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Mingus Big Band

The Mingus Big Band celebrates the music of composer/bassist Charles Mingus, who died in 1979. Under the artistic direction of Sue Mingus, this 14-piece band performed Thursday MBBnights from 1991 to 2004 at Fez under Time Cafe in New York City. It maintained weekly residencies in the city from May 2004 until October 2008, when it began "Mingus Mondays" at Jazz Standard where it alternates with the Mingus Orchestra and Mingus Dynasty.

The Mingus Big Band tours extensively in the United States and abroad, and has ten recordings to its credit, seven of which have been nominated for Grammys.

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Live Review

Mingus Big Band at the Newman Center

Read "Mingus Big Band at the Newman Center" reviewed by Geoff Anderson


Mingus Big Band Newman Center Denver, Colorado April 6, 2023 The Mingus Big Band is serious business. Charles Mingus was a serious composer and musician. The band itself is serious about presenting Mingus' music. And the lineup of musicians is just as serious as all of the above. (See line up, below.) Thursday night at the Newman Center, the 14-piece Mingus Big Band arrived packed with all-stars. In fact, many, if ...

Live Review

Mingus Big Band al Roma Jazz Festival 2022

Read "Mingus Big Band al Roma Jazz Festival 2022" reviewed by Mario Calvitti


Mingus Big Band Roma Jazz Festival 2022 Auditorium Roma 13.11.2022 Nata pochi anni dopo la scomparsa di Charles Mingus, la Mingus Big Band è una delle tre tribute band (insieme a Mingus Dynasty, di cui rappresenta un allargamento, e la Mingus Orchestra) sorte per iniziativa della vedova del musicista Sue Ungaro, con lo scopo di preservare la ricchissima eredità musicale del contrabbassista attraverso una serie di tour (e album) dedicati alle sue composizioni. ...

Live Review

La Mingus Big Band al Teatro Golden di Palermo

Read "La Mingus Big Band al Teatro Golden di Palermo" reviewed by Maurizio Zerbo


Mingus Big Band Nomos Jazz Teatro Golden Palermo 18.11.2022. Un concerto esemplare per dimostrare quanto l'arte di Mingus sia policentrica e multiforme, continuando a esercitare un'influenza profonda sulla contemporaneità musicale. Nei brani proposti dalla Mingus Big Band si ritrovano le componenti essenziali dell'estetica mingusiana: chorus esteso, struttura dalla durata indeterminata, polifonia modulare nell'improvvisazione collettiva. Un'energia travolgente anima la rivisitazione dei capolavori “Gunslingin Bird," “Cumbia and Jazz Fusion," “Peggy's Blue Skylight" nel segno ...

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New York @ Night

Charles Mingus 95th Birthday Celebration

Read "Charles Mingus 95th Birthday Celebration" reviewed by Peter Jurew


Mingus Big BandJazz StandardNew York, NY April 24, 2017 Saturday, April 22, was an unusually good day. It started, blessedly, when the president did not tweet out a series of early morning fabrications/accusations to befuddle the free world. And it could only get better from there: It was Earth Day! Scientists marked the 27th edition with a global March For Science, and tens of thousands of people made a full-throated defense of fact-based (as opposed ...

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New York @ Night

The Cookers, Mingus Big Band and Cyrus Chestnut

Read "The Cookers, Mingus Big Band and Cyrus Chestnut" reviewed by Peter Jurew


The Cookers Birdland New York, NY September 15, 2016 The Cookers are an all-star septet that takes its name from the classic Freddie Hubbard album, The Night Of The Cookers, a 1965 live effort from the master trumpeter who passed in 2008. A somewhat fluid lineup earlier in the group's seven year existence has solidified with trumpeters David Weiss and Eddie Henderson out front with Billy Harper on tenor and Donald Harrison ...

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Album Review

The Mingus Big Band: Live in Tokyo

Read "Live in Tokyo" reviewed by Robert R. Calder


"Wham, Bam," indeed! Compared to the best performances by the late Charles Mingus, this effort has the air of more orthodox big bands like the ones led by Clarke/Boland and Jones/Lewis, which is also to say the best. McCoy Tyner's band on a good night has included some of the same performers featured on this live release, and Dave Kikoski is a somewhat Tynerish pianist, but for all that, the Mingus truth burns through. The drive of ...

