There are already documentaries out there that focus on Charles Mingus, and some them are very good, but he was such a larger-than-life figure—as a person as well as an artist—that no film can really cover it all. I was therefore delighted to hear that a new, independent feature-length documentary is currently in the works and ready to move on to the second stage of filming. "Mingus on Mingus," is being spearheaded by Valeria Ríos and the extraordinary musician/composer's grandson, Kevin Ellington Mingus, who is directing. He explains the project's raison d'être thus:
There are many perspectives of my grandfather that have not had a place in defining his legacy… I am seeking them out to understand him beyond myth, fable or a singular vision of his work.
The immediate goal—which will allow the project to go to its second stage—is $45,000 and you can pledge as little as $1, but it has to be done before 6PM on December 18, 2011. You can see all the details at the Kickstarter site, including the amount currently pledged , how the funds will be used, etc.
More details are available at the project's official web site, to which this link will take you.which also contains the above video.
