An intriguing documentary about the great bassist-composer-leader
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A virtuoso bassist with his own sound, Charles Mingus was equally important as a bandleader who drove his sidemen to play above their potential, and a composer who wrote pieces that reflected the emotional aspects of his life.
Mingus’ music, although based in bop and swing, utilized both free improvisations and hints of earlier forms of jazz.
Triumph Of The Underdog, which was put together in 1997, is filled with musical excerpts from various periods of Mingus’ life and a great deal of interesting commentary and storytelling, some from the bassist himself.
-Scott Yanow
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