When the brilliant musical mind of Terri Lyne Carrington meets the incomparable compositions of Duke Ellington, something special is bound to happen. And this homage to Ellington's classic 1963 trio recording with Charles Mingus and Max Roach, Money Jungle, is really staggeringly good. Featuring the core trio of Terri Lyne, pianist Gerald Clayton and bassist Christian McBride, Carrington has contemplated every last semiquaver of Ellington's music and, having lived with it for years, has something quite unique to say about it. From the fabulously propulsive groove of the title track, to Lizz Wright's gorgeous vocalise over ‘Backward Country Boy Blues’, to the final juxtaposition of ‘Rem Blues/Music’ (featuring vocal contributions from Shea Rose and Herbie Hancock), this follow-up to Carrington's Grammy-winning The Mosaic Project will have you glued to your seat. The album features a trio of new compositions that replace ‘Caravan’, ‘Solitude’ and ‘Warm Valley’ (all of which Ellington had recorded previously) – two by the leader right out of the top drawer, ‘Grass Roots’ and ‘No Boxes (Nor Words)’, plus the beautiful ballad ‘Cut Off’ by pianist Gerald Clayton, who is an outstanding presence throughout.