Mingus Big Band
The Pocket130 West 46th Street, New York 10036
Mingus Big Band brings its ongoing Mingus Mondays residency to The Pocket with a 14-piece ensemble devoted exclusively to the music of Charles Mingus. Created by Sue Mingus, the band plays new arrangements of his compositions in the larger-band format he envisioned but was not always able to assemble. Its rotating cast of established and rising New York musicians gives the music room for deep exploration and individual expression, carrying forward the open-ended spirit of Mingus’s Jazz Workshop projects.
Based in New York, Mingus Big Band has become a long-running keeper of this repertory, which The New York Times described as requiring “the muscle, the affection for history, the willingness to take chances, the guts and soulfulness.” The Guardian called the group “appropriately weighty and agile,” praising its “workshop spontaneity.” The band has received seven Grammy nominations, most recently for The Charles Mingus Centennial Sessions in 2022, and won in 2011 for Live at Jazz Standard. Sue Mingus founded the ensemble and serves as its artistic director; its personnel rotates rather than following a fixed lineup.
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.