Description
Rooted firmly in gospel, blues and the old time Dixieland jazz of New Orleans, this essential jazz album drops just in time to kick off Black History Month 2026.
At the time of this recording, Mingus had been working regularly with the piano-less quartet of Eric Dolphy, Ted Curson and Dannie Richmond. The same group featured on the 1960 Candid release, Charles Mingus Presents Charles Mingus.
The hip-hop community took notice of his no-frills, breakbeat-heavy hip-hop style as he helped craft albums for Common, Q Tip, and the debut for his own group Slum Village.
Ships 6/19/2026: Released in 1959, Mingus Ah Um is a landmark jazz masterpiece that showcases Charles Mingus's genius for blending gospel, blues, and hard bop into complex, soul-stirring compositions.