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.
Difficulty = Demanding
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).
