Charles Mingus: Triumph of the Underdog

Mingus was one of the great jazz composers and bassists; the blend of lyricism, intelligence, soul and fire in his music was also, by all accounts, painfully present in his personality, though this fascinating documentary, complete with rare clips and interviews with those who knew, played and lived with him, tends to soft pedal his more abrasively volatile side. That said, there are treats galore, perhaps most notably footage of Mingus duetting with the equally magnificent Eric Dolphy in 1964 and performing 'Pithecanthropus Erectus' in 1970.