Fables of Faubus

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Fables of Faubus is a jazz composition by Charles Mingus .

The title

With the piece, Charles Mingus Orval E. Faubus , governor of Arkansas , set a memorial. In 1957 Faubus had tried to prevent racial integration at the school in Little Rock, Arkansas, with the help of the National Guard . Anyone looking for references to this subject in music will hardly find it, as is so often the case with Mingus, the title is a designation, but does not reflect the musical content. The play was already finished when Governor Faubus hit the headlines. Drummer Dannie Richmond recalls: In the beginning it didn't even have a title ... We played it one night and Mingus said, "Call me someone ridiculous," and I couldn't think of anything better than to reply, "Governor Faubus ! " . However, the political content found its way into the chanting, which is documented for the first time in the version of the Candid record.

The text says, among other things: God, let's not feather and tar them. Good heavens, no more swastikas. Jesus Christ, no more Ku Klux Klan . Somebody call me ridiculous, Dannie? Governor Faubus! Why is he so sick and ridiculous? He doesn't want integrated schools. Then he's a fool! Boo!

"Fables of Faubus" was first recorded by Charles Mingus on his Columbia LP Mingus Ah Um from 1959, but in a version without the lyrics, which the Columbia record company did not want to publish. In the following year, the piece with text can be found as "Original Faubus Fables" on the Candid LP Charles Mingus Presents Charles Mingus with Eric Dolphy . As a result, this record could not be delivered in apartheid South Africa .

In an extended and further developed form, the piece was performed several times with Dolphy in the USA in 1964 and regularly on the European tour in April of that year. Over the years "Fables Of Faubus" has changed its shape, so the version from autumn 1964 called "New Fables" (on Right Now - Live At The Jazz Workshop ) contains allusions to other Mingus works and is particularly reminiscent of Tijuana Moods .

Selection discography

  • Pepper Adams: Plays Charles Mingus (FSR, 1963)
  • Mingus Amungus: Live in Cuba (Liveforce 1997)

literature

  • Marcus A. Woelfle: Liner notes for Charles Mingus: 80th Birthday Celebration (Fantasy)
  • Horst Weber , Gerd Filtgen: Charles Mingus , Gauting, Oreos (Collection Jazz)
  • Full text

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ cit. to Woelfle
  2. ↑ "Oh, Lord, don't let 'em tar and feather us! Oh, Lord, no more swastikas! Oh, Lord, no more Ku Klux Klan! Name me someone who's ridiculous, Dannie. Governor Faubus! Why is he so sick and ridiculous? He won't permit integrated schools. Then he's a fool! Boo! ”According to Charles Mingus, More than a Fake Book.