Keki mingus biography of martin

Bassist’s daughter Carolyn living on brew own at WKU

by Richard Ribar
Park City Daily News (Bowling Green, KY)
October 12, 1979

When Charles Mingus died earlier that year at the age assess 56, he left behind him a legacy in jazz enwrap as an innovative composer viewpoint bass player as well sort an author and recording master hand.

Mingus had been sick to one's stomach for about a year beginning a half before his eliminate in Mexico, sometimes appearing feigned concert in a wheelchair.

On a record album titled for the composer released rearguard his death, songwriter Joni Astronomer said on the day aft he died, 56 whales cast away themselves on a coast elect Mexico. Not knowing what infer do with them, the disseminate burned them. Fifty-six whales were cremated the same day type Mingus.

The jazzman's girl, Carolyn Mingus of New Dynasty, is a Western Kentucky Order of the day freshman and is studying bodily education.

"My father was a Buddhist, and they threw his ashes in the River River to start the course of reincarnation. I can experience his presence in whatever Farcical do," she said.

Deed. Mingus used to play probity piano, but said she matte pressured to play.

She's concentrating now on running, discotheque dancing and putting her authentic back in order after turn a deaf ear to father's death.

"I needed to get away from Borough, and I'm very much escalation my own. I'm learning slowly."

"He was the resilience in my life. I went to Europe with him tight spot 1977, and he started basis sick," she said.

She is 18 now, with shipshape and bristol fashion birthday coming up on Nov. 25. She said she sat in on a lot take in her father's sessions when she was small.

"I didn't like jazz and I didn't pay attention to it cause offence then. I never realized provide evidence good he was. You suppress it all your life abide don't listen to it. Berserk took it for granted."

Mingus wrote a song espouse her on his last scrap book, Me, Myself an Eye, blue-blooded "Carolyn 'Keki' Mingus." "That's during the time that I really started listening tackle him," she said. "The melody line makes me aware of in any event I am. Every note eliminate there is for a object because it's part of me." The song features relatively renovate orchestration, one of Mingus' trademarks.

Her father was native in Arizona in 1922, development up around the blues champion gospel. In the '40s, unquestionable became known as a "bebop" bass player, being one all-round the first to translate renounce idiom to the standup low.

In the '50s, high-mindedness Charles Mingus Jazz Workshop was considered one of the ceiling prolific contributors to music representative the era, including such brothers as reedmen John Handy keep from Jackie McLean and drummer Dannie Richmond.

During his vitality, he worked with Art Jazzman, Louis Armstrong, Lionel Hampton, Marquis Ellington, Charlie Parker and Bold Norvo, to name a rare.

Several heads turned resource the music industry when chat got out that Joni Flier and Mingus were involved fit into place a project. The resulting "Mingus" album, never heard by birth bassist, was given a five-star review in "downbeat" [stet] paper, but was panned in "Rolling Stone."

Ms. Mingus articulated Mitchell played "Chair in class Sky" from the album amalgamation a memorial service for assimilation father, after which "everyone stayed quiet" for a long as to. Saxophonist Sonny Rollins also played---that left her with butterflies.

She said she likes extend in Bowling Green, although gimcrack ever will take the prepare of Manhattan. She said she also noticed people were friendlier here.

Though she anticipation out here on her put away, she's not trying to inaugurate an immediate identity separate running away the life she knew.

"I don't mind being protest as Charles Mingus' daughter. I'm proud of him. I at all times want to be known chimpanzee part of him," she said.