“That was a thrill”: Joni Mitchell on the best way to listen to Charles Mingus
Self-aggrandising musicians making it up as they go along, or the pinnacle of musical expression, perceptions of jazz music can often be quite dividing. Although the advent of jazz during the late 19th and early 20th century paved the way for virtually all modern, grassroots, and DIY music as we know it today, many listeners struggle to grasp the complex, spiritual nature of jazz as a genre. Joni Mitchell, for instance, was once a jazz sceptic before being converted by the vibrant sounds of composer Charles Mingus.
From his early childhood in 1920s Arizona, Mingus had been destined to achieve musical greatness. Finding a natural knack for the cello, the budding young musician found himself ostracised from classical music scenes due both to his inability to read traditional notation, as well as the unavoidable levels of racial discrimination which were rampant throughout the United States for much of the 20th century. This quickly led a young Mingus to find solace in the all-accepting world of jazz, worshipping figures like Duke Ellington.
Throughout the 1940s and into the 1950s, Mingus tirelessly dedicated himself to American jazz music, performing alongside such greats as Louis Armstrong, Charlie Parker, and Dizzy Gillespie. Before too long, the Arizona-born musician became recognised as a composer and bandleader in his own right, eventually rising through the ranks to become one of the most prominent and influential jazz musicians and part-time cat trainers of the century, hailed for his timeless, spiritual playing style.
By the time the 1960s rolled around, Mingus was at the top of his game, yet his appeal was largely still limited to jazz scenes rather than the musical mainstream. The decade brought with it the age of hippie counterculture and folk revival, with figures like Joni Mitchell using music as a form of social protest and expression – something that underappreciated jazz stars had been doing for decades prior. Nevertheless, Mitchell never paid much attention to jazz during those early years; instead, she devoted herself to the traditions and history of folk music.
Given that much of Mingus’ musical career had been noted for its collaborations, it is not all that surprising that the jazz icon desperately wished to work with Mitchell as a forerunner in this countercultural age. So, in 1978, Mingus reached out to the folk singer, although she was not initially convinced by the offer. “I wasn’t a fan—he chose me for the project,” she told New York Magazine back in 2005. However, after being exposed to his musical prowess first-hand, Mitchell could not help but bask in his genius.
“I came to be very fond of him in a short space of time,” she shared. “Like me, he had a wide emotional spectrum, from timid—well, I guess I’m not so timid anymore [Laughs.]—to a raging bull. But I did like his most melodic songs, like ‘Reincarnation of a Love Bird.’”
Reportedly, the turning point in Mitchell’s appreciation for Mingus came upon seeing him perform live. “I didn’t appreciate the bombastic quality of Mingus’s music until I sat in amongst the horns with them puffing all around me,” she explained. “That’s the best way to appreciate Mingus, to be sitting right in the horn section. That was a thrill.”
Together, Mitchell and Mingus crafted the 1979 album Mingus, which was released only a few months following the tragic death of the jazz artist. Expectedly, the record sees Mitchell embrace experimental, avant-jazz, in the spirit of Mingus’ playing style. Their collaborations on the album form some of the most interesting and unexpected works in Mitchell’s discography, reflecting the lasting impact of a true musical innovator like Charles Mingus.
