Charles Mingus (April 22, 1922 – January 5, 1979) was an American jazz double-bassist, composer, and bandleader, active from the 1940s to the 1970s. He worked with Duke Ellington, Charlie Parker, and Max Roach while shaping a style that fused bebop, gospel, blues, hard bop, and classical form. His music balanced structure and improvisation across post-bop, […]
Embryo is a German ethno-jazz/rock ensemble that debuted with the 1970 Ohr release Opal, followed by nine albums through the decade on United Artists, Brain, and April Records. During the 1980s, they released further albums on Schneeball and Materiali Sonori. Members: Christian Burchard (vibraphone, hammer dulcimer, percussion, vocals, marimba, drums, 1969-2018), Edgar Hofmann (saxophone, flute, […]
The Mysterious Flying Orchestra were an American jazz-funk big band arranged by conductor–composer Bob Thiele for 1977 self-titled album for RCA. Members: Bob Thiele (conductor, composition, percussion), Phil Bodner (tenor saxophone, English horn), Babe Clarke (baritone saxophone), Eddie Daniels (flute, tenor saxophone), Steve Marcus (soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone), Charlie Mariano (soprano saxophone), Bob Mintzer (tenor […]
Pork Pie was a multinational jazz-rock supergroup led by Dutch keyboardist Jasper van’t Hof with Belgian guitarist Philip Catherine and American saxophonist Charlie Mariano. They followed their 1974 debut Transitory with the 1976 album The Door Is Open, both on the German MPS label. Members: Jasper van’t Hof (piano, electric piano, organ, synthesizer, keyboards, celesta, […]
Reflections is an album by American big-band saxophonist Charlie Mariano, recorded with Finnish jazz-rock musicians and released in 1974 on RCA Victor. Tracklist: A1. “Glenford Crescent” (5:40) A2. “Naima” (8:48) A3. “Brother Muthaiah” (7:16) A4. “Spanish Dance No. 2” (4:26) B1. “Blue in Green” (5:52) B2. “Thiruvarankulam” (4:53) B3. “Chile” (6:03) B4. “Rambling” (10:57) Credits: Charlie […]
Spider’s Dance is the debut solo album by German jazz-rock guitarist Toto Blanke, released in 1975 on Vertigo. Tracklist: A1. “Lady’s Bicycle Seat Smeller” (7:00) A2. “Intermission” (6:58) A3. “Rocbaron” (2:45) A4. “Toto” (6:22) B1. “Spider’s Dance” (4:33) B2. “Prelude” (0:58) B3. “Slight Touch of Hepatitis” (14:28) Credits: Toto Blanke — electric guitar, acoustic guitar, […]
The Door Is Open is the second album by Pork Pie, the multinational jazz-rock collective led by Dutch pianist Jasper Van’t Hof. The album was released in 1976 on MPS. Tracklist: A1. “Devil Toes” (5:37) A2. “Zana” (7:25) A3. “Telisi Rama” (5:09) A4. “He’s Gone” (2:32) B1. “Simul Synchrone” (6:14) B2. “Avoid the Year of […]
Yellow Fields is an album by German jazz bassist Eberhard Weber, released in January 1976 on ECM. A1. “Touch” (5:02) “Touch” opens in slow unison with Weber’s sustained arco bass resonating beneath Rainer Brüninghaus’s crystalline synth voicings and Jon Christensen’s brushed cymbals. Charlie Mariano enters on soprano saxophone with long, rounded lines that circle the […]
The Mysterious Flying Orchestra is a jazz-funk album by the namesake studio ensemble headed by producer Bob Thiele with a host of notable players, including Charlie Mariano, Larry Coryell, Lonnie Liston Smith, and Steve Marcus. The album was released in 1977 on RCA. Tracklist: A1. “Improvisational Rondo for Saxophone and Guitar” (7:06) A2. “Shadows” (7:04) A3. “A […]
