Charles Mingus - Mingus Takes Manhattan - The Complete Birdland Dates: 1961 - 1962 - 4 x 180g Vinyl LP Box

2024

4LP Box w/ 44 page Book

Available officially in conjunction with Mingus Estate
Original reel-to-reel tapes, cleaned and mastered giving these recordings optimum sound quality
Four 180gm LPs housed in book-case style box
Extensive 44-page book with foreword from Christian McBride, in-depth liner notes by Brian Priestley, interview with Charles McPherson and rare photographs and ephemera.

“These recordings capture a window of time in the life of a jazz legend who was arguably at his creative peak” - Christian McBride

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 these recordings. 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 and featuring 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 many more.

Located in a basement in the Bronx, the original reel-to-reel tapes have been cleaned and remastered, giving these incredibly rare recordings the best sonic outing since 1962. At the centre of this package is a 44-page book with a foreword from Christian McBride, an incredible 15,000 word essay from Brian Priestley as well as 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 by Two To Tango and rare photographs and ephemera throughout.