COUNT BASIE ZONE....

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

Count Basie Octet

Harry "Sweets" Edison (tp) Dicky Wells (tb) Georgie Auld (ts) Gene Ammons (ts, bars) Count Basie (p) Freddie Green (g) Al McKibbon (b) Gus Johnson (d) "Google Eyes" (vo) The Deep River Boys: J. August, H. Douglas, E. Ware, G. Lawson, V. Gardner (vocal group) Buck Clayton (arr)

NYC, February 6, 1950

E0VB-3187-1 If You See My Baby RCA Victor LPM 1112; RCA [F] 741042, [F] PM 42113; RCA Bluebird 66158-2

E0VB-3187-2 If You See My Baby (inst. ver.) unissued

E0VB-3188-1 Solid As A Rock RCA Victor 20-3699, 47-3235; RCA [F] 741042

E0VB-3189-1 Rat Race RCA Victor LPM 1112, LPV 519; RCA [F] 741042, [F] PM 43688; RCA Bluebird 66158-2

E0VB-3190-1 Sweets RCA Victor LPM 1112; RCA [F] 741042, [F] PM 42113, [F] PM 43688; RCA Bluebird 66158-2

* Count Basie (RCA Victor LPM 1112)

* Count Basie 1949-1950, Vol. 3 (RCA [F] 741042)

* Various Artists - The Bebop Era (RCA Victor LPV 519)

* Count Basie Octet (no details) (RCA [F] PM 42113; RCA Bluebird 66158-2; RCA Victor 20-3699, 47-3235; RCA [F] PM 43688)

Thanks Lon. Seems there's only one CD issue of this material RCA Bluebird 66158-2. Anyone know the title?

MG

[Swinging Swede]

Count Basie Octet

Harry "Sweets" Edison (tp) Dicky Wells (tb) Georgie Auld (ts) Gene Ammons (ts, bars) Count Basie (p) Freddie Green (g) Al McKibbon (b) Gus Johnson (d) "Google Eyes" (vo) The Deep River Boys: J. August, H. Douglas, E. Ware, G. Lawson, V. Gardner (vocal group) Buck Clayton (arr)

NYC, February 6, 1950

E0VB-3187-1 If You See My Baby RCA Victor LPM 1112; RCA [F] 741042, [F] PM 42113; RCA Bluebird 66158-2

E0VB-3187-2 If You See My Baby (inst. ver.) unissued

I have something interesting to report regarding this track. Despite what discographies say, the instrumental version of If You See My Baby has come out. It is on 1950-1951 (Classics 1228), and they must have gotten it from some previous release, probably one of the French ones. I noticed this when I got the Classics CD some years ago, since I already had the CD Shoutin' Blues (RCA Bluebird 07863 66158 2), which has the vocal version with "Google Eyes". And it is not the same take with the vocal overdubbed, because for example Ammons's solo entrance is completely different.

The Classics discography lists the take as being the one on LPM 1112, but it obviously is not.

[BillF]

Count Basie Octet

Harry "Sweets" Edison (tp) Dicky Wells (tb) Georgie Auld (ts) Gene Ammons (ts, bars) Count Basie (p) Freddie Green (g) Al McKibbon (b) Gus Johnson (d) "Google Eyes" (vo) The Deep River Boys: J. August, H. Douglas, E. Ware, G. Lawson, V. Gardner (vocal group) Buck Clayton (arr)

NYC, February 6, 1950

E0VB-3187-1 If You See My Baby RCA Victor LPM 1112; RCA [F] 741042, [F] PM 42113; RCA Bluebird 66158-2

E0VB-3187-2 If You See My Baby (inst. ver.) unissued

E0VB-3188-1 Solid As A Rock RCA Victor 20-3699, 47-3235; RCA [F] 741042

E0VB-3189-1 Rat Race RCA Victor LPM 1112, LPV 519; RCA [F] 741042, [F] PM 43688; RCA Bluebird 66158-2

E0VB-3190-1 Sweets RCA Victor LPM 1112; RCA [F] 741042, [F] PM 42113, [F] PM 43688; RCA Bluebird 66158-2

* Count Basie (RCA Victor LPM 1112)

* Count Basie 1949-1950, Vol. 3 (RCA [F] 741042)

* Various Artists - The Bebop Era (RCA Victor LPV 519)

* Count Basie Octet (no details) (RCA [F] PM 42113; RCA Bluebird 66158-2; RCA Victor 20-3699, 47-3235; RCA [F] PM 43688)

Thanks Lon. Seems there's only one CD issue of this material RCA Bluebird 66158-2. Anyone know the title?

