Mingus Big Band – Tonight At Noon: Three Or Four Shades Of Love

Mingus Big Band
Tonight At Noon: Three Or Four Shades Of Love
(Dreyfus – 2002)
by Dick Bogle

This is an exciting hybrid release featuring two contemporary Mingus groups.It marks the first ever recording by the Charles Mingus Orchestra, an eleven piece ensemble which utilizes a French horn, bassoon, and bass clarinet. Four of the ten tracks are devoted to the orchestra including one, “Invisible Lady” with a vocal by Elvis Costello. “Noon Night” is a ballad arranged by Gunther Schuller with gorgeous solos by Robert Routch on French horn and tenorist Seamus Blake.

The big band cuts are typically easily identifiable Mingus works like “Passions Of A Woman Loved” with solos by saxophonist Vincent Herring, trumpeter Alex Sipiagin, trombonist Conrad Herwig and pianist David Kikoski. Its’ music evokes an image of a rather romantically rambunctious woman. This is the finest big band in the world and it stands to reason its’ eleven piece orchestral brother ranks the same in its’ class.