the black saint and the sinner lady

Charles Mingus and his eleven piece band recorded the organized chaos of this allegorical ethnic folk dance emancipation in one day.   'The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady' was produced by Bob Thiele and engineered by Bob Simpson with Charles Mingus on double bass and piano; Jerome Richardson on soprano saxophone, baritone saxophone, and flute; Charlie Mariano on alto saxophone; Dick Hafer on tenor saxophone and flute; Rolf Ericson and Richard Williams on trumpet; Quentin Jackson on trombone; Don Butterfield on tuba and contrabass trombone; Jaki Byard on piano; Jay Berliner on acoustic guitar; and Dannie Richmond on drums.

'The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady' comprised six suites composed by Mingus that were conceived as a ballet.  He revealed in the liner notes:   "I wrote the music for dancing and listening. It is true music with much and many of my meanings. It is my living epitaph from birth til the day I first heard of Bird and Diz. Now it is me again. This music is only one little wave of styles and waves of little ideas my mind has encompassed through living in a society that calls itself sane, as long as you're not behind iron bars where there at least one can't be half as crazy as in most of the ventures our leaders take upon themselves to do and think for us, even to the day we should be blown up to preserve their idea of how life should be. Crazy? They'd never get out of the observation ward at Bellevue.     I did. So, listen how. Play this record."

The album was recorded shortly after Mingus was discharged from Bellevue Psychiatric Hospital.  Clinical Psychologist Dr. Edmund Pollock wrote in the liner notes:    "He feels intensively. He tries to tell people he is in great pain and anguish because he loves. He cannot accept that he is alone, all by himself; he wants to love and be loved. His music is a call for acceptance, respect, love, understanding, fellowship, freedom - a plea to change the evil in man and to end hatred. The titles of this composition suggest the plight of the black man and a plea to the white man to be aware. He seems to state that the black man is not alone but all mankind must unite in revolution against any society that restricts freedom and human rights...Mr. Mingus thinks this is his best record. It may very well be his best to date for his present stage of development as other records were in his past. It must be emphasized that Mr. Mingus is not yet complete. He is still in a process of change and personal development. Hopefully the integration in society will keep pace with his. One must continue to expect more surprises from him." 






http://mingusmingusmingus.com/










1. "Track A – Solo Dancer"   "Stop! Look! And Listen, Sinner Jim Whitney!" 6:39
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vgs0_TDS7Fs



"Track B – Duet Solo Dancers"   "Hearts' Beat and Shades in Physical Embraces" 6:45









'The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady' 
full album:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zFA0FYQo0Gg


0:00 Solo Dancer
6:40 Duet Solo Dancers
13:23 Group Dancers
20:45 Trio and Group Dancers/ Single Solos and Group Dance/ Group and Solo Dance