The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady cover

The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady

Released

One of bassist/composer Charles Mingus’s — hell, jazz’s — most stunning works, The Black Saint… is structured as a ballet, and the brilliant orchestration, for an 11-member ensemble, features Ellingtonian horns that pit low brass (tuba, growling trumpets, wailing trombones) against upper-register reeds, most notably Charlie Mariano’s alto sax, all anchored by the rhythm section of pianist Jaki Byard, Mingus, and drummer Dannie Richmond. The main flow of the music is periodically interrupted by mournful flamenco guitar. This might be Mingus’s most personal work (his psychiatrist wrote the liner notes), though the emotion on display will be accessible to any listener.

Phil Freeman

Recommended by

Suggestions
Blythe Spirit cover

Blythe Spirit

Arthur Blythe
New Orleans Suite cover

New Orleans Suite

Duke Ellington
The Truth cover

The Truth

Pat Thomas, Matana Roberts
Ornette cover

Ornette

Ornette Coleman
Caligula cover

Caligula

Lingua Ignota
Thembi cover

Thembi

Pharoah Sanders
Shadow Man cover

Shadow Man

Tim Berne's Snakeoil
Jazz at Massey Hall cover

Jazz at Massey Hall

Bud Powell, Max Roach, Charlie Parker, Charles Mingus, Dizzy Gillespie
Certain Blacks cover

Certain Blacks

Art Ensemble of Chicago