"Unlike some, this repertory band doesn't grow stale or ossified --- the reasons are threefold. One, the touring personnel is constantly shifting, bringing in fresh approaches. Two, the repertory of Mingus is so vast, varied and unpredictable that it might always be a renewable resource. Three, founder/guiding light Sue Mingus won't let the spirit wither."
- Daily Variety, April 25, 2005

The Mingus Big Band celebrates the music of the composer and bassist, Charles Mingus, who died in 1979. Under the artistic direction of Sue Mingus, this 14-piece band performed Thursday nights from 1991 to 2004 at the Fez under Time Cafe in New York City, occasionally alternating with the Charles Mingus Orchestra. In November 2004, the big band began its Tuesday night residency at Iridium Jazz Club. The Mingus Big Band tours extensively in the United States and abroad, and has eight recordings to its credit, six of which have been nominated for Grammys.

Regulars appearing in the 14-piece band:
3 Trumpets: Randy Brecker, Earl Gardner, Eddie Henderson, Ryan Kisor, Kenny Rampton, Alex Sipiagin, Lew Soloff, Jack Walrath
3 Trombones: Jonathan Arons, Luis Bonilla, Robin Eubanks, Joe Fieldler, Conrad Herwig, Andy Hunter, Ku-umba Frank Lacy, Earl McIntyre, Dave Taylor
5 Saxophones: Seamus Blake, Abraham Burton, Ronnie Cuber, Wayne Escoffery, Mark Gross, Craig Handy, David Lee Jones, Jason Marshall, Donny McCaslin, Lauren Sevian, Jaleel Shaw
Piano: George Colligan, Kenny Drew Jr., Orrin Evans, David Kikoski,
Bass: Boris Kozlov, Hans Glawischnig, Andy McKee, John Benitez, Joe Martin, Ugonna Okegwo
Drums: Donald Edwards, Johnathan Blake, Gene Jackson

The Critics say:

Jon Pareles of The New York Times says the group has "revived Charles Mingus's repertory and the brawling, muscular, hard-swinging, bluesy way he wanted it played."

"Mingus's music doesn't merely deserve to be heard; jazz needs it." The New York Times

"A spirited blend of the lush harmonies and boisterous blues sections, interwoven ensemble passages and sudden tempo shifts that made the late bassist Charles Mingus one of the most challenging and celebrated artists in jazz." Los Angeles Times

"Succeeds so triumphantly where others [repertory bands] have failed." The London Times

"The Mingus Big Band is a wonder and an anomaly...the Mingus Band has taken a musical legacy and transformed it into a creative force that generates a contemporary originality and vitality all its own. They are an important part of the current jazz scene and a constant reminder that jazz—big band jazz, at that—is not merely entertainment but a powerful art form and means of expression." All About Jazz

"An astonishingly telepathic ensemble." New York Daily News

"The jazz repertory event of the season. . . [the Big Band] is digging into the repertoire of Charles Mingus, playing old and new arrangements that capture the best parts of the Mingus legacy: the muscle, the affection for history, the willingness to take chances, the guts and soulfulness." The New York Times

Geoffrey Himes of The Washington Post writes that "the best jazz orchestra in the world bears the name of the Mingus Big Band. . .a remarkable high standard of musicianship, energy and consistency."

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