Analogue Productions (Atlantic Series) Celebrating the 75th Anniversary of Atlantic Records! 180-gram 45 RPM double LP Mastered by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio from the original analog tape Mingus taps blues and roots sources for a joyous swinging outing! Plated and pressed at Quality Record Pressings! Gatefold old-style 'tip-on' jacket by Stoughton Printing AllMusic marks Charles Mingus' Blues & Roots as a rejoinder to the critical carping that the virtuoso bass player and accomplished jazz pianist and bandleader and his evocative music 'somehow didn't swing enough.' For this album Mingus turned to the earthiest and earliest sources of black musical expression - blues, gospel, and old-time New Orleans jazz. The resulting album ranks arguably as Mingus' most joyously swinging outing. Recorded in 1959 and released in 1960, Blues & Roots' birth was explained by Mingus in the album's liner notes: 'This record is unusual-it presents only one part of my musical world, the blues. A year ago, Nesuhi Ertegun suggested that I record an entire blues album in the style of 'Haitian Fight Song' (in Atlantic LP 1260), because some people, particularly critics, were saying I didn't swing enough. He wanted to give them a barrage of soul music: churchy, blues, swinging, earthy. I thought it over. I was born swinging and clapped my hands in church as a little boy, but I've grown up and I like to do things other than just swing. But blues can do more than just swing. So I agreed.' Anyone who had heard 'Haitian Fight Song' shouldn't have been surprised that such an album was well within Mingus' range. Mingus boosts the complexity of the music by assembling a nine-piece outfit and arranging multiple lines to be played simultaneously - somewhat akin to the Dixieland ensembles of old, but with an acutely modern flavor. That modern flavor is reinforced and enhanced by the lush Analogue Productions reissue treatment that gives this new version more depth, richer sonic execution and acute audio clarity, particularly in the higher frequencies. Expert mastering from the original master tape by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio, and two 45 RPM flat-as-a-table 180-gram LP platters from Gary Salstrom and his crew at Quality Record Pressings properly unveil the loose and free-swinging performance. The wider-spaced grooves promote better cartridge tracking and the silent black playing surface stays clear of the audio playback. There's no question of Mingus' firm grounding in the basics on Blues & Roots, writes AllMusic, nor of his deeply felt affinity with them. Whether the music is explicitly gospel-based - like the groundbreaking classic 'Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting' - or not, the whole album is performed with a churchy fervor that rips through both the exuberant swingers and the aching, mournful slow blues. Still, it's the blues that most prominently inform the feeling of the album, aside from the aforementioned 'Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting' and the Jelly Roll Morton tribute 'My Jelly Roll Soul.'Tracklist:1 Side A 2
Release date:
October 20, 2023
Label:
Install our app to receive notifications when new upcoming releases are added.

Recommended equipment and accessories
-
Pro-Ject Debut Carbon EVO
Featuring a one-piece carbon fiber tonearm, precision-tuned motor, and a heavy steel platter with TPE damping, it ensures superior stability and sound quality.
-
Phono Preamps - Top Picks
A selection of the best phono preamps for your turntable setup
-
Pro-Ject Phono Box DC Pre-Amp
Compact, high-performance phono preamplifier for both MM and MC cartridges, delivering a clean, detailed signal with minimal noise.
-
Edifier R1280DB Powered Speakers
Combining classic design with modern Bluetooth connectivity, built-in amplification and versatile inputs, these speakers deliver rich, balanced sound.
-
Ortofon 2M Blue Premounted
Mounted on the SH-4 Black Headshell, this setup delivers exceptional clarity, dynamic range, and accurate sound reproduction.
Featured Upcoming Vinyl
-
Living Hour Internal Drone Infinity (Orange)
Keeled Scales
October 17, 2025 -
The Shame Cutthroat (Orange)
Dead Oceans
September 5, 2025 -
Ronan Keating Ronan25 [2xLP]
Universal UK
September 12, 2025 -
Cosmic Reaper Bleed The Wicked, Drown The Damned
Heavy Psych Sounds
September 19, 2025 -
Fleshwater 2000: In Search Of The Endless Sky
Closed Casket Activities
September 5, 2025 -
Hannah Frances Nested in Tangles (Ruby)
Fire Talk Records
October 10, 2025 -
Hollie Cook Shy Girl
Mr Bongo
October 10, 2025 -
Alan Parsons Project I Robot (Super Deluxe Edition Box Set) [2xLP]
Cooking Vinyl
October 17, 2025 -
Roc Marciano Marcberg [2xLP]
Next Records
September 12, 2025 -
Guenna Peak Of Jin'arrah
The Sign Records
December 31, 2025 -
Prize In The Red
Goner Records
September 19, 2025 -
Maruja Pain To Power
Sony International Network
September 12, 2025 -
Skinhead It's a Beautiful Day, What a Beautiful Day
Closed Casket Activities
September 26, 2025 -
Modern Nature The Heat Warps
Bella Union
September 26, 2025