Charles Mingus

Mingus Ah Um Charles Mingus One Step edition

Charles Mingus had already released twelve albums when Mingus Ah Um was released on Columbia Records on September 14, 1959 – a groundbreaking date, as Mingus' first album for a major record label would not only prove to be a true masterpiece, but also go down in music history as one of the most significant and influential jazz albums ever. Together with The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady, Mingus Ah Um is considered the bassist's and composer's finest work. Shortly after its release, Leonard Feather of Down Beat magazine gave the album the highest rating: "Mingus has something to say; he knows how and through whom to convey it, and it's all delivered with impressive communicative power." In 2003, Mingus Ah Um was inducted into the Library of Congress' National Recording Registry, and in 2012, it became part of the Grammy Hall of Fame. In 2020, the album was ranked at No. 380 on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time. The German edition of Rolling Stone ranked the album at No. 3 on its list of the 100 greatest jazz albums in 2013. Jazzwise magazine placed Mingus Ah Um at No. 7 on its list of the "100 jazz albums that changed the world", and the album is ranked at No. 303 on New Musical Express' list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.

Mingus Ah Um was recorded in just two days – May 5 and 12, 1959 – at CBS' 30th Street Studio in New York with an unusual lineup consisting of three saxophones, two trombones, and a rhythm section with bass, drums, and piano. The music is characterized by its powerful energy, complex harmonies, and melodic depth. Several of the compositions address social and political themes, particularly racism and civil rights. The album presents a diverse blend of jazz styles, including hard bop, bebop, and avant-garde jazz. Mingus, considered among jazz's most innovative composers, unfolds his truly unique musical vision on the album. Many of the tracks, produced by Teo Macero, have since become jazz standards, including the opening track "Better Git It In Your Soul", "Fables Of Faubus" and "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat", a tribute to Lester Young, who had passed away shortly before.

AudioNautes celebrates Mingus Ah Um with a sonically outstanding, limited, and individually numbered 2LP edition of only 750 copies. The exclusively designed box contains a sturdy gatefold cover with the two 180g LPs at 45 RPM, pressed at Optimal Media with the advanced One-Step process, as well as a four-page booklet with the original liner notes by Diane Dorr-Dorynek. The impressive remastering is based on an older backup copy of the original stereo master tape.