Recorded on this day 68 years ago… Pithecanthropus Erectus

Pithecanthropus Erectus by Charles Mingus

Recorded on this day 68 years ago… January 30, 1956, at Audio-Video Studios in New York City and released in August 1956 through Atlantic Records. Mingus noted that this was the first album where he taught arrangements to his musicians by ear instead of putting the chords and arrangements in writing.

“My whole conception with my present Jazz Workshop group deals with nothing written. I “write" compositions – but only on mental score paper – then I lay out the composition part by part to the musicians. I play them the "framework" on piano so that they are all familiar with my interpretation and feeling and with the scale and chord progressions to be used. Each man's own particular style is taken into consideration, both in ensemble and in solos. For instance, they are given different rows of notes to use against each chord but they choose their own notes and play them in their own style, from scales as well as chords, except where a particular mood is indicated. In this way, I find it possible to keep my own compositional flavor in the pieces and yet to allow the musicians more individual freedom in the creation of their group lines and solos…

PITHECANTHROPUS ERECTUS. This composition is actually a jazz tone poem because it depicts musically my conception of the modern counterpart of the first man to stand erect – how proud he was, considering himself the “first" to ascend from all fours, pounding his chest and preaching his superiority over the animals still in a prone position. Overcome with self-esteem, he goes out to rule the world, if not the universe, but both his own failure to realize the inevitable emancipation of those he sought to enslave, and his greed in attempting to stand on a false security, deny him not only the right of ever being a man, but finally destroy him completely. Basically the composition can be divided into four movements: (1) evolution, (2) superiority-complex, (3) decline, and (4) destruction.

The first three movements are played in an ABAC form by the group, the alto and tenor together describing the second movement; then each soloist repeats this form, telling the story in his own way. After the alto solo, the group again plays the original form, except that the third movement now develops into what I have called the fourth movement. The last movement is based on the third, but increases in tempo and intensity and reaches a definite climax, indicating the final destruction in the manner that a dying organism has one last frantic burst of motion before gasping its last breath. This piece was chosen as the title of the album because of the width of musical visibility and imagination contained in the thematic material.” - Charles Mingus, original liner notes from Pithecanthropus Erectus 

All tracks composed by Charles Mingus except where noted.

"Pithecanthropus Erectus"

"A Foggy Day" (George Gershwin)

"Profile of Jackie"

"Love Chant"

Charles Mingus – bass

Jackie McLean – alto saxophone

J. R. Monterose – tenor saxophone

Mal Waldron – piano

Willie Jones – drums

Produced by Nesuhi Ertegun