CHARLES MINGUS / VILLAGE VANGUARD 1975 (2CDR)

Charles Mingus - bass
Jack Walrath - trumpet
George Adams - tenor saxophone
Don Pullen - piano
Dannie Richmond - drums

DISC 1
1. Fables Of Nixon, Rockefesser & Ford - Oh Lord, Help Mr Ford
2. For Harry Carney
3. Devil Blues

DISC 2
1. Orange Was The Color Of Her Dress, Then Blue Silk
2. Nobody Knows
3. Cherokee [theme]

The BMM label—highly popular among fans for focusing on genres like jazz and blues, where collector’s items were once scarce—now sees its rare titles featured in the "Necromancer" series, a collection of official, budget-friendly reissues.

This is a superb live recording of jazz giant Charles Mingus, captured on April 15, 1975, at the legendary New York jazz club, the Village Vanguard. It has been remastered from a top-tier stereo audience master recording. To put it plainly, the sound quality is far superior to that of typical, mediocre soundboard recordings. The contours of the performance are crystal clear, while the audience-captured applause and cheers following each solo—along with the brief chatter between songs—create an unparalleled sense of presence. This is the unique atmosphere of an intimate jazz club—the very essence of how jazz and blues are meant to be experienced. The band is in peak form, playing within a relaxed yet highly charged environment. This release perfectly encapsulates the intimate, electric atmosphere that filled the Village Vanguard in 1975. With a lineup that includes George Adams and Don Pullen, this is an absolutely stellar release.