Count Basie Recommendations?

[Stereojack]

Not sure if anybody's mentioned the latter-day Pablo small group sides. Overall, a mixed bag, but there's some good stuff there, often w/Lockjaw Davis on hand to get frisky.

Yes, I like the Pablo small group stuff a lot especially the "Basie Jam" series. Norman Granz certainly had a way of putting the right musicians together for maximum blowing potential. Also like the albums with Joe Turner, Zoot Sims, et al. Most of the big band sides on Pablo are a little mechanical for my tastes.

[Fer Urbina]

I know, I'm using some "dirty" recommedations.

On Definitive, Spanish "Bootleg" Company, you can get "The Original American Decca Recordings" (3 CD's)

and "The Complete Columbia Recordings 1941-1951" (3 D's), but they are cheap.

I will also recommend "The Atomic Basie" on Roulette with The New Testamet Band from 1957, and also

"Count On The Coast" vol. 1 and 2 from 1958, it's a live date on The Swedish Label PHONT, very, very GOOD.

Vic

If Peter Johnson has no Basie at all, I'd forget about the Definitives, and get the 1-CD compilation Swingmatism (Decca/GRP) as a taster of the early band. It's cheap, probably very easy to find (and I seem to remember that has better sound than the 3-CD set) and IMHO it's representative of the 37-38 band.

Haven't tried the Definitive Deccas, but I seem to remember that the Columbias were crap sound-wise (and sound quality can be a huge difference with recordings from these years).

Talking of which, how's the sound in this 2-CD Lester Young set - The "Lester Young Memorial Album" (Sony)? It has quite a bit of early Basie in it (the late 1936 Lady Be Good, Dickie's Dream, Lester Leaps In, Taxi War Dance, Tickle Toe...)

F

[Larry Kart]

"The Lester Young Memorial Album" is one of the LPs I have of this material. In fact, all the Columbia Old Testament Basie I have is on LPs of roughly this vintage. The sound on them has always seemed just fine to me.

[marcello]

This Pablo ( I have it in red vinyl ) has a great "Wind Machine" on it!

By the way, here is a great Basie website:Count Basie

[Uncle Skid]

One of the aforementioned Hep CDs (Listen…You Shall Hear - Hep 1025) is available for $8.95 here: Jazzmatazz.

[jazzbo]

That Sony two cd set sounds quite fine. A bit bright, but not to a real fault.

[CJ Shearn]

I love "On the Road" I grew up with the red vinyl version too! This probably is not one of the Basie classics, but because I grew up on the album, it has a real special place for me.... I really also love the mid-late 70's band with Eric Dixon, Jimmy Forrest and Al Grey. Smokin "Jumpin at the Woodside" on the "Montreux '77" album, also available on DVD that features Eric and Jimmy battling on tenor.

[Guest]

No one has mentioned the LIVE Roulette sessons. They are very interesting!

[Rabshakeh]

I've been a lifelong Basie enjoyer, but not much more. Like a lot of people I basically concentrated my Basie listening on the Old Testament stage, which I really enjoyed largely from a historical viewpoint, and on the Hefti Atomic record, which I never really got close to.

I recently listened to Live at Newport for the first time, and it clicked for me oh so very hard. What I like most about it is that it is basically a blues record of an incredibly exalted sort: big band ammo; all these incredible players; Rushing and Williams; strong enough production values that I can hear everyone. It's got everything that Big Joe Turner has plus everything else.

There's various Basie threads on here (plus from time to time the Listening To... thread might as well be a Basie thread (or it will if @HutchFan keeps going at this rate)), but I'd be interested to know which LPs members would most recommend for next steps, noting the above.

[paulfromcamden]

Timely revival of this thread. I found a nice UK mono copy of On My Way & Shoutin' Again! yesterday for a quid  

Listening to it has reminded me I have very little Basie so intrigued to see what else folk suggest...

[Mark Stryker]

I would not want to be without these New Testament band records. Essential in my book:

Chairman of the Board

Breakfast Dance and Barbecue

Live at Birdland

Basie One More Time

Kansas City Suite

Also, a slightly later  record that is easy to overlook but truly fucking fantastic is Standing Ovation (Dot) -- recorded live in 1969  with Lockjaw and Sweets back on hand and playing their asses off. Band roars through New Testament classics ("Corner Pocket," "Shiny Stockings") and Old Testament staples ("Jumpin' at the Woodside," "Blue and Sentimental') arranged by Chico O'Farrill and Sammy Nestico. Harold Jones is the drummer. Seriously, this record is a total firecracker.

Finally, one from 1976 that is a cut above is I Told You So -- arrangements by Bill Holman, many of them superb. Maybe the best Basie big band album of the '70s and the last great Basie album period. 

 

 

 

Edited October 4, 2021 by Mark Stryker

[HutchFan]

53 minutes ago, Rabshakeh said:

There's various Basie threads on here (plus from time to time the Listening To... thread might as well be a Basie thread (or it will if @HutchFan keeps going at this rate), but I'd be interested to know which LPs members would most recommend for next steps, noting the above.

