Oscar Peterson - Dimensions: A Compendium Of The Pablo Years (4-Disc Set)

Oscar Peterson, Count Basie, Louis Bellson, Ray brown, Benny Carter, Martin Drew, Harry "Sweets" Edison, Roy Eldridge, Duke Ellington, Jon Faddis, Dizzy Gillespie, Stephane Grappelli, Coleman Hawkins, Louis Hayes, Johnny Hodges, Barney Kessel, Neils-Henning Orsted Pedersen, Joe Pass, Mickey Roker, Clark Terry, Toots Thieleman, Ed Thigpen, David Young, and more.

Oscar Peterson's recordings on the Pablo label span the years from the '50s to the '70s and have long needed this type of lavish anthology. Over the course of four discs, you get to hear five tunes by the classic trio matching the peerless pianist with guitarist Herb Ellis and bassist Ray Brown. But the best of that particular band – arguably Peterson's finest – resides largely on the Verve label, so the Pablo years find Peterson interacting with a number of stars with whom he shared studio or concert stage time on an occasional, sometimes casual basis. The supporting cast on the Pablo years is dazzling, and the results are rarely less than deeply satisfying. Peterson sounds delightfully restrained during a charming piano duet with Count Basie, deliciously witty with growling trumpeter Harry "Sweets" Edison, and nearly intimidated by the virtuosity of Stephane Grappelli, but then again, "Nuages" is the tune this box showcases, and the violinist had a few decades after Django's death to stake his claim to that number.

Half of the 46 tracks here are live, and live recordings always bring out the flashy entertainer in Peterson. Yet even for those critics like myself who find Peterson more focused and inspired in the studio, there are ecstatic rewards in the live offerings here. A 1967 concert with the Ellington band finds Peterson navigating a strangely compelling blues line through a show-stopping "Take the A Train" that succeeds in spite of obvious showboating. Another live bit of Ellingtonia that succeeds, a medley of Perdido and Caravan at dizzying speed, comes from a 1986 Los Angeles concert where Peterson's telepathic empathy with guitarist Joe Pass equals in sheer majesty his interaction of the '50s with Herb Ellis.

There are a handful of regrettable clinkers: a misguided vocal that sounds like Nat King Cole recorded at the ocean floor, a quizzical number on clavichord, surely not Peterson's ideal instrument (as he was quick to recognize), and an overripe orchestrated tribute to the late Princess Di that resembles in sap content Ellington's tribute to the Queen. These gaffes aside, this is a sterling, well-programmed set certain to please fans of our forever-young, and arguably, greatest living pianist. ~Norman Weinstein

Album: Dimensions: A Compendium Of The Pablo Years (Disc 1)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 74:13
Size: 169.9 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 2003

[4:48] 1. That Old Black Magic
[5:00] 2. Tenderly
[3:22] 3. How High The Moon
[4:40] 4. The Way You Look Tonight
[3:40] 5. You Are Too Beautiful
[4:47] 6. Smedley
[5:08] 7. Someday My Prince Will Come
[6:03] 8. Daytrain
[3:33] 9. Moonglow
[4:36] 10. Sweet Georgia Brown
[6:23] 11. C Jam Blues
[6:37] 12. Wes' Tune
[8:42] 13. Okie Blues
[6:50] 14. You Can Depend On Me

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Album:Dimensions: A Compendium Of The Pablo Years (Disc 2)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 73:59
Size: 169.4 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 2003

[8:40] 1. You Are My Sunshine
[6:58] 2. Caravan
[7:09] 3. Stella By Starlight
[4:43] 4. Little Jazz
[5:28] 5. Soft Winds
[6:30] 6. Mean To Me
[7:52] 7. Oh, Lady Be Good
[4:20] 8. On A Slow Boat To China
[4:26] 9. Summertime
[7:18] 10. Blues For Birks
[4:54] 11. How Long Has This Been Going On
[5:34] 12. Hogtown Blues

Dimensions: A Compendium Of The Pablo Years (Disc 1) (Disc 2)

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Album: Dimensions: A Compendium Of The Pablo Years (Disc 3)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 76:01
Size: 174.0 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 2003

[ 5:22] 1. Blues Etude
[ 3:37] 2. Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans
[ 7:18] 3. I'm Getting Sentimental Over You
[ 6:44] 4. Just In Time
[ 4:46] 5. I'm Confessin' (That I Love You)
[ 6:23] 6. Goodbye
[ 6:25] 7. Falling In Love With Love
[ 7:13] 8. Nigerian Marketplace
[ 6:28] 9. Sometimes I'm Happy
[13:14] 10. Perdido
[ 8:27] 11. Cool Walk

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Album: Dimensions: A Compendium Of The Pablo Years (Disc 4)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 72:47
Size: 166.6 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 2003
Art: Front

[ 5:27] 1. Take The 'a' Train
[12:57] 2. Ballad Medley 5400 North
[ 6:14] 3. Exactly Like You
[11:17] 4. Au Privave
[10:50] 5. If I Were A Bell
[ 8:05] 6. Nuages
[ 3:46] 7. Some Of These Days
[ 4:58] 8. Lady Di's Waltz
[ 9:09] 9. Stuffy

