5 CDs featuring 40 tracks, 400 minutes of recordings from his landmark years with jazz powerhouse records. Remastered sound, new liner notes, original album notes, a complete Atlantic discography, and rare photos. Plus a Bonus CD featuring Charles Mingus interviewed by Nesuhi Ertegun after the 'Oh Yeah' album session.
Includes career-defining albums:
- Pithecanthropu Erectus (1956)
- The Clown (1957)
- Blues And Roots (1959)
- Mingus At Antibes (1960)
- Tonight at Noon (1961)
- Oh Yeah (1962)
Tracklist
CD 1
01. Pithecanthropus Erectus (Charles Mingus) 10:33
02. A Foggy Day (George Gershwin) 7:47
03. Love Chant (Charles Mingus) 14:56
04. Profile Of Jackie (Charles Mingus) 3:07
05. Laura (David Raskin) 4:52
06. When Your Lover Has Gone (Einar Swan) 2:27
07. Just One Of Those Things (Cole Porter) 6:06
08. Blue Greens (Teddy Charles) 11:42
Total time: 61:38 min.
CD 2
01. The Clown (Charles Mingus) 12:29
02. Passions Of A Woman Loved (Mingus) 9:43
03. Blue Cee (Charles Mingus) 7:48
04. Tonight At Noon (Charles Mingus) 5:58
05. Reincarnation Of A Lovebird (Mingus) 8:31
06. Haitian Fight Song (Charles Mingus) 11:57
Total time: 56:21 min.
CD 3
01. E's Flat Ah's Flat Too (Charles Mingus) 6:37
02. My Jelly Roll Sou (Charles Mingus) 6:47
03. Tensions (Charles Mingus) 6:27
04. Moanin' (Charles Mingus) 7:57
05. Cryin' Blues (Charles Mingus) 4:58
06. Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting (Charles Mingus) 5:42
07. E's Flat Ah's Flat Too (Alternate Take) 7:16
08. My Jelly Roll Soul (Alternate Take) 11:51
09. Tensions (Alternate Take) 5:30
10. Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting (Alt.) 6:56
Total time: 70:20 min.
CD 4
01. Prayer For Passive Resistance (Mingus) 8:06
02. Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting (Charles Mingus) 11:54
03. Folk Forms I (Charles Mingus) 11:08
04. What Love? (Charles Mingus) 13:34
05. I'll Remember April (DePaul, Johnston) 13:39
Total time: 71:40 min.
CD 5
01. Devil Woman (Charles Mingus) 9:38
02. Ecclusiastics (Charles Mingus) 6:55
03. "Old" Blues For Walt's Torin (Mingus) 8:59
04. Peggy's Blue Skylight (Charles Mingus) 9:42
05. Hog Callin' Blues (Charles Mingus) 7:26
06. Oh Lord Don't Let Them Drop That Atomic Bomb On Me (Charles Mingus) 5:38
07. Passions Of A Man (Charles Mingus) 4:52
08. Wham Bam Thank You Ma'am (Mingus) 4:41
09. Invisible Lady (Charles Mingus) 4:49
10. Eat That Chicken (Charles Mingus) 4:36
Total time: 67:34 min.
CD 6
01. 1 Charles Mingus interviewed by Nesuhi Ertegun
Total time: 75:00 min. aprox.
Album details
Sources:
CD 1: 1-5 From "Pithecanthropus Erectus" (Atlantic 1237)
CD 1: 5-8 From Teddy Charles' "Word From Bird" (Atlantic 1274)
CD 2: 1,3,5,6 From "The Clown" (Atlantic 1260)
CD 2: 2,4 & CD 5: 3,4,9 From "Tonight At Noon" (Atlantic 1416)
CD 3: 1-6 From "Blues & Roots" (Atlantic 1305)
CD 3: 7-10 previosly unissued.
CD 4: From "Mingus At Antibes" (Atlantic 2-3001)
CD 5: 1,2,5-8,10 From "Oh Yeah" (Atlantic 1377)
CD 6: Previously unissued extended interview. Edited version originally appeared on CD reissue of "Oh Yeah" (Atlantic 90667-2, 1988)
Personnel on CD 1:
Tracks #1-5: Charles Mingus (b), Jackie McLean (as), J.R. Monterose (ts), Mal Waldron (p), Willie Jones (d). Recorded at Audio-Video Studios, New York, on January 30, 1956
Tracks #5-8: Teddy Charles (vib), Hall Overton (p), Charles Mingus (b), Ed Shaughnessy (d). Recorded on November 12, 1956 in New York City
Personnel on CD 2:
Charles Mingus (b), Shafi Hadi (Curtis Porter) (ts), Jimmy Knepper (tb), Wade Legge (p), Dannie Richmond (d). Jean Shepherd (improvised narration on #1).
Track #1 recorded on February 13, 1957 at Audio-Video Studios, New York City. Rest of tracks recorded on March 12, 1957 at Atlantic Studios, New York City
Personnel on CD 3:
Charles Mingus (b), John Handy (as), Jackie McLean (as), Booker Ervin (ts), Pepper Adams (bs), Willie Dennis, Jimmy Knepper (tb), Horace Parlan (p, except on #1 & 7), Mal Waldron (p, only on #1 & 7).
Recorded on February 4, 1959 at Atlantic Studios, New York City
Personnel on CD 4:
Charles Mingus (b & p on #2,3), Eric Dolphy (as, b-cl on #5), Booker Ervin (ts on #1-5), Ted Curson (tp), Bud Powell (p only on #6).
Recorded live on July 13, 1960 at the Antibes Jazz Festival, Juan-les-Pins, France
Personnel on CD 5:
Charles Mingus (p, vcl), Roland Kirk (ts, fl, siren, manzello, strich), Booker Ervin (ts), Jimmy Knepper (tb), Doug Watkins (b), Dannie Richmond (d).
Recorded on November 6, 1961 at Atlantic Studios, New York City
CD 6 recorded late 1961/early 1962 Nesuhi Ertegun's office, Atlantic Records, New York
All compositions by Charles Mingus unless otherwise noted
Original recordings produced by Nesuhi ErtegunPress reviews
"Passions of a Man: The Complete Atlantic Recordings (1956-1961) presents an interesting problem. There's little arguing that the music on Passions of a Man is seminal, ranking among his very best recordings. The question is whether the six-disc set is indispensable, considering that it is low on unreleased material and boasts one full interview disc. All of Mingus' Atlantic recordings between 1956 and 1961 are included in session order, with alternate takes of "E's Flat Ah's Flat Too," "My Jelly Roll Soul," "Tensions," and "Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting" being added to disc three. The interview is interesting, yet most listeners will be content to hear it only once, so it simply adds weight and cost to the box. Still, the cost is justified -- Passions of a Man is beautifully produced, sporting sparkling remastered sound, new liner notes as well as the original album liner notes, a complete Atlantic discography, and rare photos. For fans who have yet to purchase CD copies of The Clown, Mingus at Antibes, or Oh Yeah, it's an essential purchase, but those who already own those discs might find too much repetition and not enough bonuses to make it worthwhile."
Stephen Thomas Erlewine -All Music Guide
