Mingus is the tenth studio album by Canadian musician Joni Mitchell. It was released on June 13, 1979, and was her last studio album for Asylum Records. The album is a collaboration between Mitchell and jazz musician Charles Mingus. It was recorded in the months before and after Mingus' death in January 1979 and is wholly dedicated to him.
The album is one of Mitchell's most experimental and jazz-centric works. Mingus wrote six new compositions ("Joni I-VI") for Mitchell to write lyrics for, three of which were included on the album. Two other tracks written exclusively by Mitchell are included, alongside a new version of Mingus' standard "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat", featuring lyrics written by Mitchell. There are also spoken word tracks (denoted as "raps") dispersed throughout the album. Mingus had earlier in his career been known as a virtuoso bassist, but by the time of these recording sessions was in the final states of Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and not able to perform.
Mitchell sings and plays guitar, and is backed on the album by bassist Jaco Pastorius, Wayne Shorter on saxophone, Herbie Hancock on electric piano, Peter Erskine on drums, and Emil Richards and Don Alias on percussion. Mingus received mixed-to-positive reviews from critics and peaked at number 17 in the US. "The Dry Cleaner from Des Moines" was released as a single to promote the album, but did not chart. Mitchell would tour to promote the album through 1979–80; performances from these concerts would be documented on the live album Shadows and Light (1980).
Critical reception
The Globe and Mail wrote that "the melodies have a little wider range and a more legitimate jazz feeling to them than Mitchell could compose, but given Mitchell's peculiar vocal talent, what started out Mingus ended up sounding just like Joni Mitchell, moving forward once again into new territory."
DownBeat gave the album 5 stars. Neil Tesser called the album "a wonderful piece of work". He pointed out that, "On four of the songs, the late bassist supplied the music and Joni wrote the lyrics; her words for the improvisatory, often nonstrophic melodies make this the first real advance in the jazz art of vocalese since Lambert, Hendricks & Ross". He remarked, "Joni Mitchell can perform as a credible, and here excellent, jazz singer". He called "Porkpie Hat" a masterpiece, "Joni’s lyrics, quite frankly, are profound: in the first five words, she manages to weave the song’s original subject (Lester Young) and its composer into an epic framework of great emotional power".
Track listing
Personnel Sources:
Musicians Prior to recording the album, Mitchell had several "experimental sessions" with New York musicians who had worked with Mingus. These musicians included:
The recordings of the "experimental sessions", rumored to have been lost, destroyed, or otherwise made unavailable, have become available as bootleg tapes.
The personnel on the actual album were:
Technical Mixed by Joni Mitchell, Henry Lewy and Steve Katz Mastered by Bernie Grundman Personal Management: Elliot Roberts Paintings by Joni Mitchell Art direction: Glen Christensen
Recorded at A&M Studios in Hollywood by Henry Lewy and Steve Katz Additional recordings at Electric Lady Studios, New York by Henry Lewy and Jerry Solomon
Charts + Chart performance for Mingus Chart (1979) Peakposition Australian Albums (Kent Music Report) 44 US Cash Box Top 100 Albums 19
Chart (2024) Peakposition Hungarian Physical Albums (MAHASZ) 28
See also River: The Joni Letters
References