Charles Mingus was a double bassist, pianist composer and bandleader, and a significant proponent of the idea of collective improvisation, who brought a personal and uniquely distinctive musical approach to jazz as well as an uncompromising commitment to his musical ambitions and integrity.

Born in Arizona and raised in Los Angeles, he gained a reputation as a bass prodigy. His first major professional job was playing with former Ellington clarinetist Barney Bigard. He toured with Louis Armstrong in 1943, and by early 1945 was recording in Los Angeles in a band led by Russell Jacquet, which also included Teddy Edwards, Maurice Simon, Bill Davis, and Chico Hamilton. He recorded prolifically over three decades and more, but many critics highlight a series of albums which he recorded during the late 1950s and into 1960, which represented something of a creative high point in that era of his career, and indeed in his whole musical canon. This 3CD set comprises the complete contents of the albums Pithecanthropus Erectus, The Clown and Blues And Roots on Atlantic and Mingus Ah Um on Columbia, along with titles which were recorded at the same sessions, but omitted from original albums because of space, but added to subsequent iterations, having been made available on other releases in the meantime.

The first two albums feature different quintet line-ups of his Jazz Workshop, with several of the musicians then appearing in the 11- piece band on Blues And Roots and the septet on Mingus Ah-Um, both of which also featured the likes of tenor saxophonist Booker Ervin. The albums, almost entirely selfcomposed, capture Mingus at his most searingly creative, and the collection offers and absorbing and exciting showcase for his important contribution to jazz.

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