Here are five albums from Basie's New Testament band.  All of them are stone-cold classics.  IMO, you really can't go wrong with any of these:

 

 

 

 

 

One important thing to consider when you're digging into New Testament Basie: Who's the arranger? You mentioned the Atomic Basie record.  That's Neal Hefti, one of many arrangers who wrote charts for Basie in the 50s and thereafter.  Each arranger that Basie hired brought a little something different to the table -- even if all of them work within Basie's overall sound.  Frank Foster's arrangements have their own touches that are quite different than Hefti's.  Same with Ernie Wilkins, Benny Carter, Quincy Jones, Sammy Nestico, Chico O'Farrill, Bill Holman, and so on. 

For my money, the most interesting NT Basie arrangers are Frank Foster and Benny Carter. 

 

Edited October 4, 2021 by HutchFan

[Mark Stryker]

4 minutes ago, HutchFan said:

One important thing to consider when you're digging into New Testament Basie: Who's the arranger? You mentioned the Atomic Basie record.  That's Neal Hefti, one of many arrangers who wrote charts for Basie in the 50s and thereafter.  Each arranger that Basie hired brought a little something different to the table -- even all of them work within Basie's overall sound.  Frank Foster's arrangements have their own sound that's quite different than Hefti's.  Same with Ernie Wilkins, Benny Carter, Quincy Jones, Sammy Nestico, Chico O'Farrill, Bill Holman, and so on. 

For my money, the most interesting NT Basie arrangers are Frank Foster and Benny Carter. 

 

Don't forget Thad. NEVER forget Thad. 

 

Edited October 4, 2021 by Mark Stryker

[HutchFan]

17 minutes ago, paulfromcamden said:

Timely revival of this thread. I found a nice UK mono copy of On My Way & Shoutin' Again! yesterday for a quid  

Listening to it has reminded me I have very little Basie so intrigued to see what else folk suggest...

I like Hefti's work on that album more than on the more famous Atomic Basie record.   

 

1 minute ago, Mark Stryker said:

Don't forget Thad. NEVER forget Thad. 

 

Ooops!  

 

[Big Beat Steve]

1 hour ago, Rabshakeh said:

There's various Basie threads on here (plus from time to time the Listening To... thread might as well be a Basie thread (or it will if @HutchFan keeps going at this rate)), but I'd be interested to know which LPs members would most recommend for next steps, noting the above.

I'm biased because I am a huge fan (up to an including, say, the mid-60s, though I don't despise a good dose of the Pablos either) so I can very well make my record listening a personal "Afternoon of a Basie-ite".

When you mention the "Old Testament" recordings, do you include both the Decca AND the Columbia sides? And the RCAs too? Just so everybody knows what you already are familiar with ... At any rate, don't let yourself be fooled by those who give the RCAs short shrift. They are very well worth listening. And as for others from the "Old Testament" period (a silly term though everyone understands, so ...), I'd recommend to check out the airshots and live recordings you can get your hands on (there are LOTS on vinyl - and probably on CD too by now - from the 1940-45 period). Two that I feel are mandatory as starters are "The Count at the Chatterbox" (1937) and "Count Basie at the Famous Door" (1938-39), both on the Jazz Archives label.

As for the "New Testament", did you get closer to the Atomic LP now? Just so we know whether it would make sense recommending the Roulette recordings at all. (PS I see they have been touched upon since I wrote my post. Seconded form me - particularly the Benny Carter and Breakfast Dance albums - I have yet to find a copy of Basie at Birdland - and personally I find his reworkings of his OLD Testament recordings quite interesting too that he did for Roulette. But admittedly YMMV.)

As for the early 50s, the "Paradise Squat" and "Sixteen Men Swinging" twofers on Verve are good introductions to that period. Unless you try to source the reissues of all the original LPs in their original packaging (maybe expanded on CD).

From a period that is a bit later (1962), "Count Basie and the Kansas City Seven" on Impulse is a good one. The "On My Way & Shoutin' Again" that Paulfromcamden (ah, memories ... Camden Lock etc. ... ) mentioned would be another one to exploire first from that period.

And son on and so on (from all periods ...) - but like I said, I'm basie'd ... eh. bias'd. 

Edited October 4, 2021 by Big Beat Steve

[Rabshakeh]

Thanks everyone for the excellent recommendations. 

18 minutes ago, Big Beat Steve said:

And so on and so on (from all periods ...) - but like i said, I'm basie'd ... eh. bias'd. 

I've got my basieness cut out for me with all these records. Better get basie, etc. etc.

Edited October 4, 2021 by Rabshakeh

[Big Beat Steve]

BTW, the thanks is on me - your post above triggered me to pull out my CD copy of "Count Basie at Newport" for tonight's listening. Though I think I'll skip over John Hammond's intro blurb this time ...

