Thought you’ve heard every way Charles Mingus can be interpreted? Think again! Frank Lacy brings together a collection of tunes written by Charles Mingus and then uses his sandied, leathered and fervent voice to deliver the pieces with lyrics written by Langson Hughes, Joni Mitchell, Elvis Costello and Mingus himself. The arrangements of the big band are by Sy Johnson, and the orchestra itself boasts of all stars which include Jack Walrath/tp, Conrad Herwig/ts, Alex Norris/tp, Lew Solof/tp, Craig Handy/ts, Wayne Escoffery/ts, Ronnie Cuber/bs and Helen Sung/p.
The album starts of with a take of “Consider Me” which has Lacy reciting poetry to some moaning blues, while the large band sways to Walrath’s muted trumpet on “Portrait.” The band loosely bops in vintage Mingus mode on “Sweet Sucker Dance” while the brass broods around Lacy’s vibrato on “Goodbye Pork Pie Hat.” The team shows fiery drive with hairpin turns on “Dry Cleaner From Des Moines” as Cuber’s bari hugs the road and rich harmonies fill the sky with flavorful hues on “Chari In The Sky.” This album, like Mingus himself, is sui generis.
Sunnyside Records