Dimensions: A Compendium Of The Pablo Years (Disc 3)(Disc 4)

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Count Basie - Basie Meets Bond

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2002
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:35
Size: 94,5 MB
Art: Front

(3:01)  1. 007
(3:45)  2. The Golden Horn
(3:37)  3. Girl Trouble
(2:26)  4. Kingston Calypso
(4:06)  5. Goldfinger
(4:02)  6. Thunderball
(4:15)  7. From Russia With Love
(3:58)  8. Dr. No's Fantasy
(3:38)  9. Underneath The Mango Tree
(3:49) 10. The James Bond Theme
(3:54) 11. Dr. No's Fantasy - First Version

Leave it to one of the most swinging big bands of its time to make a silk purse out of a cow’s ear. Visiting themes from James Bond movies, arrangers Chico O’Farrill and George Williams craft hip and bristling versions of what might appear to be less than complimentary pieces for jazz exploration. But then O’Farrill was a master writer and he proved that this Bond thing wasn’t just a fluke when a year later in 1966 he helped to develop the catchy Basie's Beatles Bag. With its low sputtering bones and lively cowbell taps, “Kingston Calypso” is typical of the transformation with strains of “Three Blind Mice” worked in just for fun. “Dr. No’s Fantasy” gets things blaring from the git-go as drummer Sonny Payne’s swaggering backbeat pushes further and further, Basie injecting those sparse few notes here and there with characteristic élan.

And those are just two highlights among many, not to mention the boisterous and characteristic statements of tenor man Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis. Originally issued on the United Artists label, Basie Meets Bond can be recommended without reservation despite what might seem like the misguided intentions of some marketing exec. ~ C.Andrew Hovan https://www.allaboutjazz.com/basie-meets-bond-count-basie-capitol-records-review-by-c-andrew-hovan.php?width=1920

Personnel: Count Basie (piano); Al Aarons, Sonny Cohn, Wallace Davenport, Phil Guilbeau (trumpets); Henderson Chambers, Al Grey, Grover Mitchell (trombones); Bill Hughes (bass trombone); Marshall Royal (alto saxophone); Bobby Plater (alto saxophone & flute); Eric Dixon (tenor saxophone & flute); Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis (tenor saxophone);Charlie Fowlkes (baritone saxophone & bass clarinet); Freddie Green (guitar); Norman Keenen(bass); Sonny Page (drums) 

Basie Meets Bond

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Count Basie and His Orchestra - April in Paris

Styles: Piano Jazz, Big Band
Year: 1955
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 69:02
Size: 159,0 MB
Art: Front

(3:51) 1. April in Paris
(5:18) 2. Corner Pocket
(4:46) 3. Didn't You?
(4:01) 4. Sweetie Cakes
(3:09) 5. Magic
(5:17) 6. Shiny Stockings
(3:24) 7. What Am I Here For?
(3:16) 8. Midgets
(3:26) 9. Mambo Inn
(3:17) 10. Dinner with Friends
(3:55) 11. April In Paris (Alternate Take)
(5:07) 12. Corner Pocket (Alternate Take)
(4:58) 13. Didn't You? (Alternate Take)
(3:50) 14. Magic (Alternate Take 1)
(3:55) 15. Magic (Alternate Take 2)
(4:12) 16. What Am I Here For? (Alternate Take)
(3:11) 17. Midgets (Alternate Take)

One of the staples in the Count Basie discography, April in Paris is one of those rare albums that makes its mark as an almost instant classic in the jazz pantheon. April in Paris represents the reassembly of the original Count Basie orchestra that define swing in the 1930s and 1940s. The title track has come to define elegance in orchestral jazz.

Though only ten tracks in its original release, seven alternate takes have now been incorporated into Verve's re-release of the original session tapes. Other key tracks include "Corner Pocket" and "Magic," both of which are also featured in the alternate takes. Recorded in 1955 and 1956, April in Paris proved Count Basie's ability to grow through modern jazz changes while keeping the traditional jazz orchestra vital and alive. By Christopher Fielder https://www.allmusic.com/album/april-in-paris-mw0000191459

Personnel: Count Basie - piano; Wendell Culley (tracks 1-7 & 9–16), Reunald Jones (tracks 1-7 & 9–16), Thad Jones (tracks 1-7 & 9–16), Joe Newman - trumpet; Henry Coker, Bill Hughes, Benny Powell - trombone (tracks 1-7 & 9–16); Marshall Royal - alto saxophone, clarinet (tracks 1-7 & 9–16); Bill Graham - alto saxophone (tracks 1-7 & 9–16); Frank Wess - alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, flute, clarinet; Frank Foster - tenor saxophone, clarinet (tracks 1-7 & 9–16); Charlie Fowlkes - baritone saxophone, bass clarinet (tracks 1-7 & 9–16); Freddie Green - guitar; Eddie Jones - bass; Sonny Payne - drums; José Mangual, Sr., Ubaldo Nieto - percussion (track 9); William "Wild Bill" Davis (tracks 1 & 11), Neal Hefti (track 10), Frank Foster (tracks 3, 6, 7, 9, 13 & 16), Joe Newman (tracks 8 & 17), Ernie Wilkins (track 2, 4, 12) - arranger

