# Charles Mingus discography

As a bandleader, the American jazz bassist Charles Mingus released 51 albums between 1949 and 1977; as a sideman, Mingus appeared on a total of 34 albums. Four albums of his music were released posthumously between 1979 and 1990. Between 1979 and 2015, Sue Mingus produced 19 albums based on his compositions.

## Discography as bandleader

List by recording date

### Studio albums

| Title | Label, Release Year | Date (last session) | Notes |
| Strings and Keys | Debut, 1953 | April 1, 1951 | with Spaulding Givens |
| Miss Bliss | Debut, 1953 | October 28, 1953 | EP |
| Jazzical Moods, Volume 1 | Period, 1955 | December 1, 1954 | with John LaPorta; Partially included in The Jazz Experiments of Charlie Mingus (Bethlehem, 1955) |
| Jazzical Moods, Volume 2 | Period, 1955 | December 1, 1954 | with John LaPorta; Included in The Jazz Experiments of Charlie Mingus (Bethlehem, 1955) |
| Jazz Composers Workshop | Savoy, 1956 | January 30, 1955 | |
| Pithecanthropus Erectus | Atlantic, 1956 | January 30, 1956 | |
| The Clown | Atlantic, 1957 | March 12, 1957 | |
| Mingus Three | Jubilee, 1957 | July 9, 1957 | a.k.a. Trio |
| Tijuana Moods | RCA, 1962 | August 6, 1957 | |
| East Coasting | Bethlehem, 1957 | August 16, 1957 | |
| A Modern Jazz Symposium of Music and Poetry | Bethlehem, 1959 | October 1, 1957 | |
| Shadows | DOL, 2016 | November 1, 1958 | Movie Soundtrack. Partially re-used for Mingus in Wonderland (United Artists, 1959) |
| Blues & Roots | Atlantic, 1960 | February 4, 1959 | |
| Mingus Ah Um | Columbia, 1959 | May 12, 1959 | |
| Mingus Dynasty | Columbia, 1960 | November 13, 1959 | Companion album to Mingus Ah Um (Columbia, 1959) |
| Pre-Bird | Mercury, 1961 | May 25, 1960 | a.k.a. Mingus Revisited |
| Charles Mingus Presents Charles Mingus | Candid, 1960 | October 20, 1960 | |
| Newport Rebels | Candid, 1961 | November 11, 1960 | Jazz Artists Guild led by Charles Mingus and Max Roach |
| Mingus | Candid, 1961 | November 11, 1960 | |
| Mysterious Blues | Candid, 1990 | November 11, 1960 | |
| Reincarnation Of A Love Bird | Candid, 1988 | November 11, 1960 | |
| Oh Yeah | Atlantic, 1962 | November 6, 1961 | |
| Tonight at Noon | Atlantic, 1964 | November 6, 1961 | |
| The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady | Impulse!, 1963 | January 20, 1963 | Vinyl pressings reissued by Universal Music Group in collaboration with Chad Kassem's Analogue Productions |
| Mingus Plays Piano | Impulse!, 1964 | July 30, 1963 | |
| Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus | Impulse!, 1964 | September 20, 1963 | Vinyl pressings reissued by Universal Music Group in collaboration with Chad Kassem's Analogue Productions |
| Blue Bird | America, 1971 | October 31, 1970 | Included in Charles Mingus in Paris: The Complete America Session (Sunnyside, 2006) |
| Pithycanthropus Erectus | America, 1971 | October 31, 1970 | Included in Charles Mingus in Paris: The Complete America Session (Sunnyside, 2006) |
| Charles Mingus with Orchestra | Columbia, 1971 | January 14, 1971 | |
| Let My Children Hear Music | Columbia, 1972 | November 18, 1971 | |
| Mingus Moves | Atlantic, 1974 | October 31, 1973 | |
| Changes One | Atlantic, 1975 | December 30, 1974 | |
| Changes Two | Atlantic, 1975 | December 30, 1974 | |
| Cumbia & Jazz Fusion | Atlantic, 1978 | March 10, 1977 | |
| Three or Four Shades of Blues | Atlantic, 1977 | March 29, 1977 | |
| Lionel Hampton Presents Charles Mingus | Who's Who in Jazz, 1977 | November 6, 1977 | a.k.a. His Final Work |

