a man of high degree

'Minkus Finkus! I heard you was here, I knewed you'd come!'
'I been here awhile, Fats.'
'I know, I heard. Come on backstage and meet the folks. You losed a lot of weight too, huh, Mingus? Look at me - I made a record with Jacquet under the name of Slim Romero, how 'bout that! Bilie, here's Ming!'
'Mingus, honey! You on the show?'
'Just come to listen, Billie.'
'Give me some sugar, baby - mmmmm! Want to gig? Norman needs another bass man on the show, you know?'
'that would do me good, Billie.'
'How're you doing with your girls?'
That's all over. It was too much for a man of high degree.'
'Remember that song I wrote for you, Billie - "Eclipse"? You never did sing it.'
'Go home and get your bass and bring the song with you. You're working, 'cause I'm the star of the show and I say so.'

                 Charles Mingus, Beneath the Underdog, Canongate Books, 2011, p. 308-309.