Charles Mingus

Charles Mingus was a jazz performer noted as a pioneer of upright bass performance among other innovations. He is considered a major proponent of collective improvisation as well as one of the greatest jazz performers of all time. His focus was primarily on bebop and its variants. He was honored by the National Endowment for the Arts, the New York Public Library, and the Library of Congress. Mingus has influenced numerous rock musicians such as Elvis Costello, Joni Mitchell, and Keith Richards.