Money Jungle

by Duke Ellington, Charlie Mingus & Max Roach

Money Jungle cover art

'Money Jungle' documents the volatile and historic 1962 trio session uniting pianist Duke Ellington with the younger, avant-garde-leaning rhythm section of bassist Charles Mingus and drummer Max Roach. The album captures a palpable tension, channeling it into a masterful post-bop exploration where Mingus's forceful, blues-inflected bass and Roach's polyrhythmic drumming push Ellington's piano playing into aggressively percussive and dissonant territory on a set of mostly new original compositions. Marked by a raw, unpolished sound and legendary in-studio arguments, the recording showcases a profound, if conflicted, interplay that redefined the piano trio's potential for collective improvisation and individual expression.

Genres

  • Hard Bop

Tracklist

  1. Money Jungle
  2. Fleurette Africaine (African Flower)
  3. Very Special
  4. Warm Valley
  5. Wig Wise
  6. Caravan
  7. Solitude
  8. Switch Blade
  9. A Little Max (Parfait)
  10. REM Blues
  11. Backward Country Boy Blues
  12. Solitude - Alternate Take
  13. Switch Blade - Alternate Take
  14. A Little Max (Parfait) - Alternate Take
  15. REM Blues - Alternate Take