I will always be grateful that as a child I always heard Mr. Mingus’ records playing in our house all the time. When I hear this I’m home again and everything’s ok. This is far beyond mere conversation and storytelling. That was an event. Life just got a little better today after this video. God job mom and dad.
I heard this for the first time like 10 years ago and I don't think I've heard a piano piece that has fascinated me as much since. It's like a brilliant impressionist portrait that emerges from a bunch of crazy, chaotic brush strokes.
Three things i really enjoy on this: Mingus' staring while smoking his cigar Astonishing, Amazing, Astounding Don Pullen The frame with the two, before the absolute delirium
Absolute perfection! Art at it's very highest level. If youre into avant garde s#!t then this absolutely tickles your brain. I used to have this DVD back in the late 90s. BTW listen to Dannie little shuffle thing underneath both cymbals between 5:30-6:30-- I taste flavors every time I hear it. The reason Don Pullen could stretch the music so far during the 2nd accompanied portion is because the immense trust in this rhythm section.
Incredible Mingus video and I’ve seen quite a few. Right at 0:34 I see clear, focused, well- lit close-ups of his hands. They’re small hands but obviously powerful. You can also hear the notes. In many of the heavy horn ensembles you can’t hear the notes in the mix, and for whatever reason the camerawork is lacking. Thank you for sharing this. Mingus who recorded his own piano album must have had interesting thoughts as this young soloist did magic on the keys.
Extraordinary, otherworldly yet organic and even mainstream. This was the period when jazz was still evolving in its own tradition, davis-coltrane-coleman-mingus after some überjazz monk... for Don Pullen, all hats off for his amazing(ly accompanied) solo...
I've been listening and studing his voicings and chords "blocks" among the winds... its insane!! I think he is probably the first to put minor seconds, augmented fourths and so goes on with outsides!!! Truly a freejazz, but played by gods!!!
It's somewhat ironic that the most talented have the most serious issues. Other than that, this piece rocked. This is pure vintage Mingus at his best before he fell sick.
My flabbergasted mind is blown into another dimension. I wonder whether Don was on acid as I know Charles along with John , Alice and quite a few others were. FYI Charles hung out with Tim Leary at Millbrook.
And even when Mr Charles Mingus didn't light a cigar he lit a fire under the bandstand (each and every time! ) Lawd, ummm hmmm-God almighty! The only person on Earth that could make an atheist like me talk like that!
No way! ! ! Pollock would be incapable of representing the first 4 minutes of Don's solo… only the last 3 minutes. Maybe Picasso could have done it, but even him, I'm not sure if he could have done it… Check out the complete R&B groove from 8:40 through 9:00. Do y'all know that Don once worked as Ruth Brown's pianist-organist? And Jackson Pollock don't know nuthin' 'bout no Ruth Brown!
![Charles Mingus - Sue's Changes - Live At Montreux (1975) [6-12]](/img/logo.svg){kind=logo}
