“Charles Mingus played with an incredible and diverse array of artists in his career, including Louis Armstrong, Lionel Hampton, Red Norvo, Charlie Parker, and Duke Ellington, and he could and did play appropriately and authentically with these ensembles. At the same time, he was one of the pioneers of modern, experimental jazz techniques, which challenged the instrument’s traditional time-keeping function.
“He was a highly proficient and virtuosic bassist and had large, powerful hands, but uniquely Mingus also possessed great speed, agility and dexterity. He plucked predominantly, if not exclusively, with only his right-hand index finger, as James Jamerson would have done on double bass, and indeed did when he switched to bass guitar.
“Mingus was able to play with adroitness, power and momentum and often employed a rapid-fire, one-finger tremolo…
