Duke Ellington - piano; Charles Mingus - bass; Max Roach - drums
1. Very Special: (Ellington) 4:23 2. A Little Max (Parfait): (Ellington) 2:55 3. Fleurette Africaine: (Ellington) 3:33 4. REM Blues: (Ellington) 4:15 5. Wig Wis: (Ellington) 3:17 6. Switch Blade: (Ellington) 5:22 7. Caravan: (Tizol, Ellington, Mills) 4:12 8. Money Jungle (Ellington) 5:26 9. Solitude: (Ellington, DeLange, Mills) 5:32 10. Backward Country Boy Blues: (Ellington) 6:21 11. Warm Valley: (Ellington) 3:31 *Previously Unreleased **Does not appear on LP configuration All other titles originally issued on United Artists UAS 15017, UAS 5632 and Solid State SS 18022 Original session produced by Alan Douglas Produced for release by Michael Cuscuna Recorded at Sound Makers, New York City on 9/17/62 Recording Engineer: Bill Schwartau Remix Engineer: Malcolm Addey
Ellinton! Minus! Roach! A triumvirate, not a trio. The magniloquent Ellinton, suave, tactful, would be a man of distinction even if he had not been blessed with such extreme musical talent. When Mr. Ellinton dispenses a well-chosen compliment, the plainest gilr becomes beautiful for a magical moment. What well- chosen words can describe Ellington, the greatest genius jazz has produced, who after forty years as a creative musician continues to outstrip his legend and remains the complete artist forever changing, forever consolidating his musical expression.
Mingus, volatile, physical, hypersensitive is unsurpassed as a virtuoso of the bass viol in classical or jazz music. His autobiog- raphy, "Beneath the Underdog," promises to establish Charlie as an outstanding "stream of conscience" writer of our day. Mingus conversationally is so difficult to comprehend and so easy to misunderstand, and yet his philosophy of life is admirable and his desires are simple. Mingus as a composer, out of the cocoons of Ellington and Monk, is just beginning to realize his potential.
Roach, quiet, almost shy, yet unpredictable, the master of impassioned percussive precision has led the way for all modern drummers. Max, whose knowledge of so many of the intricacies of rhythm places him head and shoulders above the rest of the field, is also a schooled musician who writes in a style all his own and can conceivably leave the impact on composition that he has on percussion.
To hear this album is to believe fully in the validity and lasting qualities of jazz. Ellinton displays the scope of four decades of musical experience. He adroitly mixes the most advanced harmonic chords, a touch of stride piano, and Ellingtonia of the thirties and forties. Mingus and Roach know their Ellington and perform as if this were a trio of longstanding. But they add through thier distinctive musical personalities a dimension never heard before in Duke's playing. The combination makes this one of the greates piano trio recordings in jazz history.
The title tune is "Money Jungle." This sounds like a title that might have been thought of by the protest conscious Mingus or Roach. But no, as all the tunes here, it is a product of the Ellington imagination. In addition to "Money Jungle," three other Ellington originals are here for the first time; "African Flower," "Very Special," and "Wig Wise." Familiar standards are "Warm Valley," "Caravan," and "Solitude."
--George Wein