Charles Mingus - Mingus Takes Manhattan - The Complete Birdland Dates 1961-1962 (Vinyl)

Box Set. Mingus Takes Manhattan collects together Charles Mingus' run of dates at the world famous Birdland, New York from 1961-1962, released here officially for the first time ever in conjunction with the Mingus Estate. The original reel-to-reel tapes used to record the radio broadcasts were tracked down, cleaned and remastered especially for this release. Previously only issued in bootleg form, the recordings enclosed feature Mingus in the midst of a highly creative spell. Alternating between bass and piano during these sets features a rotating band of heavy hitters including Yusef Lateef, Roland Kirk, Jaki Byard, Booker Ervin, Pepper Adams as well as Mingus mainstays Charles McPherson, Dannie Richmond and others. Located in a basement in the Bronx, these incredibly rare recordings are given their best sonic outing since 1962. At the centre of this package is a 44-page book with a foreword from Christian McBride, a highly informative 15,000 word essay from Brian Priestley and a new interview with Charles McPherson, giving context and inside information to the dates and the time. All of this is illustrated with slick design and rare photographs and ephemera throughout.

Track List:

Disc: 1

1. 21st October 1961 - 24th March 1962
2. Nouroog
3. Ecclusiastics
4. Hog Callin` Blues
5. Take The ‘A’ Train
6. Fables Of Faubus
7. Eat That Chicken

Disc: 2

1. 31st March 1962 - 5th May 1962
2. Monk, Funk Or Vice Versa
3. Oh Lord, Don’t Let Them...
4. Eat That Chicken
5. Reets and I

Disc: 3

1. 5th May 1962 - 12th May 1962
2. Monk, Funk or Vice Versa
3. Devil Woman
4. Eat That Chicken
5. Introduction by Symphony Syd
6. Peggy’s Blue Skylight
7. Tijuana Table Dance (aka Ysabel’s Table Dance)
8. Eat That Chicken

Disc: 4

1. 19th October 1962 - 26th October 1962
2. The Search (I Can't Get Started)
3. Monk, Funk or Vice Versa
4. Please Don't Come Back From The Moon
5. Eat That Chicken
6. Monk, Funk or Vice Versa
7. O.P.
8. The Search (I Can't Get Started)