As a bandleader, the American jazz bassist Charles Mingus released 51 albums between 1949 and 1977; as a sideman, Mingus appeared on a total of 34 albums.
Four albums of his music were released posthumously between 1979 and 1990. Between 1979 and 2015, Sue Mingus produced 19 albums based on his compositions.
Discography as bandleader
Studio albums YearTitleLabel, Release YearDate (last session)Notes1953Strings and KeysDebutApril 1, 1951with Spaulding Givens1953Miss BlissDebutOctober 28, 1953EP1955Jazzical Moods, Volume 1PeriodDecember 1, 1954with John LaPorta; Partially included in The Jazz Experiments of Charlie Mingus (Bethlehem, 1955)1955Jazzical Moods, Volume 2PeriodDecember 1, 1954with John LaPorta; Included in The Jazz Experiments of Charlie Mingus (Bethlehem, 1955)1956Jazz Composers WorkshopSavoyJanuary 30, 19551956Pithecanthropus ErectusAtlanticJanuary 30, 19561957The ClownAtlanticMarch 12, 19571957Mingus ThreeJubileeJuly 9, 1957AKA Trio1957East CoastingBethlehemAugust 16, 19571959A Modern Jazz Symposium of Music and PoetryBethlehemOctober 1, 19571959Mingus Ah UmColumbiaMay 12, 19591960Mingus DynastyColumbiaNovember 13, 1959Companion album to Mingus Ah Um (Columbia, 1959)1960Blues & RootsAtlanticFebruary 4, 19591961Charles Mingus Presents Charles MingusCandidOctober 20, 19601961Newport RebelsCandidNovember 11, 1960Jazz Artists Guild led by Charles Mingus and Max Roach1961MingusCandidNovember 11, 19601961Pre-BirdMercuryMay 25, 1960AKA Mingus Revisited1962Tijuana MoodsRCAAugust 6, 19571962Oh YeahAtlanticNovember 6, 19611963The Black Saint and the Sinner LadyImpulse!January 20, 1963Vinyl pressings reissued by Universal Music Group in collaboration with Chad Kassem's Analogue Productions1964Tonight at NoonAtlanticNovember 6, 19611964Mingus Plays PianoImpulse!July 30, 19631964Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus MingusImpulse!September 20, 1963Vinyl pressings reissued by Universal Music Group in collaboration with Chad Kassem's Analogue Productions1971Blue BirdAmericaOctober 31, 1970Included in Charles Mingus in Paris: The Complete America Session (Sunnyside, 2006)1971Pithycanthropus ErectusAmericaOctober 31, 1970Included in Charles Mingus in Paris: The Complete America Session (Sunnyside, 2006)1971Charles Mingus with OrchestraColumbiaJanuary 14, 19711972Let My Children Hear MusicColumbiaNovember 18, 19711974Mingus MovesAtlanticOctober 31, 19731975Changes OneAtlanticDecember 30, 19741975Changes TwoAtlanticDecember 30, 19741978Cumbia & Jazz FusionAtlanticMarch 10, 19771977Three or Four Shades of BluesAtlanticMarch 29, 19771977Lionel Hampton Presents Charles MingusWho's Who in JazzNovember 6, 1977AKA His Final Work1988Reincarnation of a LovebirdCandidNovember 11, 19601990Mysterious BluesCandidNovember 11, 19602016ShadowsDOLNovember 1, 1958Movie Soundtrack. Partially re-used for Mingus in Wonderland (United Artists, 1959) Live albums
TitleLabel, Release YearDate (last session)Notes1956Mingus at the BohemiaDebutDecember 23, 1955AKA Chazz!1959Jazz Portraits: Mingus in WonderlandUnited ArtistsJanuary 16, 19591962Town Hall ConcertUnited ArtistsOctober 12, 1962Expanded in The Complete Town Hall Concert (Blue Note, 1994)1963The Charles Mingus Quintet & Max RoachFantasyDecember 23, 19551964Town Hall ConcertJazz WorkshopApril 4, 1964Expanded in The Jazz Workshop Concerts 1964–65 (Mosaic, 2012)1965Mingus at MontereyJazz WorkshopSeptember 20, 1964Included in The Jazz Workshop Concerts 1964–65 (Mosaic, 2012)1966My Favorite QuintetJazz WorkshopMay 13, 1965Expanded in The Jazz Workshop Concerts 1964–65 (Mosaic, 2012)1966Music Written for Monterey 1965Jazz WorkshopSeptember 25, 19651966Right Now: Live at the Jazz WorkshopFantasyJune 3, 19641971The Great Concert of Charles MingusAmericaApril 19, 19641973Charles Mingus and Friends in ConcertColumbiaFebruary 4, 