A Jazz Portrait in Seven Movements inspired by the music of Charles Mingus (1922-1979), is an idea that started in 2013 after I had composed a few tunes based on the blues structure in the tradition of Ellington and Mingus for my Akashmani Jazz Ensemble. ​While the various movements took shape into a coherent whole, I had the idea of a potential theatrical piece showing the great composer’s death while playing on the bandstand, remembering what Mingus himself had written in his notes  on “Mingus at Monterey”:  
 
"A weird thing happened during “A Train”. The fear of my death surged through me. And I overcame it. I was looking at the sky , and I said, ”Well, here I come, baby. Lord, I guess this is it.” So I’m just gonna play better cause I want to sound good when I die."
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-Charles Mingus "Mingus in Monterey"