Mingo Jones

(Dec. 16, 1928-Apr. 3, 2017). Mingo Jones was born and raised in Missouri. His father and uncle played the trumpet and tenor saxophone respectively, which greatly influenced Jones’ musical development in his youth. They first taught Jones to play the trumpet and drums before he switched to the bass.

Jones came to Indianapolis in 1947 and lived with another uncle while seeking employment. At the same time, he enrolled in the Pearson Music School, with the hope of enrolling at the Butler University Jordan School of Music. However, in 1948, Jones joined the U.S. Army. He played for the 173rd Army Band and General Douglas McArthur’s 8th Army Brigade Band.

In 1952, after the Korean War, Jones returned to Indianapolis, where he was stationed at Fort Benjamin Harrison. His life changed forever when he and some friends decided to listen to some jazz music at Henri’s Café Lounge (later known as Henri’s Jazz Club) on Indiana Avenue. That night, rising star Wes Montgomery’s bassist failed to show up for the band’s performance. Jones offered to fill in for the absent bassist, which kindled an enduring relationship between Jones and Indianapolis jazz musicians like Pookie Johnson, Sonny Johnson, and Erroll Grandy. Jones regularly played the bass he called “Miss Kay” as well as trumpet in George’s Bar, the Ritz Lounge, the Cotton Club, and numerous other Indiana Avenue venues.

Jones also toured with Jimmie Coe’s Orchestra from 1953 to 1957. He was inducted into the Indianapolis Jazz Foundation’s Hall of Fame in 2001, before his diagnosis of throat cancer in 2004.

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