The Weary Blues

by Langston Hughes

The Weary Blues cover art
  • Type: Album
  • Released: 1 January 1958
  • Label: MGM
  • Country: United States
  • Length: 44:34
  • Community rating: 4.3/5 from 1 rating

Album Notes & Community Reviews

Recorded in New York City on 17 and 18 March 1958, 'The Weary Blues' presents Langston Hughes reciting poems from his 1926 debut collection over accompaniment composed and arranged by Leonard Feather and Charles Mingus. Side one features Feather's group with Henry 'Red' Allen, Milt Hinton and Osie Johnson, while side two uses Mingus's group with Horace Parlan, Shafi Hadi and Jimmy Knepper.

Genres

Descriptors: spoken-word, bluesy, storytelling, reflective, male-vocals

Tracklist

  1. Blues Montage, Pt. 1: Opening Blues/Blues Montage (3:13)
  2. Blues Montage, Pt. 2: Commercial Theatre/Morning After (6:55)
  3. Blues Montage, Pt. 3: Could Be/Opening Blues (7:41)
  4. Testament (5:45)
  5. Consider Me: The Stranger/Midnight Stroll/ Backstage (3:21)
  6. Dream Montage: Weird Nightmare (8:00)
  7. Double G Train (4:12)
  8. Dream Montage: Jump Monk (5:24)

Credits

  • Langston Hughes - primary artist, vocals
  • Charles Mingus - arranged by, bass
  • Sam Taylor - tenor saxophone, clarinet
  • Leonard Feather - arranged by, producer
  • Fran Scott - design
  • Val Valentin - engineer
  • Martin Williams - liner notes

More from Langston Hughes: full discography