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Album Review

Mingus Big Band: Tonight At Noon. . .Three or Four Shades of Love

Read "Tonight At Noon. . .Three or Four Shades of Love" reviewed by Craig W. Hurst


The legacy of the artistic genius of bassist/composer/bandleader Charles Mingus continues its viability nearly a quarter century after his untimely death. Through the creative vision of his widow Sue Mingus, conductor/arranger Gunther Schuller, arrangers Robbie Cuber, Jack Walrath, Sydney Johnson, and the cadre of New York jazz musicians associated with the Mingus Big Band and Charles Mingus Orchestra, Charles Mingus' music continues to intellectually provoke and intrigue listeners.

The newest installment by the Mingus ...

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Performance / Tour

The Django Welcomes Summer With Today’s Premier Swing Band, 15+ Vocalists, And Hot Latin Tuesday Nights

The Django Welcomes Summer With Today’s Premier Swing Band, 15+ Vocalists, And Hot Latin Tuesday Nights

Source: AMT Public Relations

The Django, downtown Manhattan’s premier jazz club, brings another month of stellar jazz by some of the field’s heroes alongside young, emerging artists. Two new albums are released on The Django stage in June: Together Again by the leading swing band, Danny Jonokuchi and The Revisionists (6/8) followed by The Lighting of the Lamps by saxophonist Grant Stewart (6/17). In addition, you can find regular guests this month including: Thursday nights with Ken Fowser Quintet featuring guest trumpeter Jeremy Pelt ...

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Performance / Tour

The Django Announces April Line-Up Including Charles Mingus Centennial Celebrations

The Django Announces April Line-Up Including Charles Mingus Centennial Celebrations

Source: AMT Public Relations

The Django, downtown Manhattan’s premier jazz club, celebrates Jazz Appreciation Month with a spectacular April line-up. To commemorate what would have been the 100th birthday (April 22, 2022) of iconic jazz composer/bandleader/bassist Charles Mingus (1922-2022), The Django hosts performances by the Grammy Award-winning Mingus Big Band (April 1, April 11, April 18) and Mingus Orchestra (April 25), as well as special concerts led by Mingus band members including Tatum Greenblatt April 2, Jason Marshall Organ Quartet April 7, Boris Kozlov’s ...

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Performance / Tour

The Django Announces December Schedule Featuring Dr. Lonnie Smith Tributes, Holidays With Duchess, Orrin Evans, New Year's Eve With Houston Person, And More

The Django Announces December Schedule Featuring Dr. Lonnie Smith Tributes, Holidays With Duchess, Orrin Evans, New Year's Eve With Houston Person, And More

Source: AMT Public Relations

The Django, downtown Manhattan’s premier jazz club, offers an impressive month of music with jazz legends and rising stars. Today’s leading artists gather on The Django stage to celebrate NEA Jazz Master Dr. Lonnie Smith in special back-to-back tribute concerts 12/9. Two leading pianists make their Django debut: Benito Gonzalez 12/3 followed by Orrin Evans 12/8 leading his new Brazilian project “Terreno Comun”. The holidays are in full swing with festive concerts by Charles Turner & Uptown Swing Dance 12/11, ...

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Performance / Tour

Downtown Manhattan's Premier Jazz Club, The Django, Announces November Line-Up

Downtown Manhattan's Premier Jazz Club, The Django, Announces November Line-Up

Source: AMT Public Relations

The Django, downtown Manhattan’s premier jazz club, offers an impressive month of music with jazz legends and rising stars. Five emerging, award-winning female vocalists hit our stage in November: Armenian native Lucy Yeghiazaryan 11/3, Jazz Gallery founder Lezlie Harrison 11/13, winner of JazzMobile Vocal Competition Emily Braden 11/17, Ron Carter’s mentee Brandi Disterheft 11/19, followed by Sarah Vaughan Competition winner Samara Joy 11/24. A pair of exceptional guitarists lead their lead respective trios starting with Ed Cherry 11/12, and Yotam ...

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Performance / Tour

Downtown's Premier Jazz Club, The Django, Hosts The Return Of Weekly Mingus Big Band Residency

Downtown's Premier Jazz Club, The Django, Hosts The Return Of Weekly Mingus Big Band Residency

Source: AMT Public Relations

Downtown Manhattan’s premier jazz club, The Django, announced today a new showcase for the music of legendary composer/bassist/bandleader Charles Mingus. Starting in October, Jazz Workshop (the Mingus organization) revived its weekly celebration at The Django with Tuesday night appearances by the Grammy Award- winning Mingus Big Band. (The eclectic Mingus Orchestra will also feature in December). This new extended engagement marks the return of an essential cultural institution and artistic stronghold in New York City’s musical community. “We are thrilled ...

