The Mingus Orchestra

Last night we heard the Mingus Orchestra at the Jazz Standard, a club at 27th and Lexington which serves excellent food and has great music.   The Mingus Orchestra is a group of musicians, organized by Mingus's widow, Sue Mingus, that is devoted to playing the more esoteric music that Mingus composed. (There is also a Mingus Big Band.) The ensemble includes French Horn, Bassoon, Bass Clarinet, and Flute along with all the instruments one would normally expect in a big band; it's a kind of hybrid big band.   The music they played ranged from a film score to a vocal number written for Billie Holiday.  Mingus's music is always interesting; rather that the traditional tune followed by individual solos, we often hear the ensemble return in the middle of the solos with new material.   The ensemble itself plays with a kind of improvisatory informality which is exciting; someone may yell out in the middle of the tune to tell the musicians to do something.  Clearly a labor of love on the part of the musicians, (though they do get paid) it is wonderful to hear this music played live.  Mingus is one of my favorite composers.