19 October 2009

Yusef Lateef with Mingus at Birdland 1961



Here's one for Doug Schulkind, chum, boundless music enthusiast, radio DJ, miner of the blogosphere with a weekly column on the WFMU blog and, as it happens, an unreserved Yusef Lateef admirer and aficionado. Regular listeners to his weekly radio show on Friday mornings will have noted that the entire three-hour October 9 broadcast was devoted to the music of Yusef Lateef. This show as well as all others are archived on the WFMU site for posterity, so can be listened to at any time from now to eternity (inshallah).

Even three hours can only be a selection, so here's a little something that has never been officially released. This is a part of the set of recordings known as the Birdland Broadcasts 1961-62, on WADO AM, most of them hosted by Symphony Sid, though not this one where the brief announcements are made by Pee Wee Marquette. The sessions were taped by Boris Rose, transferred to acetates and bootlegged on a variety of labels possibly run by Rose.

What's here is the first of seven sessions, comprising approx. three hours in all. This one runs for about 20 minutes and is the only to feature Yusef Lateef (and Roland Kirk!). Three pieces, the last one cut off in mid-flight.

Basic facts:

Charlie Mingus and his Jazz Workshop

Date: October 21, 1961 (live)

Location: Birdland, New York City

Charles Mingus (ldr),
Jimmy Knepper (tb),
Roland Kirk (ts, manzello, stritch),
Yusef Lateef (ts),
Charles Mingus (p),
Doug Watkins (b),
Dannie Richmond (d),
Pee Wee Marquette (mc)

a. [unknown title] 7:12
b. Ecclusiastics (Mingus) 9:15
c. Hog Callin' Blues (incomplete; fade-out) (Mingus) 3:08

The first piece is announced by Mingus as "Blue Cee", though some uncertainty exists whether that is indeed the tune and the final tune did not have a title at the time of the broadcast.

For details, here is a discographical essay:

http://mingus.onttonen.info/birdland.html.

If I'm not totally off the rails, Lateef is taking the third solo on the first two tunes and possibly the lead solo on the final, incomplete one. All classic stuff, needless to say.

Enjoy!
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11 comments:

  1. kinabalu19 October 2009 at 01:30:00 CEST

    http://rapidshare.com/files/294762010/Mingus_Birdland_1961.rar

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  2. Doug Schulkind19 October 2009 at 03:16:00 CEST

    Kinabalu, your graciousness and generosity know no bounds! Thank you so much for sharing this crucial piece of history. It's fascinating to note that Mingus is playing piano here, not bass. The great Doug Watkins who is on bass would die less than four months later in an auto wreck (which, blessedly, Sir Roland Hanna and Bill Hardman would survive.) Thanks again Kinabalu for this stupendous offering!

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  3. roberto t.19 October 2009 at 19:20:00 CEST

    Thank you, thank you, thank you!

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  4. Bombshelter Slim20 October 2009 at 00:53:00 CEST

    What? No Booker Ervin? guess you can't have EVERYTHING!! Thanks

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  5. Ilario Rozen20 October 2009 at 08:17:00 CEST

    This is:

    Session 9

    Charles Mingus Jazz Workshop
    New York City - Radio Broadcast - October 21, 1961

    1. improvisation (unknown title) (Blue Cee) (Charles Mingus) (7:25)
    2. Ecclusiastics (Ecclesiastic) (Charles Mingus) (9:14)

    3. Hot Callin Blues (incomplete) (Charles Mingus) (3:04)

    Jimmy Knepper, (tbne)
    Yusef Lateef (ts)
    Roland Kirk (ts, strich, manzello) Charles Mingus, Doug Watkins (b) Dannie Richmond (b)
    Pee Wee Marquette (musical cond)

    Trak 1 - 2 are in LP
    Charles Mingus - Vital Savage Horizons - Alto Records 714

    Track 3 is on LP
    BAT 5-8

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  6. hulaboy20 October 2009 at 13:13:00 CEST

    Many thanks! I never could run into that Boris Rose record.

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  7. Rev. Dr. Moller. MDMA, THC and BAR.30 October 2009 at 16:34:00 CET

    Thanks very much.

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  8. craigweinrib27 April 2010 at 23:34:00 CEST

    the file's been blocked. any way you'll reupload it???? thanks so much.

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  9. mpaul13135 October 2010 at 15:35:00 CEST

    if there is any way to re-post this, it will be greatly appreciated. I am missing this from both my Mingus and Kirk collection and I cannot find this anywhere. Many thanks - Paul

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  10. kinabalu5 October 2010 at 17:27:00 CEST

    I wasn't aware that these files have been blocked which is strange, considering that these recordings, to my knowledge, never have been officially released. I shall see to it, but not on RS, obviously. The whole set can still be downloaded from the Dime torrent network, by the way.

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  11. RichS29 March 2011 at 01:04:00 CEST

    These recordings are now available on a 3-CD set:

    http://www.amazon.com/Complete-1961-62-Birdland-Broadcasts-Workshop/dp/B004785J9S/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1301353346&sr=8-1

    Highly recommended.

    ReplyDelete