Beneath the Underdog: Unabridged Audiobook by Charles Mingus
Beneath the Underdog is Charles Mingus’s unabridged audiobook memoir, narrated by Mark Ebulue. It follows the jazz musician’s childhood, early years and life among major figures in jazz, with music as a recurring thread.
At a glance
- Memoir spanning Mingus’s childhood in Watts, his early experiences and years in New York.
- The listing describes encounters with Duke Ellington, Lionel Hampton, Miles Davis, Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie.
- Unabridged audiobook narrated by Mark Ebulue.
Reference price: £14.62
Price checked: 12 Nov 2026
View offerAhead of Black FridayExplore the selectionPros and cons
Pros
- A substantial, unabridged listening format with a stated length of 10 hours and 51 minutes.
- Combines personal memoir with accounts of Mingus’s life in and around jazz.
Technical specifications
8 specifications| Format | Audiobook |
|---|---|
| Version | Unabridged |
| Listening length | 10 hours and 51 minutes |
| Language | English |
| Narrator | Mark Ebulue |
| Author | Charles Mingus, see all |
|---|---|
| Publisher | Canongate Books |
| Publication date | 2 May 2019 |
Who is it for?
A good fit for
- Listeners interested in Charles Mingus, jazz history and musicians’ autobiographies.
- Audiobook listeners looking for an extended, unabridged memoir.
Less suited to
- Listeners seeking a concise biography or a strictly chronological, fact-focused account. Customer feedback describes the memoir as meandering for some.
Customer reviews on Amazon
- 5 stars
64% 64% - 4 stars
19% 19% - 3 stars
10% 10% - 2 stars
4% 4% - 1 star
3% 3%
Customer feedback describes the memoir as engaging and well written, and some listeners appreciate its music content and find it insightful. Others consider the account meandering or differ on how informative it is. That split matters if you want a tightly structured biography. The listing identifies this as an unabridged, 10-hour-and-51-minute audiobook, so it is a substantial personal narrative rather than a short overview.
Positive themes
- Customers describe the book as engaging and well written.
- Some listeners appreciate its music content and say it deepened their interest in Mingus and his music.
Mixed feedback
- Feedback differs on how informative the memoir is, with some finding it insightful and others describing it as meandering.
- Views on the writing style and engagement are mixed.
Frequently asked questions
Who wrote Beneath the Underdog?
The listed author is Charles Mingus.
Who narrates this audiobook?
The listing names Mark Ebulue as narrator.
Is this edition abridged?
It is listed as unabridged, with a listening length of 10 hours and 51 minutes.
What is the audiobook about?
It recounts Mingus’s childhood, early life, musical development and connections with prominent jazz musicians.
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