content: Aside from the opening "Myself When I Am Real" - the title of which could easily have been the title of this album - the solo piano performances on this disc are sometimes halting, and not always played with the best articulation. But they provide a fascinating insight into the compositional mind of Charles Mingus at peace. The blues/gospel "shouts" that characterize much of Mingus' music occasionally jump out here; but what we mainly hear is the lyrical, often ornate, ponderings of the man, using techniques, changes, and voicings learned from Art Tatum and inspired by everything from ephemeral characters and happenings to the reed-master Roland Kirk. Mingus' originals truly stand out, as they evoke some of his ensemble works in skeletal, but complete, form. The remastering is very warm and revealing, and all-in-all this is one of the most intriguing albums in Mingus' vaulted discography.