Mingus (album)

Mingus is the 1979 album by Joni Mitchell, a collaboration with jazz musician Charles Mingus recorded in the months before his passing. Most of the songs are written by Mingus, with lyrical and arrangement contributions from Mitchell. The album itself is quite experimental, featuring minimalist jazz, overplucked, buzzing acoustic guitars and even wolves howling through "The Wolf That Lives In Lindsey"; the album is spliced with excerpts (labelled "(Rap)") from tape recordings provided by Sue-Graham Mingus, including a scat singing interplay between Joni and Mingus, and Charles and Sue arguing over his age at a birthday party.

Related Topics:
1979 - Joni Mitchell - Charles Mingus - Scat singing

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"God Must Be A Boogie Man" was the only song Mingus was unable to hear, having taken shape two days after his passing; Mitchell posits in the liner notes that Mingus would have found it hilarious due to its raucous nature.

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The artwork features several paintings by Mitchell of Mingus.

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