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

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