As of October 2021, the Mingus Big Band has found a new home. The Grammy-winning repertory ensemble now holds a Tuesday-night weekly residency at the Django, a jazz club in Manhattan’s TriBeCa neighborhood.
Founded by Charles Mingus’ widow Sue in 1991, the 14-piece Mingus Big Band specializes in the compositions of the legendary bassist and composer (who died in 1979 with the second-largest body of work of any American jazz composer, after Duke Ellington). Since 2008, the ensemble had performed every Monday night at the Jazz Standard. However, the residency was first sidelined by the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020, then dealt a body blow with the Standard’s closure in December.
The Mingus Big Band’s new home, the Django, is located in the basement of the Roxy Hotel (6th Avenue between White and Walker Streets). They perform every Tuesday night with sets at 7:30 and 9:30 p.m.
“We are thrilled to have this opportunity to revive the vital weekly celebration of Mingus and bring back what stood for years as one of the highlights of New York’s jazz scene,” Ken Fowser, music director of the Django, said in a statement. “It is an honor to provide a platform where Mingus’s music and legacy can continue to thrive. We look forward to welcoming the vibrant musicians, Mingus’s spirit and repertoire, and their loyal fans to our club each and every week for the foreseeable future.”
Boris Kozlov, the band’s bassist and music director, added, “We are so lucky to be sharing Mingus’s music and playing live at the Django. We are thrilled to reconnect with our audience in this beautiful venue as we gear up for Mingus’s centennial celebration in April 2022.”
Visit TheDjangoNYC.com or CharlesMingus.com for more information.
