Money Jungle (1962)

Classic '62 United Artists piece from Ellington, Charles Mingus & Max Roach.

Rarely are such 'meeting of the minds' sessions worth any fuss at all – but for here the masterful talents of the players turn what should be a snoozy common denominator session into a modernist classic that still crackles with excitement after all these years.

The real success factor here is Ellington, who was hitting a point in his career when he was really beginning to experiment again – as you'll hear in the beautifully angular piano lines that he lays next to Mingus' bass and Roach's lively drums.

Nearly all originals, except strong reworks of "Caravan" & "Solitude". Titles include "Money Jungle", "Le Fleurs Africaines", and "Wig Wise". Very nice!