19721973The Greatest Jazz Concert EverPrestigeMay 15, 19532xLP; compiles the three 10" volumes of Jazz at Massey Hall1974Mingus at Carnegie HallAtlanticJanuary 19, 19741976Mingus at AntibesAtlanticJuly 13, 1960AKA Charles Mingus Live with Eric Dolphy1979Mingus in Europe Volume IEnjaApril 26, 19641981Mingus in Europe Volume IIEnjaApril 26, 19641985Concertgebouw Amsterdam Vol. 1Ulysse MusiqueApril 10, 1964Included in The Jazz Workshop Concerts 1964–65 (Mosaic, 2012) and In Amsterdam 1964 (DIW, 1989)1986Concertgebouw Amsterdam Vol. 2Ulysse MusiqueApril 10, 1964Included in The Jazz Workshop Concerts 1964–65 (Mosaic, 2012) and In Amsterdam 1964 (DIW, 1989)1988In Paris 1970Ulysse MusiqueOctober 28, 19701989Live in Chateauvallon, 1972France's ConcertAugust 22, 19721989In Amsterdam 1964DIWApril 10, 1964compiles Concertgebouw Amsterdam Vol. 1 (Ulysse Musique, 1985), Concertgebouw Amsterdam Vol. 2 (Ulysse Musique, 1986)1990Live in Oslo 1964PolydorApril 12, 19641996Revenge! The Legendary Paris ConcertsRevengeApril 17, 19642007Cornell 1964Blue NoteMarch 18, 1964with Eric Dolphy2015Live in Europe 1975Salvo2017Complete Live at the BohemiaEssential Jazz Classics2018Jazz in Detroit / Strata Concert Gallery / 46 SeldenBBEFebruary 13, 19732018Live at MontreauxEagle RockJuly 20, 19752020@ Bremen 1964 & 1975SunnysideJuly 9, 19752022The Lost Album from Ronnie Scott'sResonanceAugust 15, 1972
Compilations YearTitleLabelNotes1967Jazz ExperimentJazztone/Bethlehemcompiles Jazzical Moods, Vol. 1 & Jazzical Moods, Vol. 2; AKA The Jazz Experiments of Charlie Mingus, AKA Charlie Mingus, AKA Jazzical Moods, AKA Intrusions, AKA Minor Intrusions, AKA Abstractions1970The Best of Charles MingusAtlantic1972The Candid Recordings – Featuring: Eric DolphyBarnaby1973Reevaluation: The Impulse YearsABC/Impulse!2xLP1973The Art of Charles Mingus (The Atlantic Years)Atlantic2xLP1979Nostalgia in Times SquareColumbiaNew edits and unreleased takes of Mingus Ah Um, and Mingus Dynasty1986The Young RebelSwingtime1987The Rarest on DebutMythic Sound/Debut (Italy)MSLP 0011987The Rarest on Debut: Charles Mingus SidemanMythic Sound/Debut (Italy)MSLP 0021987The Rarest on Debut – Mingus Newly DiscoveredMythic Sound/Debut (Italy)MSLP 0031992Debut Rarities, Volume 1Original Jazz Classics1992Debut Rarities, Volume 2Original Jazz Classics1992Original Faubus FablesAll That's Jazz (Europe)bootleg1993Debut Rarities, Volume 3Original Jazz Classics1993Thirteen Pictures: The Charles Mingus AnthologyRhino2xCD1994Debut Rarities, Volume 4Original Jazz Classics1996Fables of FaubusGiants of Jazz (Europe)bootleg1998Alternate TakesColumbia2000West Coast 1945–49Uptown2000Ken Burns JazzColumbia2001The Very Best of Charles MingusRhino2006Charles Mingus & Booker Ervin – The Savoy RecordingsBrilliant Jazz (Netherlands)2xCD2006Charles Mingus in Paris: The Complete America SessionSunnysideBlue Bird (America, 1971), Pithycanthropus Erectus (America, 1971) plus extra takes2006Take the 'A' TrainBack Up (Portugal)2009Jazz Workshop 1957–1958Fresh Sound2xCD; compiles East Coasting and A Modern Jazz Symposium of Music and Poetry2009The Clown / Intrusion / Pithecanthropus ErectusDelta2xCD2010Charles Mingus and the Newport RebelsCandid (Europe)2013The Quintessence New York – Los Angeles 1947–1960Frémeaux & Associés (France)2xCD2014Mingus MoodsProper Box2017Milestones of a LegendDocuments2017The Eldridge SessionDoxy2018Candid Recordings, Part OneDoxy2018Candid Recordings, Part TwoDoxy2018Newport RebelsJazz Images
