Renowned percussionist Terri Lyne Carrington pays homage to the iconic Duke Ellington/Charles Mingus/Max Roach album Money Jungle, 50 years after its original release.
Essentially still a trio record, Carrington’s recording features pianist Gerald Clayton and bassist Christian McBride. Carrington updates Ellington’s classic tunes with her arrangements and features from Clark Terry, Herbie Hancock and others, in addition to sound bites of Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, and Martin Luther King Jr.
The core trio’s exceptional groove and camaraderie, combined with the familiar yet jarring political sound bites, guide the listener into engaging with and re-hearing Ellington’s melodies.
Carrington is an exciting yet intellectual drummer, her music considered yet visceral. Money Jungle: Provocative in Blue gives a new voice to an old classic.
Listen to this: back to back with the original, and see where 50 years has taken America culturally, economically, and musically.
— Jo Schornikow
Terri Lyne Carrington’s album, Money Jungle: Provocative in Blue, was released by Concord Jazz in February 2013.