Blues & Roots

Blues & Roots
Studio album by Charles Mingus
Released	March 1960
Recorded	4 February 1959, Atlantic Studios, New York City
Genre	Hard bop
Length	38:49
Label	Atlantic SD 1305
Producer	Nesuhi Ertegun
Charles Mingus chronology
Mingus Ah Um (1959) Blues & Roots (1960) Mingus Dynasty (1960)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic
Q Magazine
DownBeat

Blues & Roots is an album by American jazz double bassist Charles Mingus, recorded in 1959 and originally released on the Atlantic label in 1960. It has since been reissued on CD by both Atlantic and Rhino.

Inspiration

Mingus explained the origins of this record in the album's liner notes:

This record is unusual— it presents only one part of my musical world, the blues. A year ago, Nesuhi Ertegün suggested that I record an entire blues album in the style of "Haitian Fight Song" (in Atlantic LP 1260), because some people, particularly critics, were saying I didn't swing enough. He wanted to give them a barrage of soul music: churchy, blues, swinging, earthy. I thought it over. I was born swinging and clapped my hands in church as a little boy, but I've grown up and I like to do things other than just swing. But blues can do more than just swing. So I agreed.

— Charles Mingus

Reception

• Q Magazine (7/93, p. 110) - 4 Stars - Excellent - "...at his best he could drive his fellow musicians onwards and upwards with big bass playing and hoarse exhortations. Blues & Roots contains six servings of this brilliance..."
• DownBeat (1960) - 4 Stars - Very Good - "...vital and important music...[Mingus] is outstanding in his solo work...this is something worth careful and thorough listening..."

Track listing

1. "Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting" – 5:39
2. "Cryin' Blues" – 4:58
3. "Moanin'" – 8:01
4. "Tensions" – 6:27
5. "My Jelly Roll Soul" – 6:47
6. "E's Flat Ah's Flat Too" – 6:37

The 1998 Rhino CD reissue included these additional tracks:

1. "Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting" – 6:59 – alternate take
2. "Tensions" – 5:18 – alternate take
3. "My Jelly Roll Soul" – 11:25 – alternate take
4. "E's Flat Ah's Flat Too" – 6:47 – alternate take

All tracks composed by Charles Mingus. Recorded February 4, 1959 at Atlantic Studios in New York City.

Personnel

• Charles Mingus – bass
• John Handy – alto saxophone
• Jackie McLean – alto saxophone
• Booker Ervin – tenor saxophone
• Pepper Adams – baritone saxophone
• Jimmy Knepper – trombone
• Willie Dennis – trombone
• Dannie Richmond – drums
• Horace Parlan – piano, except for on "E's Flat Ah's Flat Too"
• Mal Waldron – piano on "E's Flat Ah's Flat Too"
• Nesuhi Ertegun – producer
• Tom Dowd – recording engineer

Sources

• Sleeve notes to Atlantic Records CD reissue of Blues & Roots (Atlantic SD-1305-2)