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February 2005:
The cover of this 1963 Charles Mingus Impulse!
Records album
features the quote, “Touch my beloved’s thought while her world’s
affluence crumbles at my feet”. The concept of the Impulse! album is quite
interesting…a classic Ellingtonian big band and its sophisticated
arrangements meets the avant-garde jazz of
1960s. Charlie Mariano is the star of this album -- his tone on
alto saxophone
reminds one of Johnny Hodges yet it is modern enough to fit into a
1970s Martin Scorsese motion-picture score (like the musical theme from
Taxi Driver in 1976).
The album is comprised of four tracks which feature the inventive
fashion Charles Mingus arranges his compositions for reeds. The haunting sound
is kind of reminiscent of Stephen King’s The Shining. The music is so
dark that Mingus has to turn to a clinical psychologist to interpret it
in the album's liner notes. This is not an album to be missed. It has
inspired everyone from Ravi Coltrane to Carlos Santana! |
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