Thursday, November 5, 2009

The Angry Man of Jazz

Charles Mingus was a GOD. To this day he is my idol and in my past life I was his F-hole.

This month at the National Jazz Museum in Harlem, Mingus is being featured. What I wouldn't do to go to the Jazz Mecca of New York... Midtown Manhattan...Birdland...Harlem...Carnegie Hall. Where the likes of Mingus, Coltrane, Theolonius Monk, Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald and other greats let loose their musical fury.

Mingus was a hot-headed bassist, composer, and pianist, known for his combativeness, both on and off stage. He strove to create unique music to be played by unique musicians and took his music seriously. At one gig at Birdland in 1955, after Charlie Parker had arrived late, and then left again after seeing the pianist Bud Powell so drunk he could barely stay on the piano bench...and then a second eruption involving an argument between Parker and Powell (who eventually stormed off the stage) over the next tune... Mingus told the crowd: "Please don't associate me with any of this. This is not jazz. These are sick people!" Despite his outbursts, Mingus was a musical genius, and a legend in the history of Jazz.


This man's music puts my soul at ease. All I need is him plucking his bass, as I tap my toes, sip on some Merlot and listen...

Without further ado...
Turn that fucking mic on






And in case you were wondering how to teach your cat some manners, as Mingus did so with his own cat Nightlife, try the Charles Mingus Cat Toilet Training Program

5 comments:

Radiogael said...

Mingus is a GOD, as are Monk and Davis.

FINALLY a lady who likes good jazz and has a sense of humour! Fancy being friends? :)

ps- thanks to you, I'm now hobbling round my flat with a pulsating bass soundtrack. My flatmate will get tired soon, but I thank you!

Trouble said...

The polytheism of Jazz! I was just listening to the Kind of Blue album. Love Miles.

I do fancy being friends :)

Earmuffs would make a good Christmas gift in this case. Turn it up!

tattytiara said...

Anyone who toilet trains a cat is a genius in my mind. The fact that he was a brilliant musician is just a bonus.

Bri said...

I stumbled on your blog. It's fantastic.

I dig!

Trouble said...

No kidding! It's not an easy task, impossible for my silly cat that's for sure.

Bri, thanks!!!! :)