How is the Mingus Big Band different from the Charles Mingus Orchestra?
The Mingus Big Band focuses less on the compositions and more on longer soloing. It’s a little bit freer, not that the Orchestra isn’t. Also, originally the Orchestra played acoustically, which is really an entirely different sound. But now I’ve also taken away the speakers and the monitors from the Big Band whenever we play in the club. We’re taking music back twenty years, getting rid of all that electricity. I like that sound much better.