April in Paris

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Jo Jones - The Essential Jo Jones

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 1990
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 78:28
Size: 180,0 MB
Art: Front

(5:55)  1. Shoe Shine Boy (first take)
(6:33)  2. Lover Man (Oh, Where Can You Be?)
(4:50)  3. Georgia Mae
(4:01)  4. Caravan
(7:50)  5. Lincoln Heights
(6:44)  6. Embraceable You
(5:54)  7. Satin Doll
(5:22)  8. Little Susie
(4:48)  9. Spider Kelly's Blues
(4:03) 10. Cubano Chant
(4:55) 11. Splittin'
(4:42) 12. Sweet Lorraine
(2:40) 13. Bicycle for Two
(6:44) 14. Old Man River
(3:26) 15. Sometimes I'm Happy

Jo Jones, one of the most influential drummers of the swing era, did not lead that many recording sessions of his own during his career. Producer John Hammond gave him his first two dates when he was working for Vanguard and, with the exception of a second take of "Shoe Shine Boy," all of the music from the two LPs is on this single-CD reissue. The first session is very much in the spirit of Count Basie's band; in fact, Basie himself makes a guest appearance on "Shoe Shine Boy." The other swing-oriented players include trumpeter Emmett Berry, guitarist Freddie Green, tenor saxophonist Lucky Thompson, and (on one song apiece) trombonist Lawrence Brown and clarinetist Rudy Powell. The later date is quite a bit different: a trio session with pianist Ray Bryant and bassist Tommy Bryant. There is a liberal amount of drum soloing but the early versions of Ray Bryant's "Cubano Chant" and "Little Susie" are of greatest interest. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-essential-jo-jones-mw0000644547

Personnel:  Drums – Jo Jones;  Bass – Tommy Bryant, Walter Page;  Clarinet – Rudy Powell;  Guitar – Freddie Green;  Piano – Count Basie, Nat Pierce, Ray Bryant;  Tenor Saxophone – Lucky Thompson;  Trombone – Benny Green, Lawrence Brown;  Trumpet – Emmett Berry    

The Essential Jo Jones

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Duke Ellington, Count Basie - First Time! The Count Meets The Duke

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 73:13
Size: 167.6 MB
Styles: Swing, Big band
Year: 1961/2013
Art: Front

[5:33] 1. Battle Royal
[3:52] 2. To You
[3:45] 3. Take The "A" Train
[4:52] 4. Corner Pocket (Aka Until I Met You)
[6:20] 5. Wild Man
[8:21] 6. Segue In C
[4:43] 7. B D B
[3:07] 8. Jumpin' At The Woodside
[3:24] 9. One More Once
[5:49] 10. Take The "A" Train (The Count Departs) [rehearsal & Alternate Takes]
[3:13] 11. Jumpin' At The Woodside (Alternate Take)
[4:29] 12. B D B (Alternate Take)
[3:12] 13. Blues In Hoss' Flat (Blues In Frankie's Flat)
[5:54] 14. Wild Man (Aka Wild Man Moore) [alternate Take]
[6:31] 15. Battle Royal (Rehersal & Alternate Takes)

A battle of the bands? Not quite -- more like a mutual admiration society, with the orchestras of both jazz titans playing together. (The Duke is heard on the right side of your stereo/headphones, the Count on the left.) Ellington's elegance and unique voicings meet Basie's rollicking, blues-based Kansas City swing, and it works gloriously. There's no clutter, each band is focused, and they sound great together. This is not the thoughtful, reflective composer side of Ellington (listeners should check out Far East Suite or Black, Brown & Beige for that). The Duke and his band accentuate their swinging dance band side, while Basie and company have never sounded as suave and exotic as when playing Billy Strayhorn arrangements. Everyone has a good time, and that joy infuses this album from start to finish. ~John Bush

First Time! The Count Meets The Duke

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Various - Capitol Sings Cole Porter: Anything Goes

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 64:44

Size: 148.2 MB

Styles: Standards, Easy Listening

Year: 1991

Art: Front

[2:16] 1. Annie Ross - All Of You

[2:03] 2. Peggy Lee - Always True To You In My Fashion

[2:21] 3. Count Basie - Anything Goes

[3:26] 4. Gordon Macrae - Begin The Beguine

[2:44] 5. Martha Tilton - Blow, Gabriel, Blow

[3:47] 6. Stan Kenton - Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye

[1:50] 7. Peggy Lee - From Now On

[2:41] 8. Stan Kenton - I Get A Kick Out Of You

[2:53] 9. Judy Garland - I Happen To Like New York

[2:15] 10. Helen O'connell - In The Still Of The Night

[2:38] 11. Dinah Shore - It's All Right With Me

[2:35] 12. Louis Prima - I've Got You Under My Skin

[2:13] 13. Nat King Cole - Just One Of Those Things

[2:37] 14. Liza Minnelli - Looking At You

[2:08] 15. Frances Faye - Miss Otis Regrets (She's Unable To Lunch Today)

