This day in music history.

July 17, 1969, Jazz musician Charles Mingus (he was the greatest bass-player jazz has ever known) came out of a three-year, self-imposed retirement to make a concert appearance at the Village Vanguard in NY City. In 1965 Mingus had seen both his record companies fail he found himself in financial disarray and spiritually broke, he withdrew from performing. Then in 1969 he was given a Guggenheim fellowship in composition which helped him out considerably. For the next 7 years Mingus would write, record and tour the world. In 1977 Mingus was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's disease that confined him to a wheelchair. He died on January 5, 1979. Throughout his carrier Mingus played with most of the greats including Louis Armstrong, Lionel Hampton, Red Norvio (He quit Norvio's band when he was told he couldn't perform with the band on a television show because he was black) , Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, Bud Powell, Art Tatum, Lennie Tristano and Billy Taylor. He also had the distinction of being the only musician Duke Ellington ever personally fired. (Mingus was well known for his temper, he engaged in many confrontations with band members when he thought they were not playing up to par) After his death his 4000 measure, 2 hour composition "Epitaph" was discovered by the NEA during the cataloguing of his works. Ten years after his death, a 30-piece orchestra, conducted by Gunther Schuller, performed the piece in concert. Mingus thought the work would never be performed in his lifetime, thus its title. According to Mingus, he wrote it for his tombstone.
"Mingus was always a disaster to have around. I loved him, but he was worse than a child. He didn't know how to clean up behind himself. He could cook, but there would be eggs on the floor and the ceiling. Couldn't find his shoes when he had to go to work, didn't have a white shirt, couldn't write a check. All he could really do was play the bass and write." - Buddy Collette (at the age of 12 Buddy convinced Charles to switch from cello to bass)