### Live albums

| Title | Label, Release Year | Date (last session) | Notes |
| Mingus at the Bohemia | Debut, 1956 | December 23, 1955 | a.k.a. Chazz! |
| The Charles Mingus Quintet & Max Roach | Fantasy, 1963 | December 23, 1955 | |
| Jazz Portraits: Mingus in Wonderland | United Artists, 1959 | January 16, 1959 | |
| Mingus at Antibes | Atlantic, 1976 | July 13, 1960 | a.k.a. Charles Mingus Live With Eric Dolphy |
| Town Hall Concert | United Artists, 1962 | October 12, 1962 | Expanded in The Complete Town Hall Concert (Blue Note, 1994) |
| Cornell 1964 | Blue Note, 2007 | March 18, 1964 | with Eric Dolphy |
| Town Hall Concert | Jazz Workshop, 1964 | April 4, 1964 | Expanded in The Jazz Workshop Concerts 1964-65 (Mosaic, 2012) |
| Concertgebouw Amsterdam Vol. 1 | Ulysse Musique, 1985 | April 10, 1964 | Included in The Jazz Workshop Concerts 1964-65 (Mosaic, 2012) and In Amsterdam 1964 (DIW, 1989) |
| Concertgebouw Amsterdam Vol. 2 | Ulysse Musique, 1986 | April 10, 1964 | Included in The Jazz Workshop Concerts 1964-65 (Mosaic, 2012) and In Amsterdam 1964 (DIW, 1989) |
| Live In Oslo 1964 | Polydor, 1990 | April 12, 1964 | |
| Revenge! The Legendary Paris Concerts | Revenge, 1996 | April 17, 1964 | |
| The Great Concert of Charles Mingus | America, 1971 | April 19, 1964 | |
| Mingus in Europe Volume I | Enja, 1979 | April 26, 1964 | |
| Mingus in Europe Volume II | Enja, 1981 | April 26, 1964 | |
| Right Now: Live at the Jazz Workshop | Fantasy, 1966 | June 3, 1964 | |
| Mingus at Monterey | Jazz Workshop, 1965 | September 20, 1964 | Included in The Jazz Workshop Concerts 1964-65 (Mosaic, 2012) |
| My Favorite Quintet | Jazz Workshop, 1966 | May 13, 1965 | Expanded in The Jazz Workshop Concerts 1964-65 (Mosaic, 2012) |
| Music Written For Monterey 1965 | Jazz Workshop, 1966 | September 25, 1965 | |
| In Paris 1970 | Ulysse Musique, 1988 | October 28, 1970 | |
| Charles Mingus and Friends in Concert | Columbia, 1973 | February 4, 1972 | |
| The Lost Album From Ronnie Scott's | Resonance, 2022 | August 15, 1972 | |
| Live In Chateauvallon, 1972 | France's Concert, 1989 | August 22, 1972 | |
| Jazz In Detroit / Strata Concert Gallery / 46 Selden | BBE, 2018 | February 13, 1973 | |
| Mingus at Carnegie Hall | Atlantic, 1974 | January 19, 1974 | |
| @ Bremen 1964 & 1975 | Sunnyside, 2020 | July 9, 1975 | |
| Live at Montreaux | Eagle Rock, 2018 | July 20, 1975 | |

## Final works as composer

| Title | Label | Date (last session) | Recording | Notes |
| Me, Myself an Eye | Atlantic, 1979 | January 23, 1978 | Studio | Sessions directed by Charles Mingus |
| Something Like a Bird | Atlantic, 1980 | January 23, 1978 | Studio | Sessions directed by Charles Mingus |
| Mingus | Asylum, 1979 | 1978 | Studio | Joni Mitchell album co-written with Charles Mingus |
| Epitaph | Columbia, 1989 | June 3, 1989 | Studio | Unpublished work written between 1940 and 1962 |

