Many moons ago, a friend made me a recording of this tour de force album. I was blown away with the sound I was hearing. Of course the genius behind it, and I use the word genius correctly, was Charles Mingus. Considered one of the great jazz records, “The Black Saint and Sinner Lady” will definitely take you on quite the ride. I suppose the only real question you must ask yourself is, are you ready for the journey? (Take it)!
Rhaposdy.Com carries the following snippet about this masterpiece:
“ ‘This six-part suite is Mingus at his most brilliant, creating an exhilarating and harrowing musical psychodrama that falls in between Duke Ellington’s big band adventures and the back-alley chiaroscuro effects of film noir. The 11-piece group makes a full symphonic sound that’s as intense and dizzying as life itself.’ – Jon Pruett”
I don’t think I could describe this record any more accurately. Sometimes little can be said about something so mesmerizing. Saturday. Short. Sweet. Saints. Sinners. Superb.
*“The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady” Charles Mingus 1963:
Charles Mingus – bass, piano, composer
Jerome Richardson – soprano and baritone saxophone, flute
Charlie Mariano – alto saxophone
Dick Hafer – tenor saxophone, flute
Rolf Ericson – trumpet
Richard Williams – trumpet
Quentin Jackson – trombone
Don Butterfield – tuba, contrabass trombone
Jaki Byard – piano
Jay Berliner – acoustic guitar
Dannie Richmond – drums
365, Album of the Day 2014 