Portrait (Jazz Title)

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Portrait is a jazz composition by Charles Mingus .

The title

The composition is kept in the ABA form. In the text, also written by Mingus, it becomes clear that it is not about the portrait of a person, but that of nature and the forces behind it. It was also initially named God's Portrait . Mingus later used the A-theme as the opening phrase of his piece Sue's Changes .

Portrait was first recorded on April 12, 1952, in a session of the bassist with saxophonist Lee Konitz and singer Jackie Paris (recorded by cool jazz pianist Lennie Tristano ). Previously it was recorded as an instrumental piece in the spring of 1949 under the title Inspiration by "Charlie Mingus And His 22 Piece Band" for the Rex Hollywood label .

On September 19, 1955, Charles Mingus took on the piece again under the title Portrait with the trumpeter Thad Jones in an instrumental version. Thad Jones is accompanied by a big band and strings; the arrangement is by Alonzo Lonnie Levister . Jones' solo was probably later recorded using overdubbing.

Joe Henderson interpreted Portrait with his trio in 1985. The band Mingus Dynasty , which is primarily committed to maintaining the Mingus repertoire after the composer's death, recorded another interpretation in 1991.

Discography

Literature / sources

  • Nat Hentoff : Liner Notes for "Mingus Dynasty - The Next Generation Performs Charles Mingus Brand New Compositions (Columbia / Sony, 1991)

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Andrew Homzy , Liner Notes on Charles Mingus West Coast 1945-1949 (Uptown Records 2000)
  2. ↑ According to Ira Gittler ( Bass-ically speaking. In: The Complete Debut Recordings (1990)) Levister was at this time in a relationship with Margo Ferraci, who organized the debut label together with Celia Mingus and financed this lavish production because she hoped to make Levister a star.