Goodbye, Porkpie Hat

song by Mingus

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July 20, 2026

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"Goodbye, Porkpie Hat" is a jazz instrumental composed by Charles Mingus. It is a tribute to the tenor saxophonist Lester Young, who was known for wearing a pork pie hat. A pork pie hat is a type of hat with a low, flat crown and a flexible brim. Mingus, a renowned bassist, composer, and bandleader, was a significant figure in jazz from the 1950s to the 1970s, known for integrating composed passages with improvised solos. "Goodbye, Porkpie Hat" is one of his most frequently recorded compositions.1234

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Charles Mingus
…recorded by others is “Goodbye, Porkpie Hat,” a tribute to Lester Young, and his most frequently cited extended work is “Pithecanthropus Erectus,” a musical interpretation of human evolution. His volatile personality and opinions were captured in his autobiography, Beneath the Underdog, published in 1971.
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…recorded by others is “Goodbye, Porkpie Hat,” a tribute to Lester Young, and his most frequently cited extended work is “Pithecanthropus Erectus,” a musical interpretation of human evolution. His volatile personality and opinions were captured in his autobiography, Beneath the Underdog, published in 1971.
Read More