Charles Mingus; Premier Bassist & Composer

For many months, my family and I were looking for a puppy Husky. Finally, we found a beautiful snow white one with sky blue eyes at a PetSmart in Jersey, we named him Mingus after Charlie Mingus. Before naming him, I didn't know much about the real Charlie Mingus, all I knew about him was that he was a large African American, famous jazz musician who played the deep deep Bass. Charles Mingus, "born 1922 in Watts, California and raised in Nogales Arizona on a military base, was an extremely important figure during the twentieth century." He was "a virtuoso Bass Player, accomplished pianist, bandleader and composer," I read from the introduction of the music book More of a Play-Along: Charles Mingus,  given to me by Mike McGinnis my Sax teacher. His first musical influences came, I found surprising, from church. He adored Duke Ellington and respected and played with many well-known musicians of his time. During his era he wrote many pieces inspired by astounding and historic musicians such as the acclaimed Charlie "Bird" Parker, and Jelly Roll Morton's repleted style. He was also influenced by specific places, such as overly lighted Time Square, or places deep in your body, as deep as your soul. Charlie Mingus was a grateful man, he enjoyed every aspect of his music.

"If Charlie Parker Were a Gunslinger, There'd be a Whole Lot of Dead Copycats." is a classic name of one of his many songs. This clearly shows his respect for Bird and how influential the man was to him. Charlie Mingus himself played with Bird, along with other greats, including Bud Powell, Max Roach, and Dizzy Gillespie. Mingus was a deep thinker. He wrote many a song about the soul. "Better Get Hit in The Soul" is about how he reflects with his strong roots towards church and gospel. In this classic of his, he honors the days he hand-clapped, sang, and danced with his mother, hand in hand. This respect for the musicians he listened to and played with can be seen and heard within almost all of his compositions.

Despite the attention, respect, and love he gave to his music and his contemporaries, he never showed the same care for himself. He had a major drug problem, specifically heroin. His uncontrollable onstage temper led him to once destroy a twenty thousand dollar bass. He often dealt with clinical depression and obesity, as well as constant financial problems, he was vanquished from his West Village apartment. This passion led him to be both a great historical jazz musician, and also to be a great historical sad character as well. More of a Play-Along: Charles Mingus is an enjoyable, and fascinating look at the sad and deep life of a musician who lived a life of misfortunes and inspiration. Luckily my newly adopted puppy Mingus will not live this way. He has been saved from a kill shelter, has a roof over his head, home-cooked meals and a loving family with me blowing Mingus tunes on my saxophone.