Mingus Big Band
The Pocket130 West 46th Street, New York 10036
Mingus Big Band brings its continuing Mingus Mondays residency to The Pocket for a 14-piece reading of Charles Mingus’s music. Created by Sue Mingus, the ensemble performs exclusively the work of the American composer, bassist and activist, presenting new large-band arrangements of pieces Mingus envisioned on a scale he was not always able to assemble during his lifetime. The band’s changing structure leaves room for deep exploration, evolving ideas and individual expression, following the model of Mingus’s own Jazz Workshop projects.
Drawing on a rotation of established and rising New York City musicians, Mingus Big Band has built its repertoire around the challenge and openness of Mingus’s compositions. Its approach is rooted in the music’s capacity for a larger ensemble while retaining space for players to shape the material in the moment. The group has received seven GRAMMY nominations, most recently for The Charles Mingus Centennial Sessions in 2022, and won in 2011 for Live at Jazz Standard. This is a band formed to keep Mingus’s book active: returning to its themes, structures and possibilities rather than treating them as fixed repertory.
The Pocket offers a close-up encounter with world-class jazz musicians in a small, focused setting where every note feels immediate and unfiltered. The room is designed to bring listeners near the performers, creating a direct connection that makes the music feel personal and vivid. Seating is limited and arranged to emphasize attentive listening rather than casual socializing, with a bar available to complement the experience. Shows are ticketed, encouraging an audience that is there to fully engage with the performance. The venue’s location in Manhattan places it within easy reach of the city’s vibrant cultural pulse, making it a perfect spot for an evening dedicated to serious jazz appreciation without distractions.