## Discography as sideman

| Title | Label | Date (last session) | Recording | Bandleader |
| Penny's Worth Of Boogie / Look What You've Done To Me | Globe, 1945 | 1945 | Studio | Russell Jacquet |
| Blues In B Flat / Deep Meditation | Modern Music, 1945 | May 1, 1945 | Studio | Hadda Brooks, Howard McGhee |
| Rex Stewart Plays Duke Ellington/Illinois Jacquet And His All-Stars Play Uptown Jazz | Grand Award, 1955 | August 2, 1945 | Studio | Rex Stewart, Illinois Jacquet |
| Jacquet Mood / Robbins' Nest | Apollo, 1947 | August 2, 1945 | Studio | Illinois Jacquet |
| You Go To My Head / Don't Let The Sun Catch You Crying | Golden Guinea, 1945 | October 4, 1945 | Studio | Ernie Andrews |
| Paradise Lost / I Don't Stand A Ghost Of A Chance | Golden Guinea, 1945 | October 4, 1945 | Studio | Ernie Andrews |
| Voot Rhythm / Baggin The Boogie | Bel Tone, 1945 | November 1, 1945 | Studio | Bob Mosely |
| Stormy Mood / Bee Boogie Boo | Bel Tone, 1945 | November 1, 1945 | Studio | Bob Mosely |
| Mellow Mama | Delmark, 1992 | December 13, 1945 | Studio | Dinah Washington |
| Dinah Washington Sings The Blues | Grand Award, 1955 | December 13, 1945 | Studio | Dinah Washington |
| Hoggin' / Blues A La King | Melodisc, 1946 | 1946 | Studio | Howard McGhee |
| Sweet Potato / Night Mist | Melodisc, 1946 | 1946 | Studio | Howard McGhee |
| Riff G.M. / Is It A Sin | Clear Tone, 1946 | 1946 | Studio | Gene Morris |
| G-Ing With Gene / Laughing At Life | Clear Tone, 1946 | 1946 | Studio | Gene Morris |
| Hot Piano | Tops, 1946 | January 1, 1946 | Studio | Wilbert Baranco |
| I Thought You Ought To Know / The Voot Is Here To Stay | Black & White, 1946 | January 1, 1946 | Studio | Ivie Anderson and her All Stars |
| I Got It Bad And That Ain't Good / On The Sunny Side Of The Street | Black & White, 1946 | January 1, 1946 | Studio | Ivie Anderson and her All Stars |
| Lena and Ivie | Jazztone, 1957 | January 1, 1946 | Studio | Lena Horne, Ivie Anderson |
| Night And Day / Weeping Willie | Black & White, 1946 | January 1, 1946 | Studio | Wilbert Baranco |
| Every Time I Think Of You / Baranco Boogie | Black & White, 1946 | January 1, 1946 | Studio | Wilbert Baranco |
| After Hours / Pipe Dream | 4 Star, 1946 | April 26, 1946 | Studio | Lady Will Carr |
| Hamp's Golden Favorites | Decca, 1962 | November 10, 1947 | Studio | Lionel Hampton |
| Lionel Hampton in Concert | Cicala Jazz, 1948 | May 1, 1948 | Studio | Lionel Hampton |
| Lionel Hampton and His Orchestra 1948 | Weka, 1948 | August 11, 1948 | Studio | Lionel Hampton |
| The Red Norvo Trio | Discovery, 1951 | May 3, 1950 | Studio | Red Norvo, Tal Farlow |
| Move - aka The Charlie Mingus Trio With Tal Farlow, Red Norvo | Savoy, 1951 | April 13, 1951 | Studio | Red Norvo |
| Midnight on Cloud 69 | Savoy, 1956 | April 13, 1951 | Studio | Various Artists |
| Birdland 1951 | Blue Note, 2004 | September 29, 1951 | Live | Miles Davis |
| Jazz At Storyville | Roost, 1952 | November 6, 1951 | Studio | Billy Taylor |
| While I'm Gone / I'll Be There | King, 1952 | December 18, 1951 | Studio | Melvin Moore |
| Possessed / Hold Me, Kiss Me, Squeeze Me | King, 1952 | December 18, 1951 | Studio | Melvin Moore |
| From Barrelhouse To Bop | Perspective, 1953 | 1952 | Studio | John Mehegan |
| Big Band | Clef, 1954 | March 25, 1952 | Studio | Charlie Parker |
| The George Wallington Trios | Prestige, 1952 | September 4, 1952 | Studio | George Wallington |
| The Happy "Bird" | Charlie Parker, 1961 | December 12, 1952 | Studio | Charlie Parker |
| 1953 Spring Sessions: Broadcast Performances - aka In March with Mingus | ESP-Disk', 1953 | March 21, 1953 | Studio | Bud Powell |
| Spring Broadcasts 1953 | ESP, 1977 | March 21, 1953 | Live | Bud Powell |
