Charles Mingus was a pioneer figure in modern jazz. Besides being a virtuoso bass player who played with the top jazz musicians for four decades, he was also an accomplished pianist, bandleader and composer who recorded more than 100 albums and wrote more than 300 original and innovative scores. This incredible collection explores Mingus’ background and prestigious career as well as 55 of his pieces. The stories behind each song are given and accompanied by notes on how Mingus played the piece. Mingus photos, anecdotes, quotes and an extensive discography fill this volume that collectors will treasure. A truly personal work that celebrates the genius within this jazz legend.

Song list: Better Get Hit In Your Soul * Blue Cee Boogie Stop Shuffle * Canon (Pachelbel J) * Celia * Devil Woman * Diane (Alice’s Wonderland) * Dizzy Moods * Duke Ellington’s Sound Of Love * Duke’s Choice * E’s Flat, Ah’s Flat Too * East Coasting * Ecclusiastics * Eclipse * Fables Of Faubus * Farewell Farwell * Free Cell Block F, ‘Tis Nazi USA * Goodbye Pork Pie Hat * Haitian Fight Song * Hora Decubitus * The I Of Hurricane Sue * Jelly Roll * Jump Monk * The Man Who Never Sleeps * Moanin’ * Monk, Bunk And Vice Versa * My Jelly Roll Soul * Nobody Knows (The Bradley I Know) *
Noddin’ Ya Head Blues * Nostalgia In Times Square * Nouroog * O, Lord, Please Don’t Let Them Drop That Atomic Bomb On Me * O.P. (Oscar Pettiford) * Open Letter To Duke * Open Letter To The Avant Garde * Opus Four * Opus Three * Orange Was Color Dress,Blue Silk * Peggy’s Blue Skylight * Pithecanthropus Erectus * Portrait * Pussy Cat Dues * Reincarnation Of A Lovebird * Remember Rockefeller At Attica * Scenes In The City * Self-Portrait In Three Colors * Slippers * Slop * So Long Eric * Sue’s Changes * Tonight At Noon * Us Is Two * Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting * Weird Nightmare * What Love * Work Song