46 Years Ago Today: Charles Mingus Jr. Passed Away

Today we mark the 46th anniversary of the passing of Charles Mingus Jr., who died at the age of 56 from complications of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS, also known as motor neurone or Lou Gehrig’s disease) on January 5th, 1979 in Cuernavaca, Mexico. A few days prior and not far away, “Fifty-six sperm whales swam through the shallow coastal water of Baja in northwest Mexico, landed like a monstrous tidal wave, and perished on the beach. [On January 6th] Mingus and the whales were consumed by fire: Mingus inside a crematorium on the outskirts of Mexico City and the whales in funeral pyres along the coast." (Tonight at Noon, Sue Mingus) Per his wishes, the composer’s ashes were scattered in the Ganges River in India by his wife, Sue Mingus.

Mingus left behind one of the most significant bodies of work in American music as a bassist, pianist, composer, arranger, bandleader, author, and independent record label founder and producer – in all, a trailblazing artist and singularly unique cultural figure. After his death, he became the first Black American composer to have his entire body of works purchased by the United States Library of Congress for preservation and research. His music continues to inspire listeners across the world today, 46 years after his passing, and we are honored to continue his legacy.

LET MY CHILDREN HEAR MUSIC

photo 1: Sy Johnson (Mingus Archives), 1978

photo 2: Article, “Beached Whales Puzzling” Daily Sitka Sentinel, Sitka, Alaska, Thu, Jan 11, 1979

photo 3: Joni Mitchell, “Mingus Down In Mexico”, painting, 1979 (Mingus Archives)