[Dub Modal]

I picked this one up in the past couple of weeks and just gave it a spin. Great stuff:

Edited October 4, 2021 by Dub Modal

[HutchFan]

1 hour ago, Mark Stryker said:

I would not want to be without these New Testament band records. Essential in my book:

Chairman of the Board

Breakfast Dance and Barbecue

Live at Birdland

One More Time

Kansas City Suite

Also, a slightly later  record that is easy to overlook but truly fucking fantastic is Standing Ovation (Dot) -- recorded live in 1969  with Lockjaw and Sweets back on hand and playing their asses off. Band roars through New Testament classics ("Corner Pocket," "Shiny Stockings") and Old Testament staples ("Jumpin' at the Woodside," "Blue and Sentimental') arranged by Chico O'Farrill and Sammy Nestico. Harold Jones is the drummer. Seriously, this record is a total firecracker.

Finally, one from 1976 that is a cut above is I Told You So -- arrangements by Bill Holman, many of them superb. Maybe the best Basie big band album of the '70s and the last great Basie album period. 

I don't have One More Time.  Adding that one to my list.  

TOTALLY agree on the others.  

 

 

[Mark Stryker]

14 minutes ago, HutchFan said:

I don't have One More Time.  Adding that one to my list.  

TOTALLY agree on the others.  

 

 

Yeah -- I saw your post that came about almost exactly the same time as mine, and there was significant overlap in our choices!

FWIW, I talk about a bit about One More Time in this recent column on Quincy Jones.

https://jazztimes.com/features/columns/chronology-quincy-jones-in-1950s/

 

[JSngry]

You have GOT to have the April In Paris record, period, no questions asked.

Basie Meets Bond, believe it or not.

I too was skeptical, but got talked into it, and I'm glad I did.

Broadway Basie's Way, if you can find it without the companion Hollywood record stuck onto it.

Pretty much, but the time the band came back to Verve after Roulette, it was a formula band, the "Swing Machine" that everybody complained about, only now some people are finding that they like them some of that. How much at once, that's that question...

But peruse this thread if you like, there was a good discussion there. 

 

[Mark Stryker]

3 minutes ago, JSngry said:

You have GOT to have the April In Paris record, period, no questions asked.

Basie Meets Bond, believe it or not.

I too was skeptical, but got talked into it, and I'm glad I did.

Broadway Basie's Way, if you can find it without the companion Hollywood record stuck onto it.

Pretty much, but the time the band came back to Verve after Roulette, it was a formula band, the "Swing Machine" that everybody complained about, only now some people are finding that they like them some of that. How much at once, that's that question...

But peruse this thread if you like, there was a good discussion there. 

 

I hear what you're saying about April in Paris. It's a foundational record of the New Testament, and the band is in peak studio form. Yet I also prefer the subsequent live renditions of the key material so I find I don't return to April in Paris that often. But when I do, yeah, baby, one more time!

Basie Meets Bond? With a recommendation, yeah, I believe. I'll look for it. 

[Milestones]

I'm actually quite a big fan of the jam sessions and the small groups from his last years, including the meetings with Oscar Peterson.  The first "Jam" album is especially solid, and I also like Kansas  City 6 and even the final record: Mostly Blues...and Some Others.  Oh, and definitely the record with Zoom Sims.  Among other delights, you will hear some sublime Joe Pass.

 

[JSngry]

17 minutes ago, Mark Stryker said:

I hear what you're saying about April in Paris. It's a foundational record of the New Testament, and the band is in peak studio form. Yet I also prefer the subsequent live renditions of the key material so I find I don't return to April in Paris that often. But when I do, yeah, baby, one more time!

Basie Meets Bond? With a recommendation, yeah, I believe. I'll look for it. 

Foundational indeed. And I often prefer these original performances to the later live ones. Succinctness, and the solos aren't really better, not really. Different, yes. And those OG tempos are perfect, imo. And I also prefer the miking on this one too, Freddie Green IN the house!

The Bond thing, it was Lon who talked me into that one, waaaaaayyyyy back when. And I was really skeptical. But dude, Jaws is ALL up in this thing. And Chico O'Farril's work is something of which I'm becoming increasingly fond of, depending on the source material (and that's the tricky part, he would arrange ANYTHING for this band, it seems).

I still say that if Woody Herman gets three sets, Basie needs to get at least that many. It is the truly meet, right, and salutary thingadoo.

[Mark Stryker]

12 minutes ago, JSngry said:

Foundational indeed. And I often prefer these original performances to the later live ones. Succinctness, and the solos aren't really better, not really. Different, yes. And those OG tempos are perfect, imo. And I also prefer the miking on this one too, Freddie Green IN the house!

The Bond thing, it was Lon who talked me into that one, waaaaaayyyyy back when. And I was really skeptical. But dude, Jaws is ALL up in this thing. And Chico O'Farril's work is something of which I'm becoming increasingly fond of, depending on the source material (and that's the tricky part, he would arrange ANYTHING for this band, it seems).

I still say that if Woody Herman gets three sets, Basie needs to get at least that many. It is the truly meet, right, and salutary thingadoo.

Speaking of peak Jaws (and Sweets) ...