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Like any other musician, the well-respected and magnificently talented drummer Terri Lyne Carrington has her heroes. Here she pays tribute to three of them: Duke Ellington, Charles Mingus and Max Roach, the jazz innovators who created the original Money Jungle in 1962. Carrington’s version, subtitled Provocative in Blue to signal that it isn’t just a straight cover of the LP, also revolves around a piano trio, with the drummer joined by bassist Christian McBride and pianist Gerald Clayton. But Carrington adds to the lineup, with guest horn players (led by trombonist Robin Eubanks), guitarist Nir Felder, trumpet legend Clark Terry and several guest vocalists providing wordless “oohs” and “aahs.” She also drops in samples of everyone from George W. Bush to Barack Obama to Martin Luther King expounding on money and its influence on American life. Plus she expands the setlist to include new originals. Her “Grass Roots” and “No Boxes (Nor Words)” and Clayton’s lovely “Cut Off” fit in fairly seamlessly – indeed, they’re more traditional than the ensemble’s takes on “Fleurette Africain” and “Backward Country Boy,” which fold a bit of Carrington’s love of contemporary R&B into the mix. Like the best percussionists, Carrington keeps the music moving ever forward, but otherwise stays out of the way, ceding the spotlight to Clayton, whose smooth fingers make the melodies sparkle. Some tracks threaten to slide into easy listening background music, but Carrington’s relentless drive keeps the music vibrant. “Grass Roots,” “Wig Wise” and “A Little Max (Parfait)” fairly leap from the grooves, while the bluesy shuffle of “Switch Blade” oozes soul. The record is at its best when it’s at its most traditional, and while that may beg the question as to why you should bother with Money Jungle: Provocative in Blue when the original is still available, there’s a joy in Carrington’s interpretations that makes this record one worth hearing.
http://www.terrilynecarrington.com
http://www.concordmusicgroup.com
