Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting
Context
Opening track of Blues & Roots, recorded on February 4, 1959 at Atlantic in New York and released in March 1960. Nesuhi Ertegun had suggested to Mingus an entire blues album, in response to critics who reproached him for not swinging enough; Mingus claims here a music that is "churchy, blues, swinging, earthy." The nonet lines up Jackie McLean, John Handy, Booker Ervin, Pepper Adams and Jimmy Knepper.
In the genealogy of jazz
This track belongs to Hard bop, Blues, spirituals, work songs. Among the origins and influences of Hard bop: Blues, spirituals, work songs, Bebop (Minton's, Monroe's).