Biography

b. 8 July 1964, New York City, New York, USA. The son of the legendary jazz bass player, Charles Mingus, he too plays bass. For some years he worked as a session musician and backing singer, playing on dates with artists such as Carla Bley, Bobby McFerrin and Karen Mantler. When performing in his own right, Mingus’ work displays a politically aware and somewhat rebellious streak reminiscent of his father although in a different genre. In many of the songs he performs, some of which he also writes, he confronts issues that still detrimentally affect Black and mixed-race Americans. At the end of the 90s, Mingus’ reputation began to spread overseas, owing in part to an appearance in England at the Meltdown Festival, during which he performed at London’s Royal Festival Hall.