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Goodbye Pork Pie Hat (Patreon)
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"Goodbye Pork Pie Hat," one of Charles Mingus' most celebrated compositions, pays tribute to saxophonist Lester Young, who passed away shortly before Mingus recorded this jazz classic in 1959. Known for its poignant, blues-infused melody, the piece embodies Mingus' mastery of blending expressive depth with complex harmonic layering. Recorded on Mingus Ah Um, Mingus’ first album for Columbia Records, the song features some of the era's finest jazz musicians, including John Handy on alto saxophone and Booker Ervin on tenor, who both bring the melody’s aching undertones to life. With its emotional resonance and mournful swing, "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat" stands as a defining example of Mingus' ability to translate personal grief and admiration into music, merging traditional blues idioms with the exploratory spirit of hard bop.
This fingerstyle cover of "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat" stays true to the original in Eb. While you might find sheet music versions in Eb major or Ab major, I thought it’s best understood as being in Eb minor, starting with an Eb7+9 chord that gives it a darker, bluesy vibe. The cover follows the original structure: it opens with the theme, moves into the first chorus of the sax solo, and then returns to the theme. The harmony in the solo section is a bit simpler than the theme’s, but still has enough layers to keep it interesting and true to Mingus' unique style.
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