Posthumous releases are often for completists only, but this live album is a must-have for any jazz fan. The legendary composer, bandleader, and bassist leads a superb sextet: trumpeter Johnny Coles, tenor saxophonist Clifford Jordan, the great reedsman Eric Dolphy, and Mingus’s old rhythm cohorts, Jaki Byard and Dannie Richmond. Cornell 1964 displays sweeping breadth: blues, bop, free, swing, barrelhouse piano, and modernist composition are all part of the dense weave. And the mood wonderfully ranges from wildly rowdy to highly refined. The fired-up group is on; one inspired solo follows another: it’s great to hear Mingus bust out on his interpretation of Ellington’s “Sophisticated Lady;” Byard is totally amazing throughout; and if you don’t like flute, Dolphy’s remarkable playing just might change your mind about the instrument. "Fables of Faubus" and "Meditations"— each track is a half-hour long — take the listener on epic journeys. "Faubus" is jammed with musical quotations that further broaden and enrich the piece’s musical narrative. "Meditations" includes flute-and-bass-led passages that recall French impressionism as well as electrifying stretches of rough-and-tumble interplay. This album is a classic, for real.