"Some of Richmond's best jazz musicians are jamming to fight ALS" -- WTVR 

Thanks to WTVR for helping to promote this weekend's upcoming concerts! 

The jazz artist Charles Mingus was born in Nogales, Arizona in 1922. At the time his father, Charles Mingus, Sr., was a U.S. Army Sargeant stationed in Nogales. His mother, Harriett Sophia Mingus, née Phillips, died when Charles Mingus, Jr. was several months old, soon after the family moved to Los Angeles. It seems he grew up in musical family -- his two sisters and stepbrother played musical instruments, and music at church had a big impact on his early development as a musician. 

Charles Mingus, Sr. was among those in the U.S. Army who were Buffalo Soldiers (when the Army was racially segregated). There are two cities called Nogales -- one in Arizona, and the other right across the border in Mexico. There were a number of border skirmishes during the Mexican Revolution (1910-1920), and it would be interesting to find out what role Charles Mingus, Sr. had in the Army during this time. 

​It is fascinating to think that Charles Mingus, Sr. was stationed in Richmond, VA in the late 1890s. Interesting geographical coincidence, given that MAP concerts have been happening in Richmond since 2007. 

The theme of borders and interstices seems to be a key part of Charles Mingus, Jr.'s life and work -- the fact that he was biracial, that he developed music that drew on intersections among various influences and genres (e.g. blues, jazz, western classical), that he worked among borders between traditional and experimental forms, and more. Discussions about the U.S.-Mexico border continue to be polarizing and politically charged, and politics is something that Mingus never backed away from, in his life and music. Having been born in the borderlands (frontera Estados Unidos–México) must've had a big influence on him. As his son Eric Mingus said in an interview with the journalist John Washington, "That was what he was all about, the bleeding of cultures."

Mark your calendars! The 17th Annual Charles Mingus Festival & High School Competition happens February 14-16, 2025. 

The Santa Cruz Advocates for the Arts hosts an annual Mingus Project, with performances by by high school students and other musicians (Nogales, Arizona). The next celebration happens on Mingus' birthday later this month! 

The Mingus Mill, which is in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, has new signage that commemorates its connection to the fabric of American culture and history. As part of its African American Experiences in the Smokies Project, GSMNP has new signage that shows connections between Charles Mingus and the Mingus Mill, including African American individuals who were enslaved on the property. Last month Eric Mingus gave a presentation and performance during an event celebrating the installations of the new signage in the park, described in an article by Aaron Searcy, who is with the Great Smoky Mountains Association.

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever has just had its global theatrical release. One interesting connection between that movie and Charles Mingus is the Haitian Revolution. One of the new characters in the most recent installment in the Black Panther universe is T'Challa's secret son, who calls himself Toussaint -- a name inspired by Toussaint Louverture, who was one of the leaders of the Haitian Revolution. Earlier this year The New York Times did a deep investigation into the cost of Haiti's freedom, quite astonishing.

"Haitian Fight Song" (on The Clown) seems to be inspired by the Haitian Revolution, overlapped with the early years of the Civil Rights movement. "Haitian Fight Song" has been included in a number of MAP concerts, and it will be exciting to see and hear how Michael Hawkins & the Brotherhood perform it at the Firehouse Theatre next February.

We're excited that a Mingus Awareness Project concert happens in Richmond on February 5th -- at the Firehouse Theatre. Visit firehousetheatre.org for ticket info.

Sue Graham Mingus passed away on September 24th. She was a courageous and talented woman who worked and lived with her husband Charles, and then championed his music and legacy for decades after his death. Here is a remembrance of Sue Graham Mingus on Fresh Air, including an interview that Terry Gross did with Sue in 2002.

We were able to get in contact with Sue in 2007, and we are grateful to have known her. She donated a signed Mingus Awareness Project poster to us, which was then auctioned off for benefit purpose. She read passages from her memoir Tonight at Noon: A Love Story during a MAP concert in 2009, to a receptive and engaged audience at The Hideout.