![]() His ultra-dynamic performance, along with the freshness of his newly-minted compositions, showed that he was still a relevant figure in jazz, four decades after he began making a name for himself. Playing alongside two younger musicians on Money Jungle appeared to invigorate Ellington, who attacked his piano with palpable vigor and a defiant sense of musical virility. The remainder, however, were newly penned for the session.Ĭlick to load video Part of the same continuum Three of them, the dreamy “Warm Valley,” the eastern-flavored “Caravan,” and the wistful ballad “Solitude,” were fresh takes on well-known Ellington numbers. Seven Ellington tunes appeared on the original vinyl release of Money Jungle. Rumors persisted that Mingus – apparently unhappy that all the music was Ellington’s – stormed off midway, only to be coaxed back by the pianist. The session wasn’t entirely stress-free, though. Despite Ellington’s seniority, in terms of age and accomplishments, the three men went into New York’s Sound Makers Studios on Monday, September 17, 1962, as equals. The three musicians certainly achieved that goal: such was their chemistry as a unit, they sounded as if they had been playing together for years. ![]() Nothing should be overdone, nothing underdone, regardless of which musician was in the prime spot as a soloist.” Ellington agreed, later recalling, “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. Immediately calling the pianist, Ellington suggested that he work with Mingus and Roach in the studio. Douglas had worked with Ellington in Paris, in 1960, and on returning to the US he got hired by United Artists. Recalling the Money Jungle session in his autobiography, Music Is My Mistress, Ellington described his younger collaborators as “two fine musicians,” though he also remarked that their personalities were “as far apart as the North and South Poles.” Nothing should be overdone, nothing underdoneĪccording to Ellington, record producer Alan Douglas instigated the idea of Money Jungle. Ellington, then, was familiar with both men and had been an avid follower of their musical exploits. Max Roach, too, had enjoyed a short stint with Ellington, in 1950 a decade later, he played on the pianist/composer’s Paris Blues soundtrack. They were not strangers, either, as Mingus had briefly been in Ellington’s band in 1953, though he suffered an ignominious exit: fired after four days for attacking another band member. But the bass player was a great admirer of the older musician, citing the jazz aristocrat as a critical influence in his approach to composition. On paper, the pairing of the urbane Ellington with Mingus, a roughneck firebrand renowned for his volcanic temper, seems potentially explosive. ADVERTISEMENT As far apart as the North and South Poles
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