“His relentless drive to excavate his music from the deepest recesses of his feelings and memories comes from the completeness with which he is involved with that music. Some men make nonviolence a way of life; others find an enveloping reason for their existence in painting or socialism or biochemistry. With Mingus, his core of living is being as honestly and fully expressive as he possibly can through music.” – Nat Hentoff, from his liner notes for Candid LP Charles Mingus Presents Charles Mingus (1960)