The Dijon Summers Sextet presents a set of Charles Mingus compositions, music that sits at the crossroads of blues, gospel, swing, bebop, and the early avant garde,
written to be played with honesty and intent. Mingus was one of jazz’s most significant composer/bandleaders, and a bassist who redefined the role of the
double bass in modern jazz: not just outlining harmony and time, but shaping form, momentum, dynamics, and density inside the band. His writing often combines riff-based structures and moves quickly between tightly arranged sections and open improvisation. Expect layered horn voicings, strong call and response, collective
improvisation, and Mingus’s trademark contrast- big ensemble sound one moment, stripped back chamber textures the next. This sextet approaches Mingus’s repertoire with a focus on ensemble cohesion, expression and dynamic control, bringing out the beauty of the writing, the freedom of the rhythm section, and the space for exploring improvisation. Louis Rebeiro piano, Robbie Breslan trumpet, Tom Greble sax, Anthony Dodos trombone, Dijon Summers double bass and Nathan Winterflood drums