Charles Mingus is one of the most importantmdash;and most mythologizedmdash;composers and performers in jazz history. Classically trained and of mixed race; he was an outspoken innovator as well as a bandleader; composer; producer; and record-label owner. His vivid autobiography; Beneath the Underdog; has done much to shape the image of Mingus as something of a wild man: idiosyncratic musical genius with a penchant for skirt-chasing and violent outbursts. But; as the autobiography reveals; he was also a hopeless romantic. After exploring the most important events in Mingusrsquo;s life; Krin Gabbard takes a careful look at Mingus as a writer as well as a composer and musician. He digs into how and why Mingus chose to do so much self-analysis; how he worked to craft his racial identity in a world that saw him simply as ldquo;black;rdquo; and how his mental and physical health problems shaped his career. Gabbard sets aside the myth-making and convincingly argues that Charles Mingus created a unique language of emotionsmdash;and not just in music. Capturing many essential moments in jazz history anew; Better Git It in Your Soul will fascinate anyone who cares about jazz; African American history; and the artistrsquo;s life.
#1238735 in eBooks 2015-11-03 2015-11-03File Name: B0195EWCZM
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