| Inner Fires | Electra/Musician, 1953 | April 5, 1953 | Studio | Bud Powell |
| Dance Of The Infidels | S.C.A.M., 1953 | May 1, 1953 | Live | Charlie Parker |
| Jazz At Massey Hall - aka The Greatest Jazz Concert Ever | Debut, 1956 | May 15, 1953 | Live | The Quintet |
| Blue Moods- aka Miles Davis Quartet | Prestige, 1954 | May 19, 1953 | Studio | Miles Davis |
| The Magnificent Charlie Parker | Clef, 1955 | May 25, 1953 | Studio | Charlie Parker |
| Jazz Perennial: The Genius Of Charlie Parker #7 | Verve, 1959 | May 25, 1953 | Studio | Charlie Parker |
| 1953 Summer Sessions: Broadcast Performances | ESP-Disk', 1953 | May 30, 1953 | Studio | Bud Powell |
| Jazz Workshop, Volume One: Trombone Rapport | Debut, 1953 | September 18, 1953 | Studio | Various Artists |
| Jazz Workshop, Volume Two | Debut, 1955 | September 18, 1953 | Studio | Various Artists |
| Four Trombones | Debut, 1957 | September 18, 1953 | Studio | Various Artists |
| Introducing Paul Bley | Debut, 1954 | November 30, 1953 | Studio | Paul Bley |
| Explorations | Debut, 1953 | December 12, 1953 | Studio | Teo Macero |
| The New Oscar Pettiford Sextet - aka My Little Cello | Debut, 1953 | December 29, 1953 | Studio | Oscar Pettiford |
| Jazz Workshop Volume Three | Debut, 1955 | June 27, 1954 | Studio | Ada Moore |
| Mad Bebop | Savoy, 1978 | August 26, 1954 | Studio | Jay Jay Johnson |
| Jay & Kai | Savoy, 1955 | August 26, 1954 | Studio | Jay Jay Johnson, Kai Winding |
| The Eminent Jay Jay Johnson Volume 1 | Blue Note, 1955 | September 24, 1954 | Studio | Jay Jay Johnson |
| The Eminent Jay Jay Johnson Volume 2 | Blue Note, 1955 | September 24, 1954 | Studio | Jay Jay Johnson |
| Organ...Sweet N' Swing | Regent, 1956 | November 9, 1954 | Studio | Vin Strong |
| Heart Strings / Swingin' The Mambo | Savoy, 1955 | November 9, 1954 | Studio | Vin Strong |
| The John Mehegan Trio/Quartet | Savoy, 1955 | January 3, 1955 | Studio | John Mehegan |
| Evolution | Prestige, 1955 | January 6, 1955 | Studio | Teddy Charles |
| Relaxed Piano Moods | Debut, 1955 | January 21, 1955 | Studio | Hazel Scott |
| Very Truly Yours | Savoy, 1955 | February 5, 1955 | Studio | Jimmy Scott |
| New Piano Expressions | Debut, 1955 | March 1, 1955 | Studio | John Dennis |
| The Fabulous Thad Jones - aka Jazz Collaborations, Vol. I | Debut, 1955 | March 10, 1955 | Studio | Thad Jones |
| Easy Jazz | London, 1955 | May 27, 1955 | Studio | Ralph Sharon |
| Blue Moods | Debut, 1955 | July 9, 1955 | Studio | Miles Davis |
| Blame It On My Youth | Epic, 1956 | 1956 | Studio | Don Heller |
| Metronome All-Stars 1956 | Clef, 1956 | June 18, 1956 | Studio | Various Artists |
| This Is How I Feel About Jazz | ABC, 1957 | September 19, 1956 | Studio | Quincy Jones |
| Word from Bird | Atlantic, 1956 | November 12, 1956 | Studio | Teddy Charles |
| Modern Jazz Concert - aka Brandeis Jazz Festival | Columbia, 1958 | June 18, 1957 | Live | Six compositions commissioned by the 1957 Brandeis University Festival of the Arts |
| New Faces | Debut, 1957 | July 10, 1957 | Studio | Jimmy Knepper |
| The Weary Blues With Langston Hughes | MGM, 1959 | March 18, 1958 | Studio | Langston Hughes |
| The Jazz Life! | Candid, 1960 | January 13, 1961 | Studio | Various Artists |
| All Night Long | Fontana, 1962 | July 1, 1961 | Studio | Philip Green |
| Summit Sessions | Columbia, 1970 | July 3, 1961 | Studio | Dave Brubeck |
| Money Jungle | Blue Note, 1962 | September 17, 1962 | Studio | Duke Ellington |
| Newport In New York '72 - The Jam Sessions Vols. 1 & 2 | Cobblestone, 1972 | July 6, 1972 | Studio | Various Artists |
| After Hours - The Great Pescara Jam Sessions | Port's Song, 1975 | July 30, 1972 | Studio | Various Artists |

