Charles Mingus Tribute at Manhattan School of Music

The 1st annual celebration of the life and works of Charles Mingus will be held February 20-22 at the Manhattan School of Music. The weekend is centered around the 1st Annual Charles Mingus High School Competition. Other festivities will include keynote speakers, a panel discussion, and performances by Manhattan School jazz ensembles as well as the Mingus Dynasty. Boris Kozlav will play Mingus’ lionhead bass with the Mingus Dynasty at the competition’s awards ceremony, 5pm Sunday.

The event is produced by Justin DiCioccio, MSM Jazz Department Chair, and Sue Mingus. DiCioccio is credited with introducing Mingus’ music to jazz students over the course of the last thirty years, and was one of the first jazz educators to do so. “Not only was Mingus the foremost jazz bassist of his time,” says DiCioccio, “but as a composer his music has the essence of what jazz is about.”