AMG Review of Complete 1959 CBS Charles Mingus Sessions [Columbia/Legacy]

Stephen Thomas Erlewine
All Music Guide

In 1993, Mosaic released The Complete 1959 CBS Charles Mingus Sessions, a four-LP set that contained (nearly) everything Mingus recorded for the label during that pivotal year. All the music on the set was wonderful, but its strict adherence to chronological session order made it difficult for anyone outside academics to enjoy, especially since Mingus Ah Um and Mingus Dynasty, the two albums culled from these sessions, were among his best, tightest LPs. Five years after Mosaic's effort, Columbia/Legacy issued The Complete 1959 Columbia Sessions, a three-CD attempt to chronicle the same sessions, and their work is definitive. Instead of relying on chronological session order, they have devoted the first two discs to the original albums in their original running order. The label has restored all of the songs to their unedited forms, restoring "lost" solos to no less than ten of the 18 master takes. Mingus Ah Um and Mingus Dynasty also feature outtakes from the sessions that have only been available on the Mosaic box. The third disc is devoted to alternate takes, including a previously unreleased version of "Diane." This sequencing does justice to the albums, preserving their carefully considered running order while illuminating the original albums with valuable bonus tracks. Hardcore fans who already own the Mosaic box may find this set unnecessary, even if it does contain a couple of otherwise unavailable cuts, but any Mingus or jazz fans -- including casual fans -- who don't own the material on The Complete 1959 Columbia Recordings will find this box essential.