Charles Mingus - Mingus Ah Um

I'll admit, jazz is a fairly recent discovery for me. Though, I've been listening to it since high school, I've never quite "got it." I can assume this is because a) of my constant fear that I will become the stereotypical yuppie music listener and b) I like catchy melodies and choruses, because, as with most post-baby-boomer listeners, I find it hard to get into music if I can't sing (in my car, very badly) to it.

As for being a yuppie listener, it's always bothered me when fifty-year-old men go home and sip wine to blues records. It just seems wrong on some level. My fear of being "that guy" has always extended to jazz. After looking back on the history of the form, though, I realized this dichotomy of listeners has existed ever since jazz was a twinkle in the eye of Buddy Bolden and Jelly Roll Morton, and I might as well just pour a glass of chardonnay and enjoy.

So lately, I've been on a little run of jazz records. First it was A Love Supreme by John Coltrane, then Kind of Blue by Miles Davis, and now, Mingus Ah Um by Charles Mingus.

Mingus Ah Um is a soulful, original record. I couldn't tell you what horns create the twin melody on "Better Git In Your Soul," but I can tell you it makes me want to dance (very badly) when I hear it. You can even hear the musicians yelling and laughing through the mics as the tune hits a breakneck pace. Next, Mingus slows it down on "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat." The sound is smooth as silk.

Mingus was notorious for being ill-tempered, and the aggression often comes through in the music. "Boogie Stop Shuffle" veers towards chaos without ever really coming close to falling apart. Later in the disc, Mingus redetermines what jazz can sound like on "Bird Calls."

One of the reasons Mingus Ah Um is so damn good is the production on the record. It's both controlled and yet somewhat spontaneous. It sounds like the band made a direct plan for the record and then couldn't bring themselves to stick to it.

If you want a good jazz record, Mingus Ah Um is a great point of entry. And while you're at it, give A Love Supreme and Kind of Blue a spin, you'll be pleasantly surprised.