MG

If you've no objection to Andorran enterprises, you can find it on Count Basie, The Octet Sounds: Complete Count Basie Octet Studio Recordings (Ocium 0002)

[Swinging Swede]

Is that "Google Eyes" vocalist listed for the Feb. 6, 1950 session above actually JOSEPH AUGUST aka "Mr Google Eyes", I wonder?

Bruyninckx and Jepsen don't list him, nor does the French RCA Black&White 3-LP series that has all the RCA master takes.

Might that be because the French set inadvertently has the instrumental version without "Google Eyes"?

And the Shoutin' Blues liner notes by Dick Katz confirm your assumption:

"If You See My Baby" - Another novelty blues, with vocal by "Google Eyes," more formally listed as being J. August, a singer who did not make history.

[jazzbo]

Thanks Lon. Seems there's only one CD issue of this material RCA Bluebird 66158-2. Anyone know the title?

MG

Pretty sure it's this one, "Shoutin' Blues"

[Swinging Swede]

Count Basie Octet

Harry "Sweets" Edison (tp) Dicky Wells (tb) Georgie Auld (ts) Gene Ammons (ts, bars) Count Basie (p) Freddie Green (g) Al McKibbon (b) Gus Johnson (d) "Google Eyes" (vo) The Deep River Boys: J. August, H. Douglas, E. Ware, G. Lawson, V. Gardner (vocal group) Buck Clayton (arr)

NYC, February 6, 1950

E0VB-3187-1 If You See My Baby RCA Victor LPM 1112; RCA [F] 741042, [F] PM 42113; RCA Bluebird 66158-2

E0VB-3187-2 If You See My Baby (inst. ver.) unissued

E0VB-3188-1 Solid As A Rock RCA Victor 20-3699, 47-3235; RCA [F] 741042

E0VB-3189-1 Rat Race RCA Victor LPM 1112, LPV 519; RCA [F] 741042, [F] PM 43688; RCA Bluebird 66158-2

E0VB-3190-1 Sweets RCA Victor LPM 1112; RCA [F] 741042, [F] PM 42113, [F] PM 43688; RCA Bluebird 66158-2

* Count Basie (RCA Victor LPM 1112)

* Count Basie 1949-1950, Vol. 3 (RCA [F] 741042)

* Various Artists - The Bebop Era (RCA Victor LPV 519)

* Count Basie Octet (no details) (RCA [F] PM 42113; RCA Bluebird 66158-2; RCA Victor 20-3699, 47-3235; RCA [F] PM 43688)

Thanks Lon. Seems there's only one CD issue of this material RCA Bluebird 66158-2. Anyone know the title?

I'ts called Shoutin' Blues

However, it omits the Deep River Boys feature Solid As A Rock.

The Classics CD 1950-1951 instead purports to have all four master takes, but, as mentioned above, actually has the instrumental version of If You See My Baby.

Since this material now is way past 50 years old it's not surprising that there are other releases like the Ocium CD BillF mentions, but I haven't heard that one.

[BeBop]

One of you guys peeking through my window? I'm in the midst of an all-day Basie orgy. I was in need of a pick-me-up, and nothing does it like Basie.

Even if the man had never laid a pinky on the piano, I would assign him a start in the jazz constellations simply because of his ability to pick (and pair) tenor players, trumpet players, trombone players and rhythm sections. How he did it... Add in some fine arrangers (when he wasn't employing brilliant "head"s) and it's a winner.

[BillF]

Live recordings could be really something with the New Testament band. I particularly like Basie at Birdland (Roulette). The relaxed swing of "Swingin' at Newport" from Count Basie at Newport (Verve) is wonderful!

[Big Beat Steve]

Is that "Google Eyes" vocalist listed for the Feb. 6, 1950 session above actually JOSEPH AUGUST aka "Mr Google Eyes", I wonder?

Bruyninckx and Jepsen don't list him, nor does the French RCA Black&White 3-LP series that has all the RCA master takes.

Might that be because the French set inadvertently has the instrumental version without "Google Eyes"?

And the Shoutin' Blues liner notes by Dick Katz confirm your assumption:

"If You See My Baby" - Another novelty blues, with vocal by "Google Eyes," more formally listed as being J. August, a singer who did not make history.

Clearly the "Shoutin' Blues" blurb writer doesn't know his stuff, or he doesn't care or research into or awareness of (contemporary) boundary areas is beyond him. "Mr Google Eyes" not only had numerous single releases back then, e.g. on Regal, but also saw an entire LP of his recordings released on Jonas Bernholm's ROUTE 66 label in the 80s, and also was found worthy of an entire chapter in Jeff Hannusch's book "I Hear You Knocking" on New Orleans R&B.

