Charles Mingus, "Ah-Um" (1959) Album Performed Live!

Cathal Roche - alto sax/ clarinet

Derek Doc O'Connor - tenor sax

Paul Frost - trombone

So-Young Yoon, piano

Derek Whyte - double bass

Shane O'Donovan - drums

Released in 1959, Mingus Ah Um stands as Charles Mingus’s most cohesive manifesto. From the mourning grace of "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat" to the sharp, satirical sting of "Fables of Faubus," the album resonates with a defiance that feels remarkably contemporary. Its soul-stirring anchor, "Better Git It in Your Soul," masterfully blends the raw energy of gospel call-and-response with intricate polyphony. This centerpiece perfectly encapsulates the friction between heritage and insurrection that fueled Mingus’s artistic fire. Ultimately, it stands as a volatile and indispensable portrait of jazz in its most uncompromising form. Mingus successfully bridges the gap between the elegance of Duke Ellington and the raw, unvarnished grit of the blues, weaponizing his ensemble with shifting tempos and weaponizing his ensemble with shifting tempos and collective improvisation.

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