Charles Mingus approached his music as a means of self-expression and redefinition--a means of overcoming inner antagonisms and the barriers of race. His creative genius was in a large part attributed to his focus and intensity as he was once quoted as saying (speaking about himself and Max Roach), "we both spent twenty-four hours a day thinking about music." Miles Davis once said, "he was always an inventive, hard driving, imaginative musician."

Of his early work, Gunther shuler Schuller noted, ".......striking example of a new compositional voice struggling to be heard". He further noted, "Many of Mingus' later conceptual and ideological traits can be heard in this early effort: the caustic biting humor; the wild dense contrapuntal textures accumulated, so to speak, out of multiple spontaneous lines; the forays into atonality."

These traits are especially true of his 1959 composition entitled Good Bye Pork Pie Hat. This ballad was written for and dedicated to one of the first truly great jazz saxophonist just after his death.

Who did Charles Mingus dedicate the tune Good Bye Pork Pie Hat?

Thank you to everyone who entered this month's Saxquest trivia contest. This month's question was a bit too easy so we'll be sure to challenge you a bit more next month!! Thanks again for playing and GOOD LUCK with this month's contest!!!