4 Stars - Excellent - "...at his best he could drive his fellow musicians onwards and upwards with big bass playing and hoarse exhortations. BLUES & ROOTS contains six servings of this brilliance...", 5 stars out of 5 -- "A classic 1957 set showcasing Mingus' compositional genius as well as his unerring ability at getting the best from his sidemen.", 4 Stars - Very Good - "...vital and important music...Mingus is outstanding in his solo work...this is something worth careful and thorough listening..."