Blues And Roots.

Answering the critics who claimed his music did not swing hard enough, Charles Mingus went straight back to some of the deepest roots of Black musical expression: the blues, gospel and early New Orleans jazz. The result, Blues and Roots, may be a little less eclectic than some of his other records, but it stands as one of the most joyously swinging albums in his catalogue.

Working with simple forms, Mingus builds real depth by bringing together a nine-piece band and arranging multiple lines to be played at once. There is a clear nod to old Dixieland ensembles here, but the sound is sharpened by an unmistakably modern edge.

Whether the material leans directly into gospel, as on the groundbreaking classic Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting, or heads elsewhere, the whole album is played with a churchy fervour that tears through the buoyant swingers and the aching, mournful slow blues alike. The blues are the strongest thread running through the record, with the notable exceptions of Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting and the Jelly Roll Morton tribute My Jelly Roll Soul.

The session itself was reportedly pretty disorganised, but that looseness may well be part of why these performances feel so alive and free-swinging. With a line-up featuring John Handy and Jackie McLean on alto, Booker Ervin on tenor, longtime anchor Pepper Adams on baritone, and Jimmy Knepper and Willie Dennis on trombones, among others, Blues and Roots is packed with fiery soloists. It all adds up to what is arguably the most soulful record in Mingus' discography.

180g heavyweight gatefold