Did Jeff Beck "play the changes" on Goodbye Porkpie Hat?

Question

I have read several different accounts of Charles Mingus' reaction to Jeff Beck's cover of Goodbye Porkpie Hat. One account says he liked it and sent Jeff a note saying this while another says he didn't like it because Jeff "didn't play the changes". What are your thoughts on this? Does or does not Jeff play the changes correctly? I always felt a very bluesy approach suits the song. Did Jeff play the changes?

Answer 1

The answer is; not exactly.

Jeff is not playing the changes, and neither is the band. But where the melody reaches out to a different chords, there is an attempt to respect the implied chord, as a reference, only.

Answer 2

He definitely is not playing the changes that Mingus plays whatsoever. There's a documentary on Jeff Beck that proclaims he does have a letter but I can't say with certainty. The Mingus changes follows a more dominant approach with a good amount of key changes happening and Beck is staying in Dmi or D7(#9) territory. Hardly ever leaves that 1. Meanwhile Mingus doesn't even play the tonic.