[2:25] 16. John Raitt - So In Love

[2:30] 17. Dean Martin - True Love

[1:51] 18. Keely Smith - What Is This Thing Called Love

[3:16] 19. Margaret Whiting - Why Shouldn't I

[2:48] 20. Jo Stafford - Wunderbar

[2:35] 21. Nancy Wilson - You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To

[2:35] 22. Jean Turner - You're The Top

[2:11] 23. Trudy Richards - Let's Do It (Let's Fall In Love)

[3:03] 24. Jeri Southern - Get Out Of Town

[2:50] 25. The Andrews Sisters - You Do Something To Me

As far as all-star Cole Porter compilations go, Capitol Sings Cole Porter: Anything Goes is recommended as an entertaining sampler of 25 titles performed by some of the label's biggest stars. These include, on the hip end of the spectrum, Nat King Cole, Nancy Wilson, Frances Faye, Jo Stafford, and Annie Ross, a disarming vocalist who collaborates warmly with baritone saxophonist Gerry Mulligan. Peggy Lee is heard with George Shearing, Keely Smith with Louis Prima, Dinah Shore with Red Norvo, Tony Bennett with Count Basie and Chris Connor, and June Christy with Stan Kenton. Pop singers heard on this collection include Judy Garland, Liza Minnelli, Margaret Whiting, Dean Martin, Gordon MacRae, and the Andrews Sisters. This mini-survey of great moments in mid-20th century pop culture is suitable for casual listening (and optional singalong) while cleaning house, preparing food, shampooing the cat, or operating heavy machinery during rush hour. ~arwulf arwulf

Capitol Sings Cole Porter: Anything Goes

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Count Basie & His Orchestra - Basie's Beatle Bag

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1998
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:24
Size: 86,2 MB
Art: Front

(2:14)  1. Help
(3:20)  2. Can't Buy Me Love
(2:42)  3. Michelle
(3:19)  4. I Wanna Be Your Man
(2:58)  5. Do You Want To Know A Secret
(4:21)  6. A Hard Day's Night
(2:58)  7. All My Loving
(3:03)  8. Yesterday
(2:49)  9. And I Love Her
(2:43) 10. Hold Me Tight
(2:53) 11. She Loves You
(3:59) 12. Kansas City

Many recording artists covered The Beatles in the '60s; even their own producer, George Martin, released George Martin Instrumentally Salutes The Beatle Girls (One Way, 1966). Pianist/bandleader Count Basie recorded two albums of Beatles tunes in that decade: Basie's Beatles Bag (Verve, 1966) and Basie On The Beatles (Happy Tiger, 1969). Both discs contain vital versions of John Lennon/Paul McCartney classics, but Basie's Beatles Bag is rawer and more cohesive. Arranged by Chico O'Farrill, it selects some of the more rough and ready Beatles songs, back to "Hold Me Tight" and "I Wanna Be Your Man," from With The Beatles (EMI, 1963). Revealing much about the tunes themselves, the album is also a fun party album. The faster hits are there, such as "Help," "A Hard Day's Night" and "Can't Buy Me Love," but the arrangement of "Do You Want To Know A Secret" shows the pure swing era influence in its writing. With its beautiful Johnny Hodges-style saxophone solo, it is far superior to The Beatles' version. "Michelle," also, has the authentic Basie touch, his piano evoking his '30s-era band.

The strong R&B origins of "Hold Me Tight" are clear here, its great back beat making it one of the album's most fruitful recreations. O'Farrill throws elements of Nelson Riddle into "I Wanna Be Your Man" and "All My Loving," his gifted understanding of the music also giving saxophonist Charlie Fowlkes a baritone part on "And I Love Her" (a very imaginative touch). "All My Loving" shows, however, that guitarist Freddie Green was no match for George Harrison's soloing capabilities. Instrumentally daring, the grooving Basie's Beatles Bag casts new light on some classic songs, reveling in the rawer bluesy, swing and R&B roots of The Beatles' music. ~ AAJ Staff  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/basies-beatles-bag-count-basie-verve-music-group-review-by-aaj-staff.php

Personnel: Al Aarons: trumpet; Sonny Cohn: trumpet; Wallace Davenport: trumpet; Phil Guilbeau: trumpet; Henderson Chambers: trombone; Al Grey: trombone; Grover Mitchell: trombone; Bill Hughes: bass trombone; Marshall Royal: alto saxophone, clarinet; Bobby Plater alto saxophone, flute; Eddy Davis: tenor saxophone; Charlie Fowlkes: flute, baritone saxophone; Freddie Greene: guitar; Norman Keenan: bass; Sonny Payne: drums; Chico O'Farrill: arranger; Bill Henderson: vocal (8).

