Mercury · in the Kissa Kissa racks
Pre-Bird
| Recorded | May 24-25, 1960 |
|---|---|
| Label | Mercury |
| Released | 1960 |
| Personnel | 28 credited players |
| Discogs | master 280053 |
The record
Mingus reaching back before Bird changed everything, stretching his early Ellington and gospel roots across woodwind-heavy charts thick with flutes, oboe, and cello. A 1960 Mercury date with Dolphy and Lateef doubling flute and Roland Hanna and Paul Bley splitting piano duties -- dense, orchestral, and unlike anything else in his catalogue.
Session personnel
- Charles Mingus — bass
- Charles McCracken — cello
- Dannie Richmond — drums
- Robert DiDomenica — flute
- Eric Dolphy — flute [flutes]
- Yusef Lateef — flute [flutes]
- Harry Shulman — oboe
- George Scott — percussion
- Sticks Evans — percussion
- Roland Hanna — piano
- Paul Bley — piano [alternating]
- Bill Barron — saxophone [saxes]
- Booker Ervin — saxophone [saxes]
- Danny Bank — saxophone [saxes]
- Joe Farrell — saxophone [saxes]
- John LaPorta — saxophone [saxes]
- Charles Greenlee — trombone [trombones]
- Eddie Bert — trombone [trombones]
- Jimmy Knepper — trombone [trombones]
- Slide Hampton — trombone [trombones]
- Clark Terry — trumpet [trumpets]
- Hobart Dotson — trumpet [trumpets]
- Marcus Belgrave — trumpet [trumpets]
- Richard Williams — trumpet [trumpets]
- Ted Curson — trumpet [trumpets]
- Don Butterfield — tuba
- Lorraine Cousins — vocals [vocal]
- Max Roach — percussion
Contemporary reception
No period review located yet. The vintage-press pipeline searches DownBeat, Cash Box, and Billboard for this session.
Pressings
Both 1961 US Mercury issues head the list, stereo SR 60627 and mono MG 20627, each with a laminated sleeve, and promo copies of both are listed too. A 1964 Netherlands mono is the early import. After that it is reissue territory: a 1973 US mono MG 20627, Japanese pressings including SFX-10545 in 1977 and Limelight EXPR-1015 in 1982, and a 2023 European limited edition on Now Or Never, NON23001.
Showing the first pressing, audiophile reissues and copies carrying a collector marker, out of 29 pressings on file.
| 1961 | Mercury · MG 20627 — Vinyl, LP, Album, Mono earliest on file · laminated sleeve |
|---|---|
| 1961 | Mercury · SR 60627 — Vinyl, LP, Album, Stereo · laminated sleeve |
| 1961 | Mercury · MG-20627 — Vinyl, LP, Album, Promo, Mono, High Fidelity - Laminated Cover - For Broadcast Only - Not For Sale · laminated sleeve |
| 1961 | Mercury · SR 60627 — Vinyl, LP, Album, Promo, Stereo · laminated sleeve |
| 1964 | Mercury · 125 113 MCL — Vinyl, LP, Album, Mono · laminated sleeve |
| 1973 | Mercury · 63 38 281 — Vinyl, LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo |
| 1973 | Mercury · MG 20627 — Vinyl, LP, Album, Reissue, Mono |
| 1974 | Fontana · 6430 078 — Vinyl, LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo |
| 1975 | Mercury · 6338906 — Vinyl, LP, Album, Reissue |
| 1975 | Mercury · 7238 005 — Cassette, Album, Reissue, Stereo |
| 1977 | Mercury · SFX-10545 — Vinyl, LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo |
| 1979 | Mercury · BT-5309 — Vinyl, LP, Album, Limited Edition, Reissue, Stereo |
| 1982 | Limelight · EXPR-1015 — Vinyl, LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo |
| 1983 | Limelight · EVER-1015 — Vinyl, LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo |
Follow the players
Charles Mingus also plays on
Charles McCracken also plays on
Dannie Richmond also plays on
Robert DiDomenica also plays on