Charles Mingus’s 89th Birthday Celebrated With Streaming Performance

by Kevin Johnson Friday, April 22nd, 2011

Today marks the 89th year since Charles Mingus was born. The outspoken bassist/composer left a wealth of music in his wake, which is preserved through the work of the Charles Mingus Institute.

Among the groups dedicated to keeping his music alive is the Mingus Orchestra, a 10-piece group held down by bassist Boris Kozlov. In addition to his role as musical director for the band, Kozlov has the honor of playing Mingus’s classic Roth bass.

To celebrate the occasion, a Mingus Orchestra concert will be broadcast on the web by NYC radio station WBGO at 8PM EST. The performance, entitled “Better Get It In Your Soul,” is conducted by Jazz aficionado Gunther Schuller, who also conducted the posthumous premiere of Mingus’s “Epitaph.”

Happy Birthday Charles Mingus!

In his time with No Treble, Kevin has met hundreds of amazing bassists and interviewed icons like Jack Casady, Victor Wooten, Les Claypool, Marcus Miller, and more. He's a gigging bassist performing jazz in Northern Virginia and bluegrass with The Plate Scrapers up and down the East Coast. Kevin appreciates all genres of music, from R&B to metal and everything in between. Connect with Kevin on Facebook and check his performance schedule on his website.