Basie's Beatle Bag

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Count Basie Orchestra - This Time By Basie

Styles: Swing, Big Band
Year: 1993
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:30
Size: 118,9 MB
Art: Front

(3:15) 1. This Could Be The Start Of Something Big
(2:29) 2. I Left My Heart In San Francisco
(3:59) 3. One Mint Julep
(3:12) 4. The Swingin' Shepherd Blues
(4:33) 5. I Can't Stop Loving You
(3:06) 6. Moon River
(3:11) 7. Fly Me To The Moon
(2:48) 8. What Kind Of Fool Am I
(2:36) 9. Walk, Don't Run
(3:14) 10. Nice 'n' Easy
(3:15) 11. Theme From The Apartment
(3:05) 12. The Hucklebuck
(2:54) 13. Oh, Pretty Woman
(3:05) 14. Oh Soul Mio
(3:43) 15. Shangri-La
(2:57) 16. At Long Last Love

Three decades after the fact, people looking at releases like This Time by Basie would tend to dismiss it as pandering, Count Basie doing a "pops" type outing the cheesy cover art even emphasized the songs over Basie and his band. Nothing could be further from the truth, however this 16-song release reveals a wonderful body of work, and deserves to be better known. For starters, This Time by Basie swings, smooth and easy but taut, or hot and heavy. From Sonny Payne's understated cymbal intro to "This Could Be the Start of Something Big" to the bluesier notes of "One Mint Julep," Basie and company sound like they're enjoying themselves, whether elegantly stretching out on "I Left My Heart in San Francisco" or "Moon River," or soaring into the air on the hotter numbers one of the more surprising covers here is "Walk Don't Run," which even works in a big-band arrangement.

Highlights amid all of this surprising splendor include Marshall Royal's alto sax on "What Kind of Fool Am I" and Frank Foster's tenor sax on "Something Big." Quincy Jones arranged and conducted This Time by Basie, and the record was successful, returning the Count to the pop charts on the eve of the British Invasion. The last five songs here are drawn from Pop Goes the Basie, a 1965 album arranged and conducted by Billy Byers, and produced by Teddy Reig the playing is as good as the companion work on numbers like "The Hucklebuck." Their version of Roy Orbison's "Oh, Pretty Woman" is a big-band blues rendition of the song (sung by Leon Thomas) that buries the original's grand operatic romantic sensibilities in a posed soulfulness. "Oh Soul Mio" (highlight by Al Grey's trombone work), "Shangri-La" and "At Long Last Love" (both prominently featuring Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis) come off better the last number could've come off of any of Basie's best post-1951 albums. The remixing from the original three-track studio asters has yielded an especially clean sound with vivid stereo separation, enhancing the solos (check out Davis' on "At Long Last Love") and the overall ensemble.~Bruce Eder

This Time By Basie

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The Count Basie Orchestra - Live At El Morocco

Styles: Jazz, Big Band
Year: 1992
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:43
Size: 158,5 MB
Art: Front

(4:49) 1. Gone An' Git It Y'all
(5:43) 2. A Night At El Morocco
(5:04) 3. Right On, Right On
(5:11) 4. That's The Kind Of Love I'm Talking About
(5:18) 5. Corner Pocket
(4:06) 6. Little Chicago Fire
(5:21) 7. Shiny Stockings
(5:27) 8. Angel Eyes
(6:41) 9. Major Butts
(4:40) 10. Ditty
(5:00) 11. Vignola Express
(4:48) 12. Basie
(5:29) 13. One O'Clock Jump

Even without its original leader, the Count Basie Orchestra is today one of the finest jazz big bands in existence. Frank Foster has kept the instantly recognizable sound while welcoming younger soloists and infusing the band's repertoire with new charts. This strong live program is typical of the Basie band in the '90s, performing older tunes (such as "Corner Pocket" and "Shiny Stockings") that alternate with newer and no less swinging originals, all of which leaves room for the orchestra's many promising soloists.~Scott Yanowhttps://www.allmusic.com/album/live-at-el-morocco-mw0000087296

Personnel: Alto Saxophone [Lead], Piccolo Flute – Danny Turner; Alto Saxophone, Flute – Manny Boyd; Baritone Saxophone, Bass Clarinet – John Williams ; Bass – Cleveland Eaton; Bass Trombone – Bill Hughes; Drums – David Gibson ; Guitar – Charlton Johnson; Piano – George Caldwell ; Tenor Saxophone, Flute – Doug Miller, Kenny Hing; Trombone – Clarence Banks, Robert Trowers; Trombone [Lead] – Mel Wanzo; Trumpet – Bob Ojeda, Derrick Gardner, Melton Mustafa; Trumpet [Lead] – Mike Williams

Live At El Morocco

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Count Basie - Count Basie Live - 1938 At The Famous Door, NYC

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 72:47
Size: 175,8 MB
Art: Front

(1:58) 1. Intro - Time Out
(1:41) 2. One Hour
(6:59) 3. Jumpin' At The Woodside
(3:13) 4. I Hadn't Anyone Till You
(4:00) 5. King Porter Stomp
(3:04) 6. OH! Lady Be Good
(1:00) 7. Everybody Loves My Baby
(4:07) 8. Intro - King Porter Stomp
(4:45) 9. John's Idea
(3:56) 10. Nagasaki
(3:08) 11. Doggin' Around
(4:25) 12. Wo-Ta-Ta
(3:03) 13. Yeah Man
(2:26) 14. Out The Window
(5:12) 15. Introduction - Every Tub
(2:25) 16. Song Of The Wanderer
(4:34) 17. Flat Foot Floogie
(3:37) 18. OH! Lady Be Good
(3:08) 19. Boogie Woogie Blues
(5:56) 20. One O'Clock Jump

