Charles Mingus was one of the greatest composers of the twentieth century. His contributions to music are usually discussed within the annals of jazz. However, propagating him as just a luminary for jazz shortchanges him. While he certainly belongs in the jazz realm, his music goes far beyond that. He shouldn’t be considered as just a jazz great; he is great in an all-encompassing manner. He was a visionary who wasn’t afraid to go beyond the stylistic cues of whatever was in favor at the time. He often infused sociopolitical issues into his compositions, something that didn’t help his standing with the status quo. He did things his way, and the results were typically spectacular. Read the rest of this entry »
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