Charles Mingus Jr. was an American jazz upright bassist, composer, bandleader, pianist, and author. A major proponent of collective improvisation, he is considered to be one of the greatest jazz musicians and composers in history, with a career spanning three decades and collaborations with other jazz greats such as Duke Ellington, Charlie Parker, Max Roach, and Eric Dolphy. Mingus' work ranged from advanced bebop and avant-garde jazz with small and midsize ensembles, to pioneering the post-bop style on seminal recordings like Pithecanthropus Erectus (1956) and Mingus Ah Um (1959), and progressive big band experiments such as The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady (1963).
The Mingus Big Band is a 14-piece ensemble, based in New York City, that specializes in the compositions of Charles Mingus. It was managed by his widow, Sue Mingus, along with the Mingus Orchestra and Mingus Dynasty. In addition to its weekly Monday night appearance at DROM NYC in New York City, the Mingus Big Band tours frequently, giving performances and clinics in America, Europe, and other parts of the world.
Cornelius "Sonny" Fortune was an American jazz saxophonist. He played soprano, alto, tenor, and baritone saxophones, clarinet, and flute.
George Rufus Adams was an American jazz musician who played tenor saxophone, flute and bass clarinet. He is best known for his work with Charles Mingus, Gil Evans, Roy Haynes and in the quartet he co-led with pianist Don Pullen, featuring bassist Cameron Brown and drummer Dannie Richmond. He was also known for his idiosyncratic singing.
Don Gabriel Pullen was an American jazz pianist and organist. Pullen developed a strikingly individual style throughout his career. He composed pieces ranging from blues to bebop and modern jazz. The great variety of his body of work makes it difficult to pigeonhole his musical style.
Lee Conrad Herwig III is an American jazz trombonist from New York City.
Charles Daniel Richmond was an American jazz drummer who is best known for his work with Charles Mingus. He also worked with Joe Cocker, Elton John and Mark-Almond.
Steve Slagle is an American jazz saxophonist.
Cameron Langdon Brown is an American jazz double bassist known for his association with the Don Pullen/George Adams Quartet.
Hugh Lawson, was an American jazz pianist from Detroit who worked with Yusef Lateef for more than 10 years.
Jack Arthur Walrath is an American post-bop jazz trumpeter and musical arranger known for his work with Ray Charles, Gary Peacock, Charles Mingus, and Glenn Ferris, among others.
Ricky Ford is an American jazz tenor saxophonist.
Mingus Dynasty was an American jazz ensemble formed in 1979, just after the death of Charles Mingus, which featured many musicians Mingus recorded or played with. The group was named after the 1959 album Mingus Dynasty.
Daniel Asbury Mixon is an American jazz pianist.
Frank Lacy is an American jazz trombonist who has spent many years as a member of the Mingus Big Band.
Three or Four Shades of Blues is a studio album by the American jazz bassist and bandleader Charles Mingus. It was recorded in sessions held on March 9 and 11, 1977, at New York City's Atlantic Studios, and on March 29 at the Record Plant in Los Angeles. The album features two new versions of Mingus's "standards" and three new compositions performed by large ensembles featuring saxophonists Ricky Ford, George Coleman, and Sonny Fortune, pianist Jimmy Rowles, guitarists Larry Coryell, Philip Catherine and John Scofield, bassists Ron Carter and George Mraz, trumpeter Jack Walrath, and drummer Dannie Richmond.
Mike Richmond is an American jazz bassist.
Mingus at Carnegie Hall is a live album by the jazz bassist and composer Charles Mingus, recorded at Carnegie Hall in January 1974 by Mingus with Jon Faddis, Charles McPherson, John Handy, George Adams, Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Hamiet Bluiett, Don Pullen, and Dannie Richmond. The original release did not include the first part of the concert, featuring Mingus’s working sextet without Handy, Kirk, and McPherson. An expanded “Deluxe Edition” including the entire concert, was issued in 2021.
Ode to Mingus is an album by the American jazz drummer Dannie Richmond recorded in 1979 and released on the Italian Soul Note label.
Robert James Neloms was an American jazz pianist. He also occasionally performed on trombone and organ.
