7-inch Record Specialty Shop Notes 1221: "Mingus Presents Mingus"
Continuing with New Year's jazz, this "Charles Mingus Presents Charles Mingus" is a genuine different jacket. It is a French pressing on the "America Records" label. It says FACE A and FACE B. Please look at the YouTube screen for the original... or rather, the famous jacket. I like this record... or rather, it's valuable, isn't it? It starts right off with member introductions, and the MC throughout—I'm not sure if it's all of it—is also included in full.
And what I like about it is the beginning of the second track, "Original Faubus Fables." It starts with an MC and then the performance begins right as the singing starts. It's "Original Faubus Fables," where a theatrical back-and-forth unfolds. It is a political message against Arkansas Governor Orval Faubus. There was an incident in 1957 known as the "Little Rock Nine," where nine African American youths tried to enroll in Little Rock Central High School, which had a segregation policy in place, and the governor sent in the National Guard to prevent them from doing so.
The first release in 1959 was instrumental, but that was because Columbia Records was scared of the lyrics and refused to include them, so it was released with lyrics on this 1961 album when it was put out by CANDID. In other words, this record is a different jacket for the CANDID release. Well, by leaving this history with Columbia, the message against racial discrimination became even stronger. It's a fact from just about 65 years ago, though.
Our sense regarding minorities has also changed quite a bit. Lately, I've been enjoying watching the success of Shohei Ohtani of the Dodgers, and well, the racial diversification of Major League Baseball has become something incredible. It is a fascinating fact that stays in my mind that Ohtani, who is also a minority, is being treated like a "moral textbook" within that environment. Of course, the BGM is "Faubus Fables."
In terms of the performance, I bought it because Eric Dolphy was participating, but once you listen to this song, such things become irrelevant. I would like to collect CANDID records properly, but they are not something you can easily get at a low price. I obtained this record a long time ago without knowing the background or circumstances of the song, but that actually makes it even more interesting to me now.
Other than going to Kyoto, it was a luxurious New Year's where I did absolutely nothing, almost like a sleeping New Year's, so I was just kind of zoning out, but well, I listened to records like this and gave my brain a little stimulation.
We resumed business for the New Year yesterday. Thank you for your continued support.