Goodbye Pork Pie Hat

Recording and release

“Goodbye Pork Pie Hat” is presented here in its 1959 recording by Charles Mingus. It appears on Mingus Ah Um and was written in remembrance of saxophonist Lester Young.

Sound and arrangement

A dark, lyrical theme unfolds through a richly voiced small-group arrangement. The ensemble blends instrumental colours without making every line behave in the same way, giving the melody an expressive internal movement. The bass and rhythm section support a measured pulse beneath the changing harmonies.

Listening notes

Listen to the relationship between the main melody and the voices moving around it. The performance’s feeling comes from that collective texture as much as from an individual solo. Returning to the opening theme after the improvisation can reveal new shades in its phrasing.