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Epitaph
(Jazz Publications). Epitaph , written for a 31-piece ensemble, was the masterwork of composer/bassist Charles Mingus. The extended suite is comprised of multiple movements reflecting a wealth of compositional styles (not just jazz) that demonstrate Mingus' invaluable contribution to 20th-century American music. Since its last performance 15 years ago, additional movements have been discovered that were originally intended to be a part of the work. This unique 500-page score includes these "missing movements" along with historical and program notes. Prepared and edited under the guidance of Gunther Schuller and Sue Mingus, it provides a monumental resource for study and analysis. The first jazz composition of such magnitude ever to be published, it is presented in this edition as he left a summary work, a portrait for all time of his life in music. "I wrote it for my tombstone." - Charles Mingus
357 pages, Spiral-bound
First published July 1, 2008
3 people want to read
About the author
Charles Mingus
59 books32 followersCharles Mingus Jr. (born April 22, 1922 in Nogales, Arizona – died January 5, 1979 in Cuernavaca, Mexico) was an American jazz upright bassist, pianist, composer, bandleader, and author.
A major proponent of collective improvisation, he is considered to be one of the greatest jazz musicians and composers in history, with a career spanning three decades and collaborations with other jazz musicians such as Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, and Herbie Hancock. Mingus's work ranged from advanced bebop and avant-garde jazz with small and midsize ensembles – pioneering the post-bop style on seminal recordings like Pithecanthropus Erectus (1956) and Mingus Ah Um (1959) – to progressive big band experiments such as The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady (1963).
Mingus's compositions continue to be played by contemporary musicians ranging from the repertory bands Mingus Big Band, Mingus Dynasty, and Mingus Orchestra, to the high school students who play the charts and compete in the Charles Mingus High School Competition. In 1993, the Library of Congress acquired Mingus's collected papers—including scores, sound recordings, correspondence and photos—in what they described as "the most important acquisition of a manuscript collection relating to jazz in the Library's history".
A major proponent of collective improvisation, he is considered to be one of the greatest jazz musicians and composers in history, with a career spanning three decades and collaborations with other jazz musicians such as Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, and Herbie Hancock. Mingus's work ranged from advanced bebop and avant-garde jazz with small and midsize ensembles – pioneering the post-bop style on seminal recordings like Pithecanthropus Erectus (1956) and Mingus Ah Um (1959) – to progressive big band experiments such as The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady (1963).
Mingus's compositions continue to be played by contemporary musicians ranging from the repertory bands Mingus Big Band, Mingus Dynasty, and Mingus Orchestra, to the high school students who play the charts and compete in the Charles Mingus High School Competition. In 1993, the Library of Congress acquired Mingus's collected papers—including scores, sound recordings, correspondence and photos—in what they described as "the most important acquisition of a manuscript collection relating to jazz in the Library's history".
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