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Event

Experience Ayiti Joins With The Mingus Big Band At New York’s Jazz Standard This October To Support Music Initiatives In Haiti

Experience Ayiti Joins With The Mingus Big Band At New York’s Jazz Standard This October To Support Music Initiatives In Haiti

Source: ARE Group

The New York-based Mingus Big Band will host the non-profit charity Experience Ayiti (XA) during October, to bring awareness and raise funds for XA’s mission in Haiti. The residency will take place at New York’s Jazz Standard on Mondays beginning October 7, followed by each consecutive Monday that month; October 14, 21, and 28. Sets are at 7:30 pm and 9:30 pm; for ticket information visit: jazzstandard.com Experience Ayiti was founded by Haitian-American saxophonist Godwin Louis, alongside three fellow musicians ...

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Performance / Tour

Mingus Festival + Competition at Jazz Standard in February

Mingus Festival + Competition at Jazz Standard in February

Source: AMT Public Relations

2012 marks the 90th Birthday Anniversary Year of Charles Mingus (DOB: April 22, 1922). To celebrate, Jazz Standard welcomes back the Mingus Big Band for its annual Mingus High School Competition + Festival. The club's acclaimed “Mingus Mondays" residency continues throughout February (2/6, 2/13, 2/20 + 2/27) including a full weekend of performances by the Grammy Award—winning Mingus Big Band (2/17-2/19) as part of the 2012 Mingus High School Competition & Festival—one of the year's most important events in jazz ...

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Award / Grant

Mingus Big Band Live at Jazz Standard Scores Grammy Win

Mingus Big Band Live at Jazz Standard Scores Grammy Win

Source: AMT Public Relations

MINGUS BIG BAND LIVE AT JAZZ STANDARD Acclaimed Album Wins 2011 Grammy® Award Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album Seth Abramson/Courtesy of MSN.com NEW YORK—On Sunday, February 13, 2011, the 53rd Annual GRAMMY® Awards honored Mingus Big Band Live at Jazz Standard as the “Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album." This marks the club's first co-produced album release and subsequently first Grammy win. Seth Abramson, Artistic Director of Jazz Standard, graciously accepted the award last night thanking everyone ...

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Award / Grant

Mingus Big Band Live at Jazz Standard Album Receives 2011 Grammy Nomination

Mingus Big Band Live at Jazz Standard Album Receives 2011 Grammy Nomination

Source: AMT Public Relations

New York City, NY—Jazz Standard, New York's premier jazz club, was honored by The Recording Academy® as nominations for the 53rd Annual GRAMMY® Awards were announced last week. Mingus Big Band Live at Jazz Standard (Released June 2010) has been recognized in the Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album category. This marks Jazz Standard's first co-produced album release and subsequently first Grammy nod. “We are thrilled to be honored by our peers for this unprecedented album of memorable music," says Seth ...

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Recording

Mingus Big Band Live at Jazz Standard Album Now Available

Mingus Big Band Live at Jazz Standard Album Now Available

Source: AMT Public Relations

Mingus Big Band Live at Jazz Standard Available June 1st “Every tune a classic, every player a master, every tune sounding new, every player keeping the spirit of Charles Mingus alive and swinging!" --Michael Bourne, WBGO “A spirited blend of the lush harmonies and boisterous blues sections, interwoven ensemble passages and sudden tempo shifts that made the late bassist Charles Mingus one of the most challenging and celebrated artists in jazz." --Los Angeles Times “[the Big Band] is ...

The hippest big band in the universe - robust, earthy, sanctified.” -Time Out New York

"The Mingus Big Band - musician for musician - is one of the most spirited and technically gifted bands in the country." -Seattle Examiner, 2009

"The weekly Monday Mingus show at the Jazz Standard is New York’s most transcendent weekly residency. It’s probably the best in the entire world." -Lucid Culture, 2009

"A better band than ever today…plenty of meaty, memorable solos… but the real star is this world-class band, swinging through Mingus' music with an ease that masks the pieces' difficulty.” -Tony Scherman in People

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JM International
band / ensemble / orchestra

Photos

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Live At Jazz Standard

Not On Label (X-24th Letter Self-released)
2010

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Live In Tokyo

Sunnyside Records
2006

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I Am Three

Not On Label (X-24th Letter Self-released)
2005

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Tonight At Noon:...

Not On Label (X-24th Letter Self-released)
2002

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Tonight At Noon:...

Dreyfus Records
2002

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Prayer for Passive Resistance

From: Live in Tokyo at the Blue Note
By Mingus Big Band

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