Charles Mingus And His Jazz Group – Mingus Dynasty (2xLP, Pure Pleasure)

"Mingus Dynasty", like the previous album "Mingus Ah Um", was recorded in 1959. The year was a turning point for the unsurpassed, eruptive bassist and composer Charles Mingus. He led a repertory theatre consisting of New York's most creative improvising musicians and two groups, a tentet and a nonet, which included two cellos, and challenged his groups' improvisational gifts as never before.

The music in the album is as captivating as the striking cover photo, which shows Mingus in a kind of mocking costume of a Chinese emperor. The album includes as a bonus track the well-known Mingus theme "Strollin", which he composed together with Honey Gordon, who plays in the tentet. It is known as an instrumental piece under "Nostalgia In Times Square", the soundtrack to John Cassawetes "Shadows". Mingus also pays tribute to two generations of Ellingtons in his album.

His idol, Duke Ellington, whose "Mood Indigo" features a virtuoso bass solo, and the maestro's son, Mercer Ellington with "Things Ain't What They Used To Be". A number of blistering gospel originals like "Slop" and "Gunslinging Bird" are included, in 6 / 8 time, a Mingus speciality. Finally, more complex pieces are heard, such as "Far Wells, Mill Valley" and "Diane", which after an atonal beginning unfolds like a flower with Mingus' most beautiful musical themes.