Fables of Faubus
Fables of Faubus is a jazz composition by Charles Mingus.
The title
The piece sat Orval E. Faubus Charles Mingus, Governor of Arkansas, a monument. 1957 Faubus tried to prevent racial integration in the schools of Little Rock in the state of Arkansas with the help of the National Guard. Who evidence of this issue examined in the music, will find it difficult, as so often with Mingus the title is a term that is not reflected in the musical content. The piece was already done before, as Governor Faubus made headlines. The drummer Dannie Richmond recalls: At the beginning it did not even have a title .... One night we played it, and Mingus asked: "Nominal ' someone ridiculous ," and I thought of nothing better than to say, " Governor Faubus ". However, the political content immigrated to the chant, which is first documented in the version of Candid plate.
The text says, among other things: Hergott, let us not tar and feathers. Hergott, niemehr swastikas. Hergott, niemehr Ku Klux Klan. Give me someone ridiculous, Dannie? Governor Faubus! Why is he so sick and ridiculous? He does not want integrated schools. Then he's a fool! Buh!
" Fables of Faubus " by Charles Mingus, was recorded on his LP Mingus Ah Um Columbia in 1959, but in a version without the text, the record company Columbia refused to publish. The following year found the piece with text as "Original Faubus Fables " on the candid LP Charles Mingus Presents Charles Mingus with Eric Dolphy. This meant that this plate in apartheid South Africa could not be delivered.
In extended and further developed form, the piece was performed in 1964 with Dolphy several times in the U.S. and regularly on the European tour in April this year. Over the years, " Fables Of Faubus " changes its shape, so contains the version from the fall of 1964 called " New Fables " (on Right Now - Live At The Jazz Workshop ) allusions to other works of Mingus and recalls in particular Tijuana Moods.
Selection Discography
- Charles Mingus: Mingus Ah Um (Columbia, 1959)
- Charles Mingus: Charles Mingus Presents Charles Mingus ( Candid, 1960)
- Charles Mingus: The Great Concert, Paris 1964 (1964)
- Charles Mingus: Mingus In Europe Volume 1 ( Enja, 1964)
- Charles Mingus: Duke Ellington 's Sound Of Love (Memo, 1977)
- Pepper Adams: Plays Charles Mingus (FSR, 1963)
- Amungus Mingus: Live in Cuba (Live Force 1997)
Literature / Sources
- Marcus A. Woelfle: Liner notes to Charles Mingus: 80th Birthday Celebration ( Fantasy)
- Horst Weber, Gerd Filtgen: Charles Mingus, Gauting, Oreos ( Jazz Collection )
- Full Text (English )