The Mingus Big Band, the Mingus Dynasty, and the Mingus Orchestra are three repertory bands created to celebrate the music of the composer and bassist, Charles Mingus. Under the artistic direction of Sue Mingus, these bands have performed regularly since the first tribute concert at Carnegie Hall in 1979.

They have enjoyed a weekly residency in New York City since 1991, currently performing to sold-out audiences at Jazz Standard. The bands tour extensively in the United States and abroad, headlining major jazz festivals, universities and arts centers. The bands have released nine recordings, six of which have been nominated for Grammys.

The first band organized after Mingus' death, the the nimble and expert 7-piece Mingus Dynasty invites more individual solo expression and experimentation within the rich complexity of  Mingus compositions. The 14-piece Mingus Big Band is the best known of the repertory groups due to its long NYC residency and extensive travel.

It not only attracts audiences that might not typically come to see jazz, it provides a home base for many of today's top performers and exciting new players. The Mingus Big Band regularly tops the lists in critics and readers polls. The 10-piece Mingus Orchestra has created a distinctive Mingus sound that embraces jazz and classical forms. Its unique instrumentation includes bassoon, bass clarinet, French horn, and harp – instruments rarely heard in traditional jazz bands. 

"A better band than ever today…plenty of meaty, memorable solos… but the real star is this world-class band, swinging through Mingus' music with an ease that masks the pieces' difficulty."
— People

"A spirited blend of the lush harmonies and boisterous blues sections, interwoven ensemble passages and sudden tempo shifts that made the late bassist Charles Mingus one of the most challenging and celebrated artists in jazz."
— Los Angeles Times

"The Mingus Big Band is a wonder and an anomaly...the Mingus Band has taken a musical legacy and transformed it into a creative force that generates a contemporary originality and vitality all its own. They are an important part of the current jazz scene and a constant reminder that jazz is not merely entertainment but a powerful art form and means of expression."
— New York Daily News