The Charles Mingus Dynasty Quintet

The nimble and expert Mingus Dynasty was the first band Sue Mingus organized after Charles Mingus’s death in 1979. Although big bands like the Glenn Miller and Tommy Dorsey bands had continued to perform after their leader passed on, a similar legacy never existed for smaller ensembles. Because Mingus always said he was first and foremost a composer, and because he left behind over 300 compositions that deserved to be played, a band carrying on his music became a natural, if unanticipated, mission. For the sake of authenticity, the first Dynasty bands were expected to include only musicians who had actually performed with Mingus—except for the bass player of course.

Today, nearly forty years later, the rich legacy of Mingus music ignites the bandstand while new generations of musicians—many of them not even alive during the composer’s lifetime—add their individual voices and continue to interpret and build on his compositions.

Visit the Official Band Web Page

About Sue Mingus and The Mingus Institute

Tenor: Wayne Escoffery - Leader
http://www.wayneescoffery.com

Trumpet: Tatum Greenblatt
http://tatumgreenblatt.com

Piano: Dave Kikowski
http://davekikoski.com/about/

Bass: Andy McKee
http://www.andymckee.info

Drums: Donald Edwards
http://www.donaldedwards.com

Bass: Andy McKee