Box sets +YearTitleLabelNotes1979Passions of a Man: An Anthology of His Atlantic RecordingsAtlantic3xLP1985The Complete Candid Recordings of Charles MingusMosaic4xLP; 3xCD (1989)1990The Complete Debut RecordingsDebut12xCD1993The Complete 1959 CBS Charles Mingus SessionsMosaic4xLP1997Passions of a Man: The Complete Atlantic Recordings 1956–1961Rhino6xCD; Pithecanthropus Erectus (Atlantic, 1956), Word from Bird (Atlantic, 1958), The Clown (Atlantic, 1957), Tonight at Noon (Atlantic, 1964), Blues & Roots (Atlantic, 1960), Mingus At Antibes (Atlantic, 1976), Oh Yeah (Atlantic, 1962)1998The Complete 1959 Columbia RecordingsColumbia/Legacy3xCD; reissue of The Complete 1959 CBS Charles Mingus Sessions2001Charles Mingus Trilogy (The Complete Bethlehem Jazz Collection)Avenue Jazz3xCD; compiles The Jazz Experiments of Charlie Mingus (Bethlehem, 1955), A Modern Jazz Symposium of Music And Poetry (Bethlehem, 1959), East Coasting (Bethlehem, 1957)200280th Birthday CelebrationDebut3xCD2004The Young RebelProper4xCD; compiles Pacific Coast Blues, Inspiration, Inspiration, and Bass-Ically Speaking2012The Complete Columbia & RCA Albums CollectionColumbia/Legacy10xCD2012The Jazz Workshop Concerts 1964–65Mosaic7xCD; live; compiles Town Hall Concert (Jazz Workshop, 1964), Concertgebouw Amsterdam Vol. 1 (Ulysse Musique, 1985), Concertgebouw Amsterdam Vol. 2 (Ulysse Musique, 1986), Mingus at Monterey (Jazz Workshop, 1965), My Favorite Quintet (Jazz Workshop, 1966)2013Leader on DebutDebut7xCD2014Mingus: The Impulse AlbumsImpulse!3xCD2019The Rare Albums CollectionEnlightenment4xCD
Final works as composer TitleLabelDate (last session)RecordingNotesMe, Myself an EyeAtlantic, 1979January 23, 1978StudioSessions directed by Charles MingusSomething Like a BirdAtlantic, 1980January 23, 1978StudioSessions directed by Charles MingusMingusAsylum, 19791978StudioJoni Mitchell album co-written with Charles MingusEpitaphColumbia, 1989June 3, 1989StudioUnpublished work written between 1940 and 1962
Discography as sideman TitleLabelDate (last session)RecordingBandleaderPenny's Worth Of Boogie / Look What You've Done To MeGlobe, 19451945StudioRussell JacquetBlues In B Flat / Deep MeditationModern Music, 1945May 1, 1945StudioHadda Brooks, Howard McGheeRex Stewart Plays Duke Ellington/Illinois Jacquet and His All-Stars Play Uptown JazzGrand Award, 1955August 2, 1945StudioRex Stewart, Illinois JacquetJacquet Mood / Robbins' NestApollo, 1947August 2, 1945StudioIllinois JacquetYou Go To My Head / Don't Let The Sun Catch You CryingGolden Guinea, 1945October 4, 1945StudioErnie AndrewsParadise Lost / I Don't Stand A Ghost of A ChanceGolden Guinea, 1945October 4, 1945StudioErnie AndrewsVoot Rhythm / Baggin The BoogieBel Tone, 1945November 1, 1945StudioBob MoselyStormy Mood / Bee Boogie BooBel Tone, 1945November 1, 1945StudioBob MoselyMellow MamaDelmark, 1992December 13, 1945StudioDinah WashingtonDinah Washington Sings The BluesGrand Award, 1955December 13, 1945StudioDinah WashingtonHoggin' / Blues A La KingMelodisc, 19461946StudioHoward McGheeSweet Potato / Night MistMelodisc, 19461946StudioHoward McGheeRiff G.M. / Is It A SinClear Tone, 19461946StudioGene MorrisG-Ing With Gene / Laughing At LifeClear Tone, 19461946StudioGene MorrisHot PianoTops, 1946January 1, 1946StudioWilbert BarancoI Thought You Ought To Know / The Voot Is Here To StayBlack & White, 1946January 1, 1946StudioIvie Anderson and her All StarsI Got It Bad And That Ain't Good / On The Sunny Side Of The StreetBlack & White, 1946January 1, 1946StudioIvie Anderson and her All StarsLena and IvieJazztone, 1957January 1, 1946StudioLena Horne, Ivie AndersonNight And Day / Weeping WillieBlack & White, 1946January 1, 1946StudioWilbert BarancoEvery Time I Think Of You / Baranco BoogieBlack & White, 1946January 1, 1946StudioWilbert BarancoAfter Hours / Pipe Dream4 Star, 1946April 26, 1946StudioLady Will CarrHamp's Golden FavoritesDecca, 1962November 10, 1947StudioLionel HamptonLionel Hampton in ConcertCicala Jazz, 1948May 1, 1948StudioLionel HamptonLionel Hampton and His Orchestra 1948Weka, 1948August 11, 1948StudioLionel HamptonThe Red Norvo TrioDiscovery, 1951May 3, 1950StudioRed Norvo, Tal FarlowMove