3-Day Mingus Summit Coming to NYC

A three-day Charles Mingus Summit will be take place at the Manhattan School of Music, Feb. 20-22. The tribute will begin with an evening event including a keynote address by Gunther Schuller, followed with a panel discussion on Mingus and his music. Panelists will include musicians who performed with Mingus, as well as Schuller and Sue Mingus, the musician’s widow. and Saturday and Sunday will feature performances by Manhattan School jazz ensembles as well as the Mingus Dynasty. All events are free and open to the public.

The highlight of the Mingus Summit will be the 1st Annual Charles Mingus High School Competition. This competition, the brainchild of Sue Mingus, was open to high school bands from the Northeast. (Next year it will be open to high schools nationwide.) Some 60 submissions were received from high schools hailing from New York, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Connecticut for the pre-screening round, which was judged by Justin DiCioccio, Robin Eubanks and Vincent Herring. Five finalists in each of the two categories-big band and jazz combo-were selected. They will be showcased in the competition’s final round taking place on Sunday, Feb. 22 in Manhattan School of Music’s John C. Borden Auditorium. An awards ceremony will be held on Sunday, following a 5 pm concert to be given by the Manhattan School of Music Jazz Orchestra and Mingus Dynasty that will include Boris Kozlav (playing Mingus’ lionhead bass), Vincent Herring, Conrad Herwig, Donny McCaslin, Justin Faulkner, Alix Sipiagin and Helen Sung. Awards will be given to best big band, best combo, outstanding soloists, outstanding big band section and outstanding combo arrangement, as well as two scholarships to attend Manhattan School of Music.

For more information visit Manhattan School of Music.

Originally Published January 27, 2009