Pithecanthropus Erectus established Charles Mingus as a composer of boundless imagination and a fresh new voice in jazz that, despite his ambitiously modern concepts, was firmly grounded in jazz tradition.

Mingus truly discovered himself after mastering the vocabularies of bop and swing, and with Pithecanthropus Erectus he began seeking new ways to increase the evocative power of the art form and challenge his musicians (who here include altoist Jackie McLean and pianist Mal Waldron) to work outside of convention.

Mingus’ relationship with Atlantic would yield many of his greatest recordings. Cut in 1956, Pithecanthropus Erectus was his first date for the label, and it provided something of a breakthrough for Mingus in his use of extended compositions: the 10-minute title track, and the lovely “Profile of Jackie,” are among the bassist’s finest recordings. The band is notable for the inclusion of the under-recorded tenor saxophonist J.R. Monterose.

The Penguin Guide to Jazz gives the album a maximum four-star rating and included it in its “core collection” of essential recordings, describing it as “One of the truly great modern jazz albums”. In the same review, “the all-in ensemble work” in parts of the first track, “Pithecanthropus Erectus,” is described as being “absolutely crucial to the development of free collective improvisation in the following decade.”