One of the finest recordings in existence by jazz icon, Charles Mingus.

One of the finest recordings in existence by jazz icon, Mingus.

For the most part of 1960, Mingus’s colleagues included his perennial drummer, Dannie Richmond, trumpeter Ted Curson and Eric Dolphy on alto and bass clarinet. Mingus subtitles his band, The Jazz Workshop and the term is entirely accurate.

For almost a decade since basing himself in New York, Mingus has served as a kind of unknown when they started with him) and has challenged them to find themselves musically. Some have lasted only night, others a week, and a few stayed for long stretches. The conditions of apprenticeship in the Mingus Jazz workshop are fiercely demanding.

This album (in many ways the most extraordinarily cohesive set Mingus has ever made) was recorded during a crisis of personnel. After many months with Mingus, Dolphy and Curson had decided to leave. These record sessions and a few to follow for Mingus and the Jazz Artists Guild (whose albums are also on Candid) were to be their last tie with Mingus.