Duke Ellington

• 180 gram VINYL-AUDIOPHILE PRESSING

• HIGH-DEFINITION PREMIUM VINYL PRESSING

• THE WAY THIS MUSIC WAS MEANT TO BE HEARD

• INCLUDES 4 BONUS TRACKS

There are a number of reasons why Money Jungle is considered a unique jazz recording. First of all, the album stands out for its superb musical quality. It also marks a very rare trio session in the otherwise prolific discography of Duke Ellington. The album is best known, however, for being Duke’s only true recorded collaboration with two much younger jazz geniuses: Charles Mingus and Max Roach. To say that they were stars of “modern jazz” in contraposition with Ellington would be nearly an insult. Duke never ceased to change and grow musically, and like all masterpieces, his music always was (and still is) modern. Also, Duke was a great admirer of most of the younger talents in jazz, including those from the bebop school. He had invited Charlie Parker to be a member of his orchestra (Bird refused by asking him for more money than Ellington was willing to pay), publicly expressed kind words for the music of Thelonious Monk, and even prepared an arrangement of Mingus’ “The Clown” to be played at the Newport Jazz Festival. Max Roach had participated on a number of Ellington sessions in 1950 and was a guest drummer on Duke’s soundtrack for the 1960 film Paris Blues.

This LP’s summit meeting, however, was proposed by United Artists producer Alan Douglas, according to Duke, who stated in his autobiography, Music Is My Mistress, that, “Alan Douglas of United Artists arranged a record date in 1962 on which I was to play with two fine musicians, two men of imagination, whose normal personalities were as far apart as the North and South poles. Charles Mingus and Max Roach were both leaders of their own groups, but what was wanted now was the kind of performance that results when all the minds are intent on and concerned with togetherness. Nothing should be overdone, nothing underdone, regardless of which musician was in the prime spot as a soloist.” Most fans and critics agree that this was successfully achieved, and the album is now considered to be a true jazz classic.

PERSONNEL:

• DUKE ELLINGTON , piano
• CHARLES MINGUS , bass
• MAX ROACH , drums

New York, September 17, 1962.

TRACKS:

• SIDE A
• 01. MONEY JUNGLE
• 02. FLEURETTE AFRICAINE
• 03. VERY SPECIAL
• 04. WARM VALLEY
• 05. SWITCH BLADE (*)
• 06. A LITTLE MAX (PARFAIT) (*)

• SIDE B
• 01. WIG WISE
• 02. CARAVAN
• 03. SOLITUDE
• 04. REM BLUES (*)
• 05. BACKWARD COUNTRY BOY BLUES (*)

• (*) BONUS TRACKS: From the same session but not included on the original LP.

• 4 1/2 STARS ALL MUSIC GUIDE
• “Bechet “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. Every jazz fan should own a copy of this sensational recording session.” (Ken Dryden).

• 5 STARS DOWNBETA MAGAZINE
• Duke Ellington continues to be a most unpredictable and amazing musician. This album is astonishing –this is Ellington the soloist is some of the fastest company around. I’ve never heard Ellington play as he does on this album; Mingus and Roach, especially Mingus, push him so strongly that one can almost hear Ellington show them who’s the boss –and he dominates both of them, which is no mean accomplishment. Like I said, Duke Ellington is an amazing musician.” (Don DeMicheal).