Live in Time
All his life, Charles Mingus wanted a jazz orchestra like the one led by his hero Duke Ellington. Mingus certainly deserved one, for he was one of 20th century's greatest American composers, and his muscular rhythms and thick, bluesy harmonies cried out for a band big to do them justice. Yet during his lifetime, he never had the money or the patience to keep a big band together for more than a few brief stints. So it's ironic indeed that in 1997, 18 years after the composer's death, the best jazz orchestra in the world bore the name of the Mingus Big Band. After five years of weekly shows and regular tours of Europe and North America, the ensemble has achieved a remarkably high standard of musicianship, energy and consistency, as one can hear onLive in Time.--Geoffrey Himes