## Compilations

| Title | Label | Contents |
| Mingus Featuring: Eric Dolphy - The Candid Recordings | Barnaby, 1972 | |
| The Greatest Jazz Concert Ever | Prestige, 1973 | |
| Reevaluation: The Impulse Years | Impulse!, 1973 | |
| The Art Of Charles Mingus (The Atlantic Years) | Atlantic, 1973 | |
| Nostalgia In Times Square | Columbia, 1979 | New edits and unreleased takes of Mingus Ah Um, Mingus Dynasty |
| Passions Of A Man: An Anthology Of His Atlantic Recordings | Atlantic, 1979 | |
| The Complete Candid Recordings Of Charles Mingus | Mosaic, 1985 | |
| The Young Rebel | Swingtime, 1986 | |
| The Rarest On Debut - Charles Mingus Sideman | Debut, 1987 | |
| The Rarest On Debut - Mingus Newly Discovered | Debut, 1987 | |
| The Rarest On Debut | Debut, 1987 | |
| In Amsterdam 1964 | DIW, 1989 | Concertgebouw Amsterdam Vol. 1 (Ulysse Musique, 1985), Concertgebouw Amsterdam Vol. 2 (Ulysse Musique, 1986) |
| The Complete Debut Recordings | Debut, 1990 | |
| Debut Rarities, Volume 1 | Original Jazz Classics, 1992 | Original Jazz Classics, 1992 |
| Debut Rarities, Volume 2 | Original Jazz Classics, 1992 | Original Jazz Classics, 1992 |
| Original Faubus Fables | All That's Jazz, 1992 | |
| Debut Rarities, Volume 3 | Original Jazz Classics, 1993 | Original Jazz Classics, 1993 |
| The Complete 1959 CBS Charles Mingus Sessions | Mosaic, 1993 | |
| Thirteen Pictures: The Charles Mingus Anthology | Rhino, 1993 | |
| Debut Rarities, Volume 4 | Original Jazz Classics, 1994 | Original Jazz Classics, 1994 |
| Fables Of Faubus | Giants Of Jazz, 1996 | |
| Passions Of A Man: The Complete Atlantic Recordings 1956-1961 | Rhino Records, 1997 | Pithecanthropus Erectus (Atlantic, 1956), Word From Bird (Atlantic, 1958), The Clown (Atlantic, 1957), Tonight At Noon (Atlantic, 1964), Blues & Roots (Atlantic, 1960), Mingus At Antibes (Atlantic, 1976), Oh Yeah (Atlantic, 1962) |
| Alternate Takes | Columbia, 1998 | |
| West Coast 1945-49 | Uptown, 2000 | |
| Ken Burns Jazz | Columbia, 2000 | |
| Charles Mingus Trilogy (The Complete Bethlehem Jazz Collection) | Avenue Jazz, 2001 | The Jazz Experiments Of Charlie Mingus (Bethlehem, 1955), A Modern Jazz Symposium Of Music And Poetry (Bethlehem, 1959), East Coasting (Bethlehem, 1957) |
| 80th Birthday Celebration | Debut, 2002 | |
| The Young Rebel | Proper, 2004 | |
| Minor Intrusion | Quadromania, 2005 | |
| Charles Mingus & Booker Ervin - The Savoy Recordings | Brilliant Jazz, 2006 | |
| Charles Mingus in Paris: The Complete America Session | Sunnyside, 2006 | Blue Bird (America, 1971), Pithycanthropus Erectus (America, 1971) plus extra takes |
| Take The 'A' Train | Back Up, 2006 | |
| Jazz Workshop 1957-1958 | Fresh Sound Records, 2009 | Fresh Sound Records, 2009 |
| The Clown / Intrusion / Pithecanthropus Erectus | Delta, 2009 | |
| Charles Mingus And The Newport Rebels | Candid, 2010 | |
| The Complete Columbia & RCA Albums Collection | Sony Music, 2012 | |
| The Jazz Workshop Concerts 1964-65 | Mosaic, 2012 | Town Hall Concert (Jazz Workshop, 1964), Concertgebouw Amsterdam Vol. 1 (Ulysse Musique, 1985), Concertgebouw Amsterdam Vol. 2 (Ulysse Musique, 1986), Mingus at Monterey (Jazz Workshop, 1965), My Favorite Quintet (Jazz Workshop, 1966) |
| Leader On Debut | Debut, 2013 | |
| The Quintessence New-York - Los Angeles 1947 - 1960 | Frémeaux & Associés, 2013 | Frémeaux & Associés, 2013 |
| Mingus Moods | Proper Box, 2014 | |
| Mingus The Impulse Albums | Impulse!, 2014 | |
| Live In Europe 1975 | Salvo, 2015 | |
| Complete Live At The Bohemia | Essential Jazz Classics, 2017 | Essential Jazz Classics, 2017 |
| Milestones Of A Legend | Documents, 2017 | |
| The Eldridge Session | Doxy, 2017 | |
| Candid Recordings ·Part One | Doxy, 2018 | |
| Candid Recordings ·Part Two | Doxy, 2018 | |
| Newport Rebels | Jazz Images, 2018 | |
| The Rare Albums Collection | Enlightenment, 2019 | |