A lot of ink has been used to cover MUCH more obscure "core" jazz artists.

[thomastreichler]

Live recordings could be really something with the New Testament band. I particularly like Basie at Birdland (Roulette). The relaxed swing of "Swingin' at Newport" from Count Basie at Newport (Verve) is wonderful!

As for live recordings of the New Testament Band, make sure to check out these: "Count On The Coast Vol. 1", "Count On The Coast Vol. 2", "Basie's Golden '58" (all on the now defunct Swedish Phontastic label); these albums show the New Testament Band in full flight recorded live 1958 in excellent stereo sound!

[Big Beat Steve]

Great recordings indeed, but weren't there 3 volumes of "Count On The Coast"?

[thomastreichler]

Great recordings indeed, but weren't there 3 volumes of "Count On The Coast"?

There are only two volumes of "Count On The Coast" on cd, plus "Basie's Golden 58". Maybe there were three lp-volumes?

[Big Beat Steve]

Yes - being the vinyl junkie that I am I was of course talking about LP's.

[Swinging Swede]

The three LP volumes of Count On The Coast were combined into two CDs. The first CD has LP 1 and the first half of LP 2. The second CD has the second half of LP 2 and all of LP 3. Then when a third CD came out with additional material it was called Basie's Golden '58 for some reason.

More material from the same occasion has come out on Status and Laserlight, including tunes not covered on the Phontastic sets.

Those who have the LP sets of Count On The Coast may have noticed that the tune G'wan Away is printed on one of the covers, but not actually included. Well, it eventually turned up on the Status CD above. The Laserlight budget CDs are thought to be from the same occasion.

[jostber]

Love this new release on Chronological Classics:

Great swinging with arrangements by Neil Hefti!

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

Thanks very much folks - I'll have a look for the Ocium. (Didn't know that was Andorran.)

MG

[montg]

Some random thoughts:

--This is a nice swinging set from the Pablo years, featuring Milt Jackson and Joe Pass. Very well-recorded

--I've never warmed to the Impulse small group set, or some of the other Basie stuff from the later in that decade.

-- From the 50s, I really love anything featuring Lockjaw Davis

[BillF]

Let's not forget the dedication to Basie of many West Coasters. Shorty Rogers Courts the Count is a beautiful album with ex-Basieite Harry Edison on trumpet and a mixture of Basie and Rogers numbers.

Edited February 10, 2008 by BillF

[papsrus]

OK, I received the Columbia "America's No. 1 Band" the other day in the mail and spent much of the day today listening. Fantastic. I initially thought the Columbia had better sound quality than the Decca. Now I'm listening to the Decca tonight and I was wrong on that count. Decca is superior. Nonetheless, the Columbia is a real gem with a great variety of music.

I also have been getting my feet wet with some of his small band output -- Kansas City 6, and Kansas City 7, along with Basie Jam. All of this smaller group stuff is just right in the sweet spot for me. Relaxed and swingin' so smooth.

Edited February 21, 2008 by papsrus

[Chuck Nessa]

I always thought the Decca set was "top heavy" with limited bass.

[AllenLowe]

I'm a little late here - but the best sounding Basie/Deccas were the old gatefold LPS - IF you can find one that has not been out into fake stereo -

pristine sound -

[papsrus]

The Decca seems more vibrant to me, but to be fair, the later stuff on the Columbia is excellent quality. Either way it's not a big concern. Both are perfectly acceptable, IMO.

[Guest bluenote82]

My favorite Count Basie album is "April In Paris." What a great record!

[king ubu]

Hm, took me quite some time to appreciate "April in Paris", and I still don't rate it just that high... my first big impression of NT Basie was the Roulette live Mosaic box, and comparing to that, the studio sessions from those years (roughly 56-60 or so) seem to pale a bit by comparison, to my ears. That's already true to me for the last years of the Clef/Verve sessions (in another great Mosaic box), while I like the Dance Sessions (I assume partly covered in the latest Classics disc pictured above by jostein) a lot - Gus Johnson!

There are some Roulette studio sessions that I like quite a bit better than "April in Paris" (including the "Atomic" album - Lockjaw!)

[Big Beat Steve]

Agreed.

Beyond of what's on the "Sixteen Men Swinging" set I cannot get that much out of the 50s Basie studio recordings for Verve either. Not that they are bad but I like some late 50s Roulette sets (including the "Atomic" and the "Chairmen of the Board" albums) better.