Charles Mingus : The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady (1963)

Long-considered Charles Mingus’ masterpiece, ‘The Black Saint And The Sinner Lady’ represents high-water marks in both jazz composition and orchestration. An essential work in the history of jazz, this extended work has been performed as a ballet and features original liner notes by Mingus’ psychotherapist. It’s an intense, totally distinctive mash-up of large-ensemble jazz, folk and Ellingtonian influences featuring Rolf Ericson and Richard Willians (trumpets), Quentin Jackson (trombone), Don Butterfield (tuba), Jerome Richardson (sp baritone and flute), Dick Hafer (tn sax and flute), Charlie Mariano (alto sax), Jaki Byard (piano), Jay Berliner (guitar), and Dannie Richmond (drums).

The album was recorded in January 1963 by an eleven-piece band. Mingus has called the album’s orchestral style ‘ethnic folk-dance music’. Mingus’s perfectionism led to extensive use of studio overdubbing techniques. The album features liner notes written