Charles mingus freedom booker ervin

Booker ervin s sound was more coarse, like a cane stalk shooting up out of rich earth. Booker telleferro ervin ii october 31, 1930 august 31, 1970 was an american tenor saxophone player. If the accumulated weight of postbops golden era can sometimes feel like an unfathomable musical avalanche, this casually faultless quartet outing is. Mingus later wrote lyrics to this which he used on a later record. Hed make the classics the freedom book and the space book with another.

Less free than the title suggests, the album remains challenging and utterly contemporary. Booker ervin the freedom book 19642014 hdtracks flac 2444,1 december 5. Deluxe audiophile set strictly limited to 6,000 numbered copies limit two per customer better git it in your soul not only serves as the name of the inviting, hollerappointed opening track of charles mingus mingus ah um. He also led his very own quartet, caused randy weston on several occasions within the 60s, and spent a lot of 19641966 in european countries before dying way too youthful from kidney disease.

Freedom, by charles mingus excerpt this mule aint from moscow. Pussy cat dues is a rather softfocus loping blues with an attractive parlan solo. The first of four thematically linked albums, tenor saxophonist booker ervin s the freedom book is an overlooked classic. Oh yeah is a 1962 album by jazz musician charles mingus. All tracks composed by charles mingus, except where noted. Recorded live at the nonagon art gallery, new york city on january 16, 1959. These days booker ervin is remembered for his association with charles mingus, a fruitful period that resulted in some amazing albums, but. Booker ervin the freedom book hybrid sacd music direct. Ervin was a prime member of charles mingus group during its prime, having to hold his own with the mercurial mingus, and the iconic eric dolphy. Booker ervin the freedom book prestige prst 7295 lp. Booker ervin the freedom book 19642014 hdtracks flac. The black saint is widely acknowledged as a mingus masterpiece, and nothing about this reissue changes that. Mingus mingus mingus mingus mingus is a 1964 album by american jazz composer and bassist charles mingus.

Shafi hadi, and booker ervin, trombonists willie dennis and jimmy knepper. Ervin was known as book, and this sets name really means the freedom booker ervin. Cut from the original analog master tapes by kevin gray. I mention the basic recordings, because part of mingus. Ervin, who is on several notable charles mingus records, made dates of his own for bethlehem, savoy, and candid during 19601961, along with later sets for pacific jazz and blue note. Charles mingus freedom mingus mingus mingus youtube. It epitomizes the spirit, urgency, freedom, and feelitinyourbones passion of an album that along with miles davis. Thats how ervin got hired by bassist charles mingus. The gospelinspired solo he unleashed is hands down my favorite sax solo and without. If youre like me you were introduced to booker ervin via charles mingus.

Featuring mingus regular group of the time, which included tenor saxophonist booker ervin, pianist horace parlan, drummer danny richmond and alto saxophonist shafi hadi, the album consists of the extended percussion improvisation and three mingus compositions that would go onto become staples of the bassistcomposers repertoire. The freedom book is one of booker ervin s finest recordings. While not as willfully avantgarde as his contemporaries eric dolphy and ornette coleman, ervin best known as charles mingus primary tenor. The song book, the blues book and the space book were all subsequently recorded in 1964 for prestige, but this seminal 1963 recording is a masterpiece of unconventional, advanced hard bop. The song book, the blues book and the space book were all subsequently recorded in 1964 for prestige, but this seminal 1963 recording is a masterpiece of unconventional, advanced hard bop less free than the title suggests, the album remains challenging and utterly. But it was his series of song books for prestige records that broadcast the stentorian announcement that a jazz orator of gigantic stature had arrived. Willie dennistb, jimmy kneppertb, john handyas, jackie mcleanas, booker ervin ts, pepper adamsbs, horace parlanp, charles mingus b, dannie richmondd.

His nine prestige sessions of 19631966 including the freedom book, the song book, the blues book, and the space book are among the high points of his career. Recording with charles mingus and randy weston may have granted him his initial exposure on the jazz scene, but it was booker ervin s series of song books for prestige in the 60s that truly established his. On booker ervin he played with charles mingus a bunch. Charles mingus b, arr, cond, gene shaw, don ellis, richard williams tp, willie dennis tb, george adams, booker ervin, john handy, gerry mulligan saxes, bill evans, john hicks, horace parlan p, teddy charles vib, joe chambers. Booker ervin tenor saxophone, jaki byard piano, richard davis bass, alan dawson drums, don schlitten producer, design, photography, rudy van gelder recording engineer, david himmelstein liner notes. While hes remembered foremost as a key contributor to the bands of jazz titan charles mingus, tenor saxophonist booker ervin also recorded a slew of outstanding albums as a leader, none of them better than his 1963 outing the freedom book. The bargain of two lps on one cd is also an intelligent coupling in that 14 minutes of mingus mingus mingus mingus mingus was done at the same ninehour session as the basic saint recordings. Noted for hardcharging, passionate playing, with strong improvisational skills, booker ervin was a force to be reckoned with. He first reached a wide audience in 1958, when he began playing with the great bassist charles mingus. This mule aint from moscow this mule aint from the south but this mule has some learnin mostly mouthtomouth this mule could be called stubborn and lazy but in a. Charles mingus mingus ah um limited edition ultradisc. Charles mingus mingus ah um 180g 45rpm 2lp box set. Originally issued on united artists uas 5063 as jazz portraits, on uajs 15005 as mingus in wonderland, and on uas 5637 as wonderland charles mingus wonderland.

Eddie preston trumpet richard williams trumpet britt woodman trombone don butterfield tuba jerome richardson soprano, baritone saxes, flute dick hafer tenor sax, clarinet, flute booker ervin tenor sax. His tenor playing was characterised by a strong, tough sound and bluesgospel phrasing. Thats how ervin got hired by bassist charles mingus, who featured him on. After finishing high school booker joined the united states air force and was stationed in okinawa, where he learned to play the tenor sax. Ervin gained fame while playing with charles mingus off and on during. Ervin played on some of mingus greatest recordings, including the seminal lp mingus.

I first took notice of him when i heard wednesday night prayer meeting from the blues and roots lp. Charles mingus mingus ah um 1959 a1 better git it in your soul 7. A very distinctive tenor with a hard, passionate tone and an emotional style that was still tied to chordal improvisation, booker ervin was a true original. Strictly limited to 3,000 numbered copies our price. The grossly underappreciated tenor saxophonist displays all his strong points. But it was his series of song books for prestige records that broadcast the stentorian announcement that a jazz orator of gigantic stature had. Booker ervin the freedom book prestige 1964 flophouse. Ervin obtained fame while using charles mingus on off during 19561962, keeping his very own using the volatile bassist and eric dolphy. Charles mingus the black saint and the sinner lady. The gospelinspired solo he unleashed is hands down my favorite sax solo and without a doubt one of the best solos ever committed to record. The shadows of charles mingus record collector news. Booker ervin the freedom book on hybrid sacd prestige stereo reissue series from analogue productions. His nine prestige sessions of 19631966 including the freedom book, the song.