Money Jungle

by Charles Mingus, Duke Ellington, Max Roach

Overview

Duke Ellington surprised the jazz world in 1962 with his historic trio session featuring Charles Mingus and Max Roach. Not in a mood to simply rework older compositions, the bulk of the LP focused on music he wrote specifically for the session. "Money Jungle" is a thunderous opener, a blues that might be classified somewhere between post-bop and avant-garde. The gem of the date is the fragile, somewhat haunting ballad "Fleurette Africaine," where Mingus' floating bassline and Roach's understated drumming add to the mystique of an Ellington work that has slowly been gathering steam among jazz musicians as a piece worth exploring more often. "Very Special" is a jaunty upbeat blues, while the angular, descending line of "Wig Wise" also proves to be quite catchy. Ellington also revisits "Warm Valley" (a lovely ballad indelibly associated with Johnny Hodges) and an almost meditative "Solitude." Thunderous percussion and wild basslines complement a wilder-than-usual approach to "Caravan." Every jazz fan should own a copy of this sensational recording session. ~ Ken Dryden

Product Details

Release Date:	04/19/2024
Label:	20th Cent Jazz Mast.
UPC:	8436563185410
Rank:	76203

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Duke Ellington   Primary Artist,Piano
Charles Mingus   Primary Artist,Bass
Max Roach   Primary Artist,Drums
Sonny Greer   Drums
Bill Berry   Trumpet
Jimmy Woode   Bass
Clark Terry   Trumpet
Chuck Connors   Trombone
Russell Procope   Clarinet,Sax (Alto)
Cat Anderson   Trumpet
Wendell Marshall   Bass
Sam Woodyard   Drums
Jimmy Hamilton   Clarinet,Sax (Tenor)
Fats Ford   Trumpet
Quentin Jackson   Trombone
Mercer Ellington   Flugelhorn
Ray Nance   Violin,Trumpet
Aaron Bell   Bass
Johnny Hodges   Sax (Alto)
Britt Woodman   Trombone
Nelson Williams   Trumpet
Harold Baker   Trumpet
Lawrence Brown   Trombone
Roy Burrowes   Trumpet
Tyree Glenn   Trombone,Vibraphone
Willie Cook   Trumpet
Harry Carney   Baritone,Clarinet,Sax (Baritone),Clarinet (Bass)
Leon Cox   Trombone
Shorty Baker   Trumpet
Paul Gonsalves   Sax (Tenor)
John Sanders   Trombone

Technical Credits

Bill Schwartau   Engineer
Eddie DeLange   Composer
Irving Mills   Composer
Duke Ellington   Composer
Juan Tizol   Composer
Alan Douglas   Producer
George Wein   Liner Notes