The night will also feature live painting from visual artist TBA.
This three-LP set is the finest recording by one of Charles Mingus’ greatest bands, his sextet with Eric Dolphy (on alto, bass clarinet, and flute), tenor saxophonist Clifford Jordan, trumpeter Johnny Coles, pianist Jaki Byard, and drummer Dannie Richmond. Taken from their somewhat tumultuous but very musical tour of Europe, most of these rather lengthy workouts actually just feature a quintet because Coles took sick (he is only heard on “So Long Eric,” which here is mistitled “Goodbye Pork Pie Hat”), but the playing is at such a high level that the trumpeter is not really missed. “Orange Was the Color of Her Dress” is given definitive treatment, and the nearly 29-minute “Fables of Faubus” and Mingus’ relatively brief feature on “Sophisticated Lady” are impressive, but it is the passionate “Meditations on Integration” (an utterly fascinating performance) and “Parkeriana” (a tribute to Charlie Parker that features some stride piano from Byard and what may very well have been Dolphy’s greatest alto solo) that make this gem truly essential in all jazz collections
~Scottt Yanow
Christopher Dammann – bass
Nick Anaya – saxophones
Richard Zili – clarinets
Jim Baker – piano
Jacob Fawcett – drums
7:30 Doors
8pm Show
$15 Suggested Donation
FREE PARKING