The Basie band, with Harry James as the guest soloist and new arrival Harry Edison in the lineup, rocked New York's 52nd Street. The band is captured here in six late-night CBS broadcasts in the midst of its first big year of success, in an engagement that was supposed to last six weeks and ended up running four months, before an audience so taken with the group's sound that they willingly moved out onto the sidewalk while the group opened up to full volume for these broadcasts. There's hardly a note out of place, and the band shows its stuff behind renditions of "Jumping at the Woodside," "King Porter Stomp," and "One O'Clock Jump" (a killer finale) clocking in at between five and seven minutes with extended solos, double the length of their records of this era. Basie's piano gets some of the spotlight in a bracing version of "Lady Be Good." The fidelity is good to very good, and only "Everybody Loves My Baby" (a great number) is, alas, incomplete, a result of a transcription disc that was never found. That flaw aside, it is a release like this that transcends any of the criticism of the digital medium put simply, it's only the existence of digital audio and digital editing that permitted an engineer to remove more than 200 scratches per second from the original transcription discs that this CD came from.~ Bruce Eder https://www.allmusic.com/album/count-basie-live%21-1938-at-the-famous-door-nyc-mw0000982377

Count Basie Live -1938 At The Famous Door, NYC

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The Count Basie Orchestra - All About That Basie

Styles: Jazz, Big Band, Swing
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:11
Size: 110,9 MB
Art: Front

(4:40)  1. Everyday I Have The Blues
(4:26)  2. Can't Hide Love
(3:38)  3. My Cherie Amour
(3:24)  4. Don't Worry ‘Bout Me
(4:25)  5. Tequila
(4:53)  6. Hallelujah
(3:53)  7. April In Paris
(3:08)  8. Honeysuckle Rose
(4:35)  9. Hello
(4:56) 10. Sent For You Yesterday
(6:08) 11. From One To Another

The Legendary Count Basie Orchestra celebrates their 80th anniversary as the premiere big band in jazz with a collection of classic material a twist on a few modern hits (Adele, Leonard Cohen, Stevie Wonder, and others). Special guests include: Stevie Wonder, Carmen Bradford, Kurt Elling, Take 6, Jamie Davis, Jon Faddis, Wycliffe Gordon, Joey DeFrancesco, Eric Reed, Rickey Woodard, and Gregg Field. ~ Editorial Reviews https://www.amazon.com/About-That-Basie-Count-Orchestra/dp/B07FDVCMHP

Featuring Take 6, Kurt Eling, Carmen Bradford, Jon Faddis, Wycliffe Gordon, Jamie Davis, Joey Defrancesco and Stevie Wonder…

All About That Basie

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Various - The J.J. Johnson Memorial Album

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 77:02
Size: 176.3 MB
Styles: Bop, Trombone jazz
Year: 2003
Art: Front

[3:02] 1. Coleman Hawkins - I Mean You
[3:06] 2. J.J. Johnson - Elysee
[3:43] 3. J.J. Johnson's Boppers - Blue Mode (Take 1)
[4:57] 4. J.J. Johnson - Chazzanova
[8:14] 5. Miles Davis Sextet - Blue 'n' Boogie
[3:10] 6. J.J. Johnson - Bags' Groove
[4:32] 7. Coleman Hawkins - Laura
[4:10] 8. Benny Golson Sextet - Hymn To The Orient
[7:05] 9. J.J. Johnson - Horace
[6:39] 10. J.J. Johnson - Pinnacles
[7:13] 11. Count Basie - Jaylock
[7:56] 12. J.J. Johnson - Concepts In Blue
[3:13] 13. J.J. Johnson - Misty
[3:01] 14. J.J. Johnson - What's New
[2:29] 15. J.J. Johnson - Nature Boy
[4:23] 16. J.J. Johnson - Soft Winds

