Details: Limited Edition LP. Deluxe 180-Gram Reissue. Including Original Artwork & Credits. Recorded on January 20, 1963 by an eleven-piece band and released in July of that year by Impulse!, The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady consists of a single continuous composition-partially written as a ballet-divided into four tracks and six movements. Mingus defined the album's orchestral style as "ethnic folk-dance music", and it blends jazz and classical, while also integrating elements of African music and Spanish themes. It is considered by many music critics to be one of Mingus' two major works (along with Mingus Ah Um) and often ranks highly on lists of the best albums of all time. The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady is among the most acclaimed jazz records of the 20th century. Richard Cook and Brian Morton, from The Penguin Guide to Jazz, awarded the album their coveted "Crown" token, the publication's highest accolade, in addition to the highest four-star rating, and Steve Huey gave it the maximum five stars in Ai/Music, stating that it's "one of the greatest achievements in orchestration by any composer in jazz history". The album was included in Robert Dimery's 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.