''My policy on a Mingus date is to give him complete freedom - not that he wouldn't take it anyway.'' Producer Nat Hentoff's realistic attitude to working with this controversial figure is probably the chief reason why the Mingus/Candid albums have retained their artistic currency over the years. Surrounding himself with men such as Eric Dolphy, Jimmy Knepper and Dannie Richmond gave Mingus a complete palette of tone colors to work from. This album was originally released in 1960.