Mingus at Montreux 1975

Available on Eagle Vision as part of a series of "Live at the Montreux" dvds, this 2004 release of a Charles Mingus concert from 1975 is a welcome addition. It's unbelievable how few live concert dvds there are, when one thinks about the various television appearances both here in the States and in Europe. Perhaps there are copyright issues that are too prohibitive. But luckily we have this, and it is good stuff to see and hear. Mingus was close to the end of an illustrious career as composer and musician, a couple of years after this he would be confined to a wheelchair, not able to play the bass again. But this was his last great group, with Don Pullen on piano and George Adams on tenor sax, Jack Walrath on trumpet, and long time associate Dannie Richmond on drums. They had completed a series of critically acclaimed albums - Mingus Moves, Changes One, and Changes Two. The music on the dvd pulls material from the latter two lps. It's hard for me to criticize the music; I love this late Mingus period, as the band members really stretch out and push each other along. A mixture of bop and blues, the music provides moments tributing the past (Goodbye Pork Pie Hat, and Take the A Train), while criticizing the present state of things ((Free Cell Block F, 'Tis Nazi USA). The final two tracks include trumpeter Benny Bailey and baritone sax jazz giant Gerry Mulligan. The picture is clean, the sound is great, what more can one ask for? 85 minutes of jazz bliss.