Charles Mingus - 1974
‘Sue’s Changes’ was released on the 1975 album “Changes One” by Charles Mingus. The composition brilliantly pulls together much of what we discuss on this web site.
There are five sections or movements to this composition. Each section introduces different rhythmic, harmonic and melodic material:
Section A (bar 1) uses Destinational Tonality and Advanced Forms.
Section B (bar 12) –Traditional Destinational Harmony.
Section C (bar 18) – Open Forms (pedal points).
Section D (bar 34) – Destinational Tonality.
Section E (bar 42) – Collective Forms (collective improv)
The first of the five sections moves the bass line in whole or half steps for a full nine bars, which, in itself, creates an Aural Logic (Link). Mingus also sticks close to familiar changes throughout- employing Sister Chords and Tritone Substitutions (Example 1).
