Well, few would classify Mingus as a musician or an arranger, but formost as
a composer, for the simple reason that most of his stuff was _composed_,
both traditionally and within the ideas of improvisations.
He obviously also "re-arranged" some things already composed, adding his
specific views, ideas on music (noting the very grey area between arranging and
composing in music where every individual musician is given the individual right
to both, as a part of the collective result)
Btw, the vocal version of "Fables of Faubus" was, according to PBS, on
even official blacklists, additionally not recorded by any major recording company,
but by the one Mingus set up himself.
Ilmarinen
That is, Mingus got some headlines and documentaries both when he was (finally)
honored and invited to the White House (roman architecture) and additionally
when he died.
Personally I even found it impossible to find that recording in USA during the late
70s and early 80s although a standard inventory on any Mingus shelf in europe and especially
performed on european tours, concerts, clubs |
