An excellent album from the multifaceted Charles Mingus

This is the CD you should buy if you're new to Mingus. It came out during a highly creative period in his life, and contains some of his most memorable compostions. Ah Um may not be his most ambitious album or his best, but it is one of his most well rounded and diverse, showing many of the styles, quirks and facets that make Charles Mingus one of the top jazz composers of all time. And it's all laid out in easily digestable morsels, ie some of the songs were edited to make them more concise and able to fit on vinyl. Don't worry, the edits are not noticable. Is it bop? Is it post bop? Is it swing? Well, yes and no. Mingus looks not only to big bands, bebop, and hard bop circa 1959, but also gospel, spirituals, pre-jazz and the blues for inspiration. Ah Um is as diverse and eclectic as it is enjoyable. It points the way to the many directions Mingus was exploring or would explore in his later career. Ah Um is a wonderful look into the music of a great mind and is by turns angry, sad, tender, sarcastic, joyful and damn good. You can feel the passion.

How speak of jazz without regard for Mr. Mingus

1 of 3-5 star lps- (see "Blues and Roots" and "Dynasty") issued by Mingus in 50's. All his own compositions, the song flow is unparalleled. No song can be called better than another, but, of course, we all favor some. Listen to his eloquent 'Goodbye Pork Pie Hat' Charlie's tribute to lester young. Check out 'Fables of Faubus; and think about.... CIVIL RIGHTS! Overwhelming opening funk/jazz piece "Better Git It In Your Soul" Mingus was certainly a master composer, creator, artist and a central link, between at most, 2 other great jazz composers. Buying this cd is a 'no brainer' for anyone of an age that knows what was, is and will be good for as long as we have ears. Companion cd is "Dynasty". The man who entitled his auto-biography "Beneath the Underdog" still gets way too little respect.

A Fascinating and Revealing masterpiece

i always knew that Mingus was great...but it was not something that i could attest to through personal experience. i had seen the light that was Coltrane, Davis, Sun Ra, Dolphy...but Mingus' masterpieces somehow eluded me. probably due to the fact that i just simply did not take the time to check them out. well, i picked up Mingus Ah Um (finally)...and it all rang true. not only was this man an excellent bass player, but a true genius in composing. his music shines bright with a broad range of feeling and emotion. the righteous anger is present within the notes...anger that boiled hot over the shakey political/cultural climate of the times. but the music's fire is stoked by coals of passion and sincerity, jazz morphs into the blues and swings into melodies so alive and free that they can't be denied in their originality and greatness. i've been listening to this album only about 10 times and i'm still finding new things revealed to me with each spin. Mingus' vision grows deeper and more profound each time around. and there's so much more to explore and discover.