Regarded as one of the most important figures in jazz, tributes are planned across the world to honor the legacy of bassist, bandleader and pioneer Charles Mingus.
is one of the greatest jazz artists of the 20th century. He would have celebrated his 100th birthday on April 22., who will lead two concerts in honor of the composer at Lincoln Center."He touched on many of the foundations of jazz and American music, from the roots to the most sophisticated forms."Born to mixed-race parents in Nogales, Ariz., Mingus grew up in Los Angeles. His mother died when he was only four months old.
Mingus's upbringing shaped his music. He was an outspoken advocate for civil rights, using his music to make political statements. He wrote that his 1956 song,"Pithecanthropus Erectus" was about the first man to stand erect, who pounded his chest, then looked to enslave others.was written as a protest against Arkansas Gov. Orval Faubus, who sent out the National Guard to prevent the integration of Little Rock Central High School by nine Black teenagers.
"I can play a sad thing, you recognize it because you're used to that. I can play an angry tune, GRRRRR. I can play happy little ditties like I do with my baby, you know? It's all kinds of emotions to play in music but what I'm trying to play is very difficult because I'm trying to play the truth of what I am."on the bandstand, he demanded perfection. He fired sidemen in the middle of a gig.