One of the greatest jazz albums of all time, 'Ah Um' from 1959, is like a benediction to the roots of African-American music and gospel. Recorded at a time when the great bass man was frequently paying homage to inspirational jazz figures like Waller, Monk and, on this occasion, Lester Young ('Goodbye Porkpie Hat'), Ellington ('Open Letter To Duke') and Jelly Roll Morton ('Jelly Roll'). The band, featuring Jimmy Knepper's trombone and Horace Parlan on piano, in addition to a hard blowing front line of Ervin, Handy III and Hadi, whip up an incredible intensity and inject the compositions with a sense of both drama and comedy. An amazing achievement.

At least three became instant classics, starting with the spiritual exuberance of signature tune "Better Git It in Yo' Soul," punctuated by joyous gospel shouts. "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat" is a slow, graceful elegy for Lester Young, who died not long before the sessions. "Boogie Stop Shuffle" is bursting with aggressive swing, and elsewhere there are tributes to Mingus' three most revered influences: "Open Letter to Duke" is a suite of three tunes; "Bird Calls" is inspired by Charlie Parker ; and "Jelly Roll" is an idiosyncratic yet affectionate nod to jazz's first great composer, Jelly Roll Morton. It simply isn't possible to single out one Mingus album as definitive, but Mingus Ah Um comes the closest.

Mingus Ah Um made Charles Mingus an acclaimed leader in modern jazz. Perhaps that is why his Columbia follow-up, Mingus Dynasty, is often overlooked in his canon - it is lost in the shadow of its legendary predecessor. It is an excellent album, a testament to just how high a level Mingus was working on that an album of this caliber could have got lost in the shuffle. Many of the originals here were composed for film and television scores. On some pieces, Mingus refines and reworks territory he'd previously hit upon. "Slop" for example, is another gospel-inflected stormer, similar to "Better Git It In Your Soul."

The bands that Mingus assembled at Columbia's 30th Street studio in May and November of 1959 consisted of the greatest exponents of his music to date. Featured sidemen include Jimmy Knepper, John Handy, Booker Ervin, Horace Parlan and Dannie Richmond. There was no stopping this incredible musical mind who'd found his voice as a bassist, composer and bandleader.