Charles Mingus was an American bassist, composer, pianist and bandleader, widely regarded as one of the major figures in twentieth-century jazz. His music blended bebop, blues, gospel, swing, free jazz and ambitious orchestral writing, with a powerful style often shaped by tension, collective improvisation and strong social themes. With albums such as Mingus Ah Um, The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady and Blues & Roots, Charles Mingus profoundly influenced the development of modern jazz.