When J.J. Johnson passed away in 2001, he left a legacy as simply the greatest technically gifted and most admired jazz trombonist in history without much valid argument to the contrary. This compilation features some very good tracks with Johnson as a sideman in or leader from the late '40s up to 1957, as a full-blown frontman in the '70s and '80s, and in small duos or trios up to 1983. Discographical sleuths will note this is not an all-time greatest-"hits" package, due to the absence of his great Savoy, Blue Note, Bethlehem, RCA Bluebird, Columbia, Impulse or 1990s Verve label efforts. These tracks are collected from the family of Prestige, Riverside, Milestone, and Pablo recordings, and while all selections here are quite good, they are not his definitive works. Still, everything here is well rendered, and a few pieces are indeed definitive. The pre-1957 tracks include the Coleman Hawkins deeply rich, horn-saturated septet from 1946 tackling Thelonious Monk's "I Mean You" with Johnson, Fats Navarro, Hank Jones, Max Roach, and the completely obscure alto saxophonist Porter Kilbert. Johnson is teamed with Sonny Rollins and Kenny Dorham in the swirling lines of "Elysee," and Sonny Stitt in the slow "Blue Note" both featuring John Lewis. The Charles Mingus film noir style obscurity "Chazzanova," with four trombonists, the true bop classic "Blue 'n' Boogie" with Miles Davis, Lucky Thompson, and Horace Silver, Johnson, and Kai Winding's take of "Bags Groove," and Benny Golson's unusual harmonics during "Hymn to the Orient" with Dorham and Roach -- all have to be considered standouts. The compilation leaps to 1977 as "Horace" is a soul-jazz bopper with Nat Adderley on trumpet and Billy Childs playing Fender Rhodes electric piano. The memorable post-bop "Pinnacles" has what must be an all-time great configuration with Joe Henderson, Tommy Flanagan on piano and clavinet, bassist Ron Carter, and drummer Billy Higgins in tow. The CD ends with "Concepts in Blue," marred by a synthesizer add-on, three intimate sessions, two of them duets with Joe Pass and a trio featuring Pass and Oscar Peterson, plus the finale "Soft Winds" in a sextet featuring tinkling percussion, a great contribution from Kenny Barron, and Johnson alongside fellow 'bonist Al Grey. Though the first half of this collection is pretty solid, the second is hit or miss. Though all cuts remain credible, the uneven nature of this collection, and its lack of a comprehensive focus, makes this an incomplete but still tasteful look at the mighty career of the great J.J. Johnson. ~Michael G.Nastos

The J.J. Johnson Memorial Album mc
The J.J. Johnson Memorial Album zippy

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Count Basie & His Orchestra - Dance Along With Basie

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 34:49
Size: 79.7 MB
Styles: Big band, Swing
Year: 1960/2012
Art: Front

[2:51] 1. It Had To Be You
[3:54] 2. Makin' Whoopee
[5:15] 3. Can't We Be Friends
[3:30] 4. Misty
[3:33] 5. It's A Pity To Say Goodnight
[2:24] 6. How Am I To Know
[3:29] 7. Easy Living
[3:06] 8. Fools Rush In
[3:12] 9. Secret Love
[3:30] 10. Give Me The Simple Life

This is a most under-rated Basie recording. The band's dance book--often unjustly patronized or overlooked--was first-rate, both from an arranging and performing standpoint. And the bonus tracks are worth the price of admission alone. This isn't just for "completists" or Basie aficionados--all fans of good jazz or big band music will find it great addition to their collection. ~jbix

Dance Along With Basie mc
Dance Along With Basie zippy

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Count Basie - On My Way And Shoutin' Again

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 34:04
Size: 78.0 MB
Styles: Big band
Year: 1962/2009
Art: Front

[3:47] 1. I'm Shouting Again
[3:33] 2. Ducky Bumps
[3:43] 3. The Long Night
[3:15] 4. Jump For Johnny
[2:48] 5. Ain't That Right
[2:45] 6. Together Again
[3:30] 7. Shanghaied
[3:59] 8. Skippin' With Skitch
[3:01] 9. Eee Dee
[3:39] 10. Rose Bud

When Count Basie returned to Verve Records in 1962, Neal Hefti was contracted to write the tunes and arrangements, a revival of their partnership from the 1958 Roulette LP Basie Plays Hefti. While none of these selections is as famous as his songs like "Cute," "Little Pony," "Splanky," "Li'l Darlin'," and "Repetition," the substantial originality of this music is hard to deny, not to mention that the expert musicians playing his music bring these tracks fully to life in a livelier fashion than most laid-back Basie studio sessions. In fact, it has the feeling of a concert date that trumps the more clean, controlled environment of a session that was recorded on a three-track reel-to-reel. There's also plenty of room for exceptional solos from most of the participants, as Hefti is mindful of who is in the band and how each musician might sound when given his head. This is tried and true swing-oriented modern big-band music that actually sounds advanced for its time frame, and is solid as anything Basie has done post-"April in Paris." The band is atypically bold and brazen on the opener, "I'm Shoutin' Again," with Frank Wess on alto (not tenor) sax for his spirited solo. The great chart of "Jump for Johnny" is a hard bopper for Johnny Carson, basic Basie with tenor saxophonist Frank Foster and trumpeter Sonny Cohn trading licks. Hefti's best work is showcased during "Together Again," as the hopping brass and singing horns take tuneful twists and turns. This set also includes the classic track "The Long Night," a famous blues featuring the sly flute of Wess in front of the horn section and a masterful muted solo by trumpeter Thad Jones. There are other tunes that are derivative, as you can clearly hear the borrowed phrases of "C Jam Blues"/"Duke's Place" in the low-key then blasted-out "Eee Dee," "Shiny Stockings" sprinkled about during the more typical laid-back "Rose Bud," and "Groove Merchant" or "Hallelujah, I Just Love Him So" in the easy-swinging soul groove of "Ain't That Right." Hefti's movie soundtrack experience comes to the fore on "Shanghaied," definite spy music with Cohn's muted trumpet masking phobias and paranoia. There are two cute tunes: "Skippin' with Skitch," led by three flutes (Wess, Eric Dixon, and Charlie Fowlkes); and the lightly strutting "Ducky Bumps," featuring Henry Coker's trombone, with brief solos from Basie's piano and bassist Buddy Catlett. A solid and worthwhile album that has been out of print for far too long, this will be a welcome addition to any Basie lover's collection, and comes highly recommended to anyone even mildly interested in excellent large-ensemble mainstream jazz. ~Michael G. Nastos