## Mingus Bands

| Title | Label | Date (last session) | Recording | Band |
| Chair In The Sky | Elektra, 1979 | July 10,1979 | Studio | Mingus Dynasty |
| Live At Montreux | Atlantic, 1981 | July 18, 1980 | Live | Mingus Dynasty |
| Mingus' Sounds Of Love | Soul Note, 1988 | September 30, 1987 | Studio | Mingus Dynasty |
| Live At The Village Vanguard | Storyville, 1989 | May 27, 1984 | Live | Mingus Dynasty |
| Live At The Theatre Boulogne-Billancourt, Paris Vol. 1 | Soul Note, 1989 | June 8, 1988 | Live | Mingus Dynasty |
| Next Generation Performs Charles Mingus Brand New Compositions | Columbia, 1991 | | Studio | Mingus Dynasty |
| Weird Nightmare (Meditations On Mingus) | Columbia, 1992 | | Studio | Various Artists |
| Live At The Theatre Boulogne-Billancourt, Paris Vol. 2 | Soul Note, 1993 | June 8, 1988 | Live | Mingus Dynasty |
| Nostalgia In Times Square | Dreyfus Jazz, 1993 | March 2, 1993 | Live | Mingus Big Band |
| At the Bottom Line | West Wind, 1995 | December 1, 1979 | Live | Mingus Dynasty |
| Reincarnation | Soul Note, 1997 | April 1, 1982 | Studio | Mingus Dynasty |
| Gunslinging Birds | Dreyfus Jazz, 1995 | 1995 | Studio | Mingus Big Band |
| Live In Time | Dreyfus Jazz, 1996 | 1996 | Studio | Mingus Big Band |
| ¡Que Viva Mingus! | Dreyfus Jazz, 1997 | 1997 | Studio | Mingus Big Band |
| Blues & Politics | Dreyfus Jazz, 1999 | January 26, 1999 | Studio | Mingus Big Band |
| Tonight At Noon... Three Or Four Shades Of Love | Dreyfus Jazz, 2002 | December 7, 2001 | Studio | Mingus Big Band |
| I Am Three | Sunnyside, 2005 | November 7, 2004 | Studio | Mingus Big Band |
| Live In Tokyo | Sunnyside, 2006 | December 31, 2005 | Live | Mingus Big Band |
| Live At Jazz Standard | Jazz Workshop, 2010 | December 31, 2009 | Live | Mingus Big Band |
| Mingus Sings | Sunnyside, 2015 | 2015 | Studio | Mingus Big Band |