Mingus Dynasty - Live At Montreux (1980) FLAC

Tracks

1 Haitian Fight Song
2 Consider Me, Oh Lord
3 Fables Of Faubus
4 Ysabel's Table Dance
5 Sketch Two
6 Better Get Hit In Your Soul

Personnel

Arranged By – Jimmy Knepper (pistas: 2 to 6), Sy Johnson (pistas: 1)
Art Direction – Lynn Dreese Breslin
Bass [Left Channel] – Aladar Pege
Bass [Right Channel] – Mike Richmond
Composed By – Charles Mingus
Drums – Billy Hart
Piano – Sir Roland Hanna
Tenor Saxophone – Joe Farrell
Trombone – Jimmy Knepper
Trumpet – Randy Brecker





The second Mingus Dynasty recording displays plenty of energy as the music of Charles Mingus (who had passed away 18 months earlier) is kept alive. Of the musicians in the septet, only trombonist Jimmy Knepper (who provided most of the arrangements) was a longtime member of Mingus' bands. Most of the other players (tenor saxophonist Joe Farrell, trumpeter Randy Brecker, pianist Sir Roland Hanna and drummer Billy Hart) had only had short-term associations with Mingus, whose bass spot is filled by both Aladar Page and Mike Richmond. For the recorded concert, they perform six of the bassist's compositions, mixing together some famous tunes (including "Haitian Fight Song" and "Better Git Hit in Your Soul") with a couple of obscurities ("Consider Me, Oh Lord" and "Sketch Two," which was composed during his last year). Although having two bassists in his spot made sense, one does generally miss the presence of Mingus, even if some fireworks occur during these spirited interpretations.

Scott Yanow