Charles Mingus - The Complete Columbia & RCA Albums Collection

2012 release

Simply put, Charles Mingus: The Complete Columbia and RCA Albums Collection contains some of the most vital and important modern jazz ever produced. Examining a fertile period that stretches from the late 1950s to the early 1970s, the inclusive 10-CD set includes such masterpieces as Tijuana Moods (1957) (now two CDs); Mingus Ah Um (1959), Mingus Dynasty (1959), Alternate Takes (1959), Let My Children Hear Music (1971) and the double disc, Charles Mingus And Friends in Concert (1972).

The addition of Epitaph (1989), which captures an all-star ensemble led by Gunther Schuller interpreting Mingus's epic composition, rounds out a stunning portrait of the extraordinary bassist, composer and bandleader. This set features photos from the various recording sessions as well as liner notes by Sue Mingus, Charles's wife and executor of his estate, which provide an intimate study of an intense and complex man, one who produced some of the most exciting and expressive sounds jazz will ever know.