Mingus and won. How the story was told to me was that when Lateef was in Mingus’s band, he got a call from him for a gig that was either black tie formal or Mingus wanted it to be black tie formal. This was around the time Lateef converted to Islam, so he care to the gig in Muslim robes rather than a suit. Mingus came up to him furious as all get out and was ready to get physically violent with him apparently. So Lateef picked Mingus up and told him something like “peace brother Mingus” and then put him down. Mingus didn’t bother Lateef again for the rest of the night.

 

[Keith Rawlings]

Love Haitian Fight song.

Blues and Roots is my favourite Album of his, Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting, Pepper Adams on Moanin' the weird movement ins Tensions (reminds me of playing with LFOs on a synth). Such a great album.

Goodbye Pork Pie on Ah Um, man that's beautiful. (My middle name is Lester)

Beneath the Underdog (Autobiography) is a crazy read

I’ve heard that his autobiography is more like a tall tale of his life from Mingus’ own perspective; as in some of it may not be true, but I’ve heard that it’s a real page turner.

I’m downloading Blues and Roots right now on my Apple Music account. I’ve been very impressed with their Jazz catalog BTW. Lots of deluxe edition albums with bonus tracks.

 

[La Faro]

It was a while ago I read it. I don't think he painted himself in a particularity great light, but I can imagine some stories were embellished too.

 

[Keith Rawlings]

you might enjoy this
An open letter to miles davis | Charles Mingus: The Official Site

Wow - he pulled no punches!

 

[La Faro]

Yusuf Lateef though seems to be the only one who went up against Mingus and won. How the story was told to me was that when Lateef was in Mingus’s band, he got a call from him for a gig that was either black tie formal or Mingus wanted it to be black tie formal. This was around the time Lateef converted to Islam, so he care to the gig in Muslim robes rather than a suit. Mingus came up to him furious as all get out and was ready to get physically violent with him apparently. So Lateef picked Mingus up and told him something like “peace brother Mingus” and then put him down. Mingus didn’t bother Lateef again for the rest of the night.

There is a another story of Mingus escaping a confrontation by leaping across the top of a grand piano with his bass in hand (which was quite a feat) but I can't place who it was with to reference it properly.

 

[Keith Rawlings]

There is a another story of Mingus escaping a confrontation by leaping across the top of a grand piano with his bass in hand (which was quite a feat) but I can't place who it was with to reference it properly.

 

[La Faro]

For what I understand, for all his combative issues, he was really protective of Dolphy, who he had real soft spot for.

 

[SAlcott]

View attachment 3673481

There is a another story of Mingus escaping a confrontation by leaping across the top of a grand piano with his bass in hand (which was quite a feat) but I can't place who it was with to reference it properly.

It concerned an altercation between Mingus and Juan Tizol that resulted in Mingus's departure from the Ellington band. According to Mingus.....

 

[lurk]

I saw Mingus play maybe a dozen times in the mid 70's. He was using steel strings and a Polytone pick up. Perhaps the strings were wrapped gut, but they were silver color.

 

[Keith Rawlings]

I saw Mingus play maybe a dozen times in the mid 70's. He was using steel strings and a Polytone pick up. Perhaps the strings were wrapped gut, but they were silver color.

Those must have been some amazing shows!