AOTW Aug 6-12 - Yet More Ellington

[Big Al]

Time for me to dig this out again, too!

And definitely get Piano in the Background. More of a Duke piano-album than the organic trio that is Money Jungle, IMHO.

[JSngry]

There is no bad Ellington, only differing degrees of great.

Period.

[Chuck Nessa]

There's so many better versions of Caravan out there.

And not by Duke - Norman Simmons' version on his album "In private" is one I find a particular knockout. He says in the sleeve note that he always thought pling the tune fast was wrong; he aways imagines a string of camels plodding slowly through the sand. So he plays it slowly, with Lisle Atkinson behind him giving up the "A love supreme" riff. I think that's THE masterpie version of the tune.

MG

I find this kind of discussion bothering. This implies jazz is a repertoire music, not an improvisational/performance music. The value of a piece like Caravan ultimately rests on the performances resulting and these performances are "apples and oranges". This type of comparison plays into the worst aspects (IMO) of jazz academia as it exists today.

Duke, Mingus and Roach made a fine performance based on Caravan, as have many others. This individual performance is what matters, not other performances.

Do we downplay Bird's "Out of Nowhere" because some consider Tristano's version superior? Ridiculous!

What is the best blues in b flat? Idiotic!

Edited August 7, 2006 by Chuck Nessa

[JSngry]

What is the best blues in b flat? Idiotic!

Which take, 5 or 9?

[catesta]

There is no bad Ellington, only differing degrees of great.

Period.

Absolutely.

[JSngry]

Well, it's kind of a sweeping "Grand Statement", but the more I hear....

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

There's so many better versions of Caravan out there.

And not by Duke - Norman Simmons' version on his album "In private" is one I find a particular knockout. He says in the sleeve note that he always thought pling the tune fast was wrong; he aways imagines a string of camels plodding slowly through the sand. So he plays it slowly, with Lisle Atkinson behind him giving up the "A love supreme" riff. I think that's THE masterpie version of the tune.

MG

I find this kind of discussion bothering. This implies jazz is a repertoire music, not an improvisational/performance music. The value of a piece like Caravan ultimately rests on the performances resulting and these performances are "apples and oranges". This type of comparison plays into the worst aspects (IMO) of jazz academia as it exists today.

Duke, Mingus and Roach made a fine performance based on Caravan, as have many others. This individual performance is what matters, not other performances.

Do we downplay Bird's "Out of Nowhere" because some consider Tristano's version superior? Ridiculous!

What is the best blues in b flat? Idiotic!

Well of course, you're right.

MG

[etherbored]

just a note that 'money jungle' is being reissued in 24-bit by our good friends at toshiba on 10/25/06 as catalog # tocj 6849 at a price of 1500 Yen / $13.00.

regards,

-e-

[.:.impossible]

I love listening to this album. Oddly enough, I met up with a friend I hadn't seen in 5 years just a few weeks ago. She had Money Jungle playing when I got there!

I didn't get the RVG version last year. How is it? Since it is a favorite, I wouldn't mind upgrading if the sound is that much better.

[etherbored]

afik, this one hasn't received the RVG treatment...

are you referring to the japanese mini-lp in the SBJC series?

-e-

[jazzbo]

I love listening to this album. Oddly enough, I met up with a friend I hadn't seen in 5 years just a few weeks ago. She had Money Jungle playing when I got there!

I didn't get the RVG version last year. How is it? Since it is a favorite, I wouldn't mind upgrading if the sound is that much better.

Last year's (or the year before's?) domestic reissue was remastered by Ron McMaster.

There are some improvements over the early remastered by Malcomlm Addey, and some areas where the earlier cd is better. I think I hear a bit of distortion on the new one.

Edited August 7, 2006 by jazzbo

[etherbored]

my opinion is that this is one of those sides whose master was never quite as sparkling as some of us would like it to be... wasn't that the UA way? it sort of enhances the immediacy of the session.

-e-

Edited August 7, 2006 by etherbored

[.:.impossible]

I love listening to this album. Oddly enough, I met up with a friend I hadn't seen in 5 years just a few weeks ago. She had Money Jungle playing when I got there!

I didn't get the RVG version last year. How is it? Since it is a favorite, I wouldn't mind upgrading if the sound is that much better.

Last year's (or the year before's?) domestic reissue was remastered by Ron McMaster.

There are some improvements over the early remastered by Malcomlm Addey, and some areas where the earlier cd is better. I think I hear a bit of distortion on the new one.

Thanks Lon. I knew it had been re-issued recently. I just assumed it was part of the RVG series... I suppose I'll hold on to my copy.

[Big Al]

I'm thinking of getting the remaster just to have the running-order of the LP; I'm always reprogramming my old Addey disc.

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

I'm thinking of getting the remaster just to have the running-order of the LP; I'm always reprogramming my old Addey disc.

Is the running order of tracks 1-7 on the McMaster version, which is the one I've got, the same as the original LP?

MG

[Big Al]

I'm thinking of getting the remaster just to have the running-order of the LP; I'm always reprogramming my old Addey disc.

Is the running order of tracks 1-7 on the McMaster version, which is the one I've got, the same as the original LP?

MG

I believe so.

[B. Clugston]

Love this album. We remember Ellington as a genius composer and bandleader, but Money Jungle demonstrates he could play a mean piano, too.

[paul secor]

Just a few comments, some echoing other posters previous comments:

Listening to Money Jungle, I get the impression that there was a lot of feeling in the studio that day. I hear a certain amount of reverence, but a lot more competitiveness, perhaps even aggression at times - mostly on the part of Mingus.

Much of the time, Max is like a third wheel on a two wheel bike. Ellington's and Mingus' playing has such a strong rhythmic quality that Max almost sounds superfluous on most of the tracks, at least to my ears.

Love "Le Fleures Africaines" - my favorite track.

Money Jungle isn't a record I listen to much. Perhaps my aversion is a consequence of the conflict I hear in it - though I can imagine that same quality might attract others to it.

My copy is a Japanese LP reissue of the original LP. I bought the second CD reissue, wasn't happy with the sound and decided to stick with the LP.

[mikeweil]

I once fooled a friend - he thought the piano playing here was so progressive he almost fell out of his seat when I told him it was Ellington he was listening to.

This one made me collect the Duke's solo, duo, trio, and small group recordings. There are some more great ones, but Money Jungle is unique, perhaps the most progressive things he ever did - a stroke of genius among the works of a genial jazz musician.

As second best trio session, I'd recommend Fantasy's "Ellington the Pianist".

Edited August 24, 2006 by mikeweil

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

I once fooled a friend - he thought the piano playing here was so progressive he almost fell out of his seat when I told him it was Ellington he was listening to.

This one made me collect the Duke's solo, duo, trio, and small group recordings. There are some more great one, but this is unique, perhaps the most progressive things he ever did - a stroke of genius among the works of a genial jazz musician.

As second best trio session, I'd recommend Fantasy's "Ellington the Pianist".

Thanks Mike - another for the endless list!

MG

[BruceH]

Love this album. We remember Ellington as a genius composer and bandleader, but Money Jungle demonstrates he could play a mean piano, too.

Piano Reflections demonstrates that too.