Charles Mingus - Mingus Dynasty (1973 Japanese CBS/Sony Limited Edition Vinyl LP)

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Sleeve: EX
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Charles Mingus And His Jazz Groups - Mingus Dynasty (Vinyl LP - Limited Edition Japanese CBS/Sony Reissue)

A compelling collection of Charles Mingus compositions performed by two different ensembles across two November 1959 recording sessions, Mingus Dynasty captures the legendary bassist and composer leading groups through material ranging from hard-driving post-bop to tender balladry. This 1973 limited edition Japanese pressing on CBS/Sony, part of their CBS Sony Jazz 1300 series, presents these historically significant performances with the care and quality Japanese reissues are celebrated for.

The album showcases Mingus working with an exceptional roster of musicians across nine tracks. The first session, recorded on 1 November 1959, features a nine-piece ensemble including saxophonists Jerome Richardson and Benny Golson, trumpeter Richard Williams, trombonist Jimmy Knepper, vibraphonist Teddy Charles, and the rhythm section of Roland Hanna on piano, Mingus on bass, and the indispensable Dannie Richmond on drums. Tracks like "Diane", "Song With Orange", "Gunslinging Bird", "Far Wells, Mill Valley", and "New Now, Know How" demonstrate Mingus' compositional range and his ability to write for larger ensembles with sophisticated voicings and unexpected harmonic turns.

The second session, from 13 November 1959, presents a slightly smaller group featuring the fiery tenor saxophonist Booker Ervin, alto saxophonist John Handy, trumpeter Don Ellis, Jimmy Knepper returning on trombone, Roland Hanna on piano, and the Mingus-Richmond rhythm team. "Slop" opens the album with characteristic Mingus energy and humour, while "Things Ain't What They Used To Be" swings with authority. Duke Ellington's "Mood Indigo" receives a Mingus reimagining that honours the original while making it unmistakably his own. The album closes with "Put Me In That Dungeon", featuring two cellists (Maurice Brown and Seymour Barab) adding unusual timbral colours to Mingus' composition.

What makes Mingus Dynasty particularly valuable is hearing Mingus work with different instrumental configurations and personnel across the same month. The contrast between the sessions reveals his adaptability and the consistency of his vision regardless of lineup. Jimmy Knepper's trombone and Dannie Richmond's drums appear on all tracks, providing continuity and showcasing two of Mingus' most important long-term collaborators.

This Japanese pressing offers excellent stereo sound that captures both the ensemble textures of the larger group and the more intimate interplay of the smaller lineup. As a limited edition release in the CBS Sony Jazz 1300 series, this represents a carefully curated addition to CBS/Sony's jazz catalogue for the Japanese market.

Includes original insert.