Charles Mingus
August 3, 2026 DOI: 10.1093/9780197761540.003.0002 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Historical analysis |
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| Key points | Argues that Charles Mingus possessed mystical tendencies from early in life that surfaced in his personal relationships and music, shaped by his study of Hinduism and friendships with figures such as Farwell Taylor, Allen Ginsberg, and Timothy Leary, and that works such as "The Chill of Death," his later music, and his autobiography Beneath the Underdog express a vision of spiritual authenticity and personal freedom. |
Abstract
Abstract Charles Mingus from early in his life possessed mystical tendencies that surfaced in his personal relationships and began to be expressed in his music. A gifted double-bass player, Mingus became friends with Farwell Taylor, who influenced him to begin a serious study of Hinduism. Mingus read widely in contemporary literature and became acquainted with Allen Ginsberg and Timothy Leary and performed with poet Kenneth Patchen. Mingus’s powerful personality was expressed in a variety of original works that exhibited his mystical sensibility such as the early work for spoken voice and orchestra, “The Chill of Death.” In his later music and in his autobiography Beneath the Underdog, Mingus continued to express his vision of spiritual authenticity and personal freedom.