1959 gave us Kind of Blue, Time Out ... and Mingus Ah Um. Adam and Peter dig into Charles Mingus’s most adventurous, soulful record: gospel, bebop, and pure Mingus genius. You’ve never heard it quite like this.

Charles Mingus was one of jazz's greatest bass players AND composers. Listen with us as we break down the genius in every track of his best-selling record, and share stories of the brilliant, chaotic, occasionally volatile man behind Mingus Ah Um.

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00:00 — Opening Jam: "Better Git It In Your Soul"
01:40 — What's happening at Open Studio
3:15 — 1959: What a Great Year!
5:40 — Early Mingus
10:40 — "All the Things You Can C#" from Mingus at the Bohemia
11:40 — "A Foggy Day" from Pithecanthropus Erectus
16:15 — "Better Get Hit In Your Soul"
23:35 — This One is For the Nerds
27:50 — "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat"
34:36 — "Boogie Stop Shuffle"
38:30 — "Self-Portrait in Three Colors"
40:30 — The Duke Ellington Influence
45:10 — "Open Letter to Duke"
48:05 — "Bird Calls"
49:00 — "Fables of Faubus"
56:40 - "Pussy Cat Dues"
58:15 — "Jelly Roll"
1:00:15 — Categories
1:10:50 — GALA

At Town Hall captures a pivotal moment in Nina Simone's story, when she left behind her dream of being a concert pianist and embraced her identity as an indefinable and remarkable talent.

At Town Hall shows off Nina’s classical chops, infused with the jazz influences from working in nightclubs and mixed with the folk and gospel sounds of her youth. Adam and Peter pull apart the tracks to highlight each element of her unique musical blend.

This may not be one of her most recognizable albums, but it is one of her most interesting. It's made even more fascinating by the fact that Nina met bassist Wilbur Ware and drummer Ben Riley only as they walked on stage! Listen to hear her arranging and composing on the spot.

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In 1981, Michael Jackson and Quincy Jones set out on one of the most ambitious projects in pop music history: an album where every song was a hit. The result was Thriller. The record-breaking, chart-topping masterpiece produced six top-ten hits, became the best-selling album of all time, and propelled Black American music into global pop dominance.

Watch as jazz musicians Peter Martin and Adam Maness react to this iconic '80s pop album. They break it down track-by-track: MJ's timeless ad-libbed melodies, Ndugu Chancler's drum intros (the greatest in pop history?!), Greg Phillinganes's synths, and Rod Temperton's songwriting.

Thriller is so much more than "Thriller". Listen with us, and you'll never hear this record the same way again.

Michael Jackson unveils the moonwalk at NBC's Motown 25 special: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dB7TqzPVt_M&t=538s

Greg Phillinganes breaks down the bass line on "Thriller": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4UqxOg3M-OM

Adam and Peter analyze Off the Wall: https://youtu.be/jR9zxGueeq4

Start your free Open Studio trial for ALLLLL your jazz lesson needs: https://osjazz.link/yhi