Previously available on vinyl from Gatemouth records, this reissue has an alternate take of the CD's centerpiece, a quintet version of Cumbia and Jazz Fusion which Charles Mingus originally recorded for a film score with a 15-piece band. The stripped-down version holds its own charm, wit and power, perhaps more than the Mingus take because of the lack of density and the space given for individuals to shine, those being drummer Richmond, trumpeter Jack Walrath, saxophonist Ricky Ford, pianist Bob Neloms and bassist Cameron Brown. The first take of Cumbia starts with chatty drums and ostinato bass leading to multiple, strung-together melodies with Spanish bullfight spice, alternating call and response or unison between trumpet and Ford's tenor sax, then hard swing before heading back to the ostinato for solos. The held and released tension by Brown's bass is marvelously seductive. The swing slows to a tender solo piano by Neloms, followed by a cowboy-ish tenor, more hard swinging, a drum solo, a trumpet solo by the ever-effervescent Walrath, and hard swinging on the way out. This is a highly developed piece, quite different than the original. The alternate take, three minutes longer than the 21½-minute first take, has some not-so-subtle variations: the bass is more sour, the cowboy section wilder, and solos are naturally longer. The other three cuts are typical of Mingus without being written by him. Feel No Evil by Walrath has a quick bass vamp for horns to feed off of, heavy and deep; Seven Words by Neloms is a bright, singing, seven-note recurring line that has branches and veins of sub-melodies sprouting everywhere over a sometimes funky, swinging or tango-informed rhythm; and the two-beat ballad of Richmond's writing April Denise is at once delicate and searing courtesy of the horns, specifcally Ford's soprano. Richmond has since passed away, leaving this great recording behind as a testament to his voracity and the enduring legacy of Mingus. Highly recommended. ~ Michael G. Nastos, Rovi

1		Cumbia and Jazz Fusion
2		Feel No Evil
3		April Denise
4		Seven Words
5		Cumbia and Jazz Fusion [Alternate Take]

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