Duke Ellington, Charles Mingus, & Max Roach - Money Jungle

Money Jungle is a studio album by pianist Duke Ellington with double bassist Charles Mingus and drummer Max Roach, recorded on September 17, 1962, and released in February 1963 by United Artists Jazz. All but one of the compositions were written by Ellington, with four of the seven on the original LP being recorded for the first time on this album. Later releases on CD added eight tracks from the same recording session.

The album is considered a landmark in jazz history, and is often cited as one of the greatest jazz albums of all time. It is notable for the interplay between the three musicians, who were all at the peak of their powers. Ellington's compositions are complex and challenging, but the trio never sounds forced or overextended. Mingus's bass playing is thunderous and virtuosic, while Roach's drumming is both propulsive and sensitive.

The title track, "Money Jungle", is a 12-bar blues that opens with strongly played notes from Mingus, then Ellington joins in with dissonant chords; Roach supports using ride cymbal, snare and bass drum. In the final minute, Down Beat magazine observed, Mingus bends the "strings with such force that he makes the instrument sound like a cross between a berimbau and a Delta blues guitar".

Money Jungle is a powerful and challenging album that remains one of the most important recordings in jazz history. It is a must-listen for any fan of jazz.  Money Jungle is a must-listen for any fan of jazz. It is an album that has stood the test of time, and it continues to be relevant and inspiring today.