Adaptation of "The Weary Blues" (collaboration between Langston Hughes and Charles Mingus) presented by Washington Musica Viva

Washington Musica Viva presents an adaptation of "The Weary Blues," the 1958 collaboration between Langston Hughes and Charles Mingus. Poetry by Langston Hughes, original music by Charles Mingus and new music by Charles Gerard.

Holly Bass, reader; Pepe González, bass; John Kamman, guitar; Chris Royal, trumpet; Carl Banner, piano; Charley Gerard, alto saxophone; and Harold Summey, drums.

Performed in the Langston Room at Busboys and Poets in Washington DC on January 23, 2008.

The video below is the first of eight segments, which contains: contains:
1. "Hey!" (Gerard)
2. "The Weary Blues" (Gerard)
3. "Blues At Dawn" (Gerard) 

Used with permission by Washington Musica Viva. 

Click on one of the following titles to watch & hear more:   

4. "Commercial Theatre" (Gerard)
5. "Ballad of the Fortune Teller" (Gerard)
6. "Too Blue" (Gerard)
7. "Six-Bit Blues" (Gerard, based on Junior Parker's "Mystery Train") 
8. "Morning After" (Gerard)
9. "Could Be" (improvised)
10. "Bad Luck Card" (improvised)
11. "Bad Man" (Gerard)
12. "Life Is Fine" (Gerard)
13. "Hey! Hey!" (Gerard)
14. "Consider Me" (Mingus)
15. "Warning: Augmented" (no music)
16. "Motto" (Mingus)
17. "Dead In There" (Mingus. a.k.a. Weird Nightmare)
18. "Final Curve" (no music)
19. "Boogie 1 am" (improvised)
20. "Tell Me" (Chopin)
21. "Good Morning" (Mingus)

22. "Harlem" (improvised, Mingus)
23. "Same Is Blues" (improvised)
24. "Comments on a Curb" (Mingus)
25. "Democracy" (no music)
26. "Island" (Mingus. aka Double G Train) 
27. "Fall In Line" (Gerard)