Mingus, Charles (1922-1979), was one of the most important figures in jazz history. Mingus made major contributions to music as a bass player, composer, and bandleader. His outspoken, sometimes angry, behavior made him one of the most distinctive personalities in jazz.
Mingus was born on April 22, 1922, in Nogales, Arizona, and grew up in the Watts district of Los Angeles. He began playing the bass in high school and played in the rhythm sections of groups led by Barney Bigard, Louis Armstrong, and Lionel Hampton in the 1940’s.
Mingus first gained national attention as a member of a trio led by vibraphone player Red Norvo in 1950. Mingus settled in New York City in the 1950’s, playing with such jazz masters as Charlie Parker, Stan Getz, Art Tatum, and Bud Powell. In the mid-1950’s, Mingus established the Jazz Workshop, a group of musicians who played his compositions. Much of his music was recorded on the Debut record label, which Mingus founded in 1952.
Mingus began to establish himself as a composer in the mid-1950’s. His first important album was Pithecanthropus Erectus (1956). The title composition attempted to musically portray the rise and fall of humanity. During the next several years, Mingus recorded his most significant compositions, including “Fables of Faubus,” “Goodbye Pork Pie Hat,” “Better Git It in Your Soul,” “Far Wells, Mill Valley,” and “Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting.” The compositions were a striking blend of blues, gospel, bebop, and elements of the experimental style called free jazz. The music featured shifting tempos, overlapping passages, and dense textures.
During the 1960’s and 1970’s, Mingus led groups ranging from 4 to 11 pieces. He developed a kind of repertory company of musicians that included saxophonists Clifford L. Jordan, Booker T. Ervin, Jr., and Eric Dolphy; trombone player Jimmy Knepper; trumpeter Ted Curson; pianist Jaki Byard; and drummer Dannie Richmond.
Throughout his career, Mingus battled psychological problems that sometimes resulted in confrontations with audiences and musicians. He attacked racism in the United States in his erratic and controversial autobiography Beneath the Underdog (1971). Mingus died on Jan. 5, 1979.