On My Way And Shoutin' Again mc
On My Way And Shoutin' Again zippy

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Arthur Prysock, Count Basie - S/T

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:05
Size: 98.7 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz
Year: 1966/1989
Art: Front

[3:47] 1. I Could Have Told You
[2:45] 2. Ain't No Use
[3:40] 3. I Could Write A Book
[3:08] 4. Gone Again
[3:40] 5. Come Home
[2:16] 6. I Worry 'bout You
[2:45] 7. What Will I Tell My Heart
[2:46] 8. Don't Go To Strangers
[3:21] 9. I'm Lost
[2:52] 10. I'm Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myself A Letter
[2:24] 11. Come Rain Or Shine
[3:43] 12. Where Are You
[3:13] 13. Do Nothin' Till You Hear From Me
[2:39] 14. Sunday

Bass – Norman Keenan; Drums – Grady Tate, B5), Rufus Jones; Guitar – Fred Green; Piano – Count Basie; Saxophone, Clarinet – Charles Fowlkes, Eddie Davis, Eric Dixon; Trombone – Al Grey, William Hughes, Robert Plater, Grover Mitchell, Henderson Chambers, Henry Coker, Marshal Royal; Trumpet – Albert Aarons, Phil Guilbeau, George Cohn, Wallace Davenport; Vocals – Arthur Prysock. Recorded December 12-21, 1965 at Van Gelder Studios, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey.

Arthur Prysock/Count Basie documents a set of wonderful mid-'60s cuts in which Arthur Prysock came the closest of any replacements to duplicating the Joe Williams sound in the Basie orchestra. Seven saxes are led by Lockjaw Davis in a big band that drives Prysock. Of the 11 songs, the best are "I Could Write a Book" and "Don't Go to Strangers." [The 2015 Verve reissue added three bonus tracks to the original program.] ~Michael G. Nastos

Arthur Prysock, Count Basie

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Count Basie - Kansas City Shout

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 42:02

Size: 96.2 MB

Styles: Swing, Piano blues

Year: 1980/1995

Art: Front

[3:40] 1. Just A Dream On My Mind

[5:57] 2. Blues For Joe Turner

[4:05] 3. Blues For Joel

[4:02] 4. Everyday I Have The Blues

[2:56] 5. Blues Au Four

[3:27] 6. My Jug And I

[4:08] 7. Cherry Red

[3:49] 8. Apollo Daze

[3:19] 9. Standing On The Corner

[3:34] 10. Stormy Monday

[3:00] 11. Signifying

Bass – Duffy Jackson; Guitar – Freddie Green; Piano – Count Basie; Saxophone – Bobby Plater, Danny Turner, Eric Dixon, Johnny Williams, Kenny Hing; Trombone – Bill Hughes, Mitchell 'Bootie' Wood, Dennis Rowland, Dennis Wilson, Grover Mitchell; Trumpet – Dale Carley, David Stahl, Pete Minger, Sonny Cohn; Vocals – Joe Turner (tracks: 2, 4, 10); Vocals, Alto Saxophone – Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson (tracks: 1, 6, 7). Recorded in Hollywood, CA, April 7, 1980.

This session from 1980 helps to recreate the atmosphere of '30s Kansas City. Featured are the great blues singer Joe Turner and the strong singer and altoist Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson, along with the Count Basie Orchestra. "Just a Dream," "Everyday I Have the Blues," "Cherry Red" and "Stormy Monday" receive very spirited renditions, as do some newer blues. Since all of the principals are no longer with us, Norman Granz deserves special thanks for organizing this special session. ~Scott Yanow

Kansas City Shout

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Count Basie - King Of Swing

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 33:10
Size: 76.0 MB
Styles: Big band, Swing
Year: 1954/2002
Art: Front

[3:24] 1. Cherry Point
[4:00] 2. Bubbles
[2:39] 3. Right On
[3:37] 4. The Blues Done Come Back
[3:46] 5. Plymouth Rock
[2:53] 6. I Feel Like A New Man
[3:14] 7. You For Me
[3:04] 8. Soft Drink
[2:47] 9. Two For The Blues
[3:42] 10. Slow But Sure

Alto Saxophone, Clarinet – Marshall Royal; Alto Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone – Ernie Wilkins; Baritone Saxophone – Charlie Fowlkes; Bass – Eddie Jones; Drums – Gus Johnson; Guitar – Freddie Green; Piano, Conductor – Count Basie; Tenor Saxophone – Frank Foster, Frank Wess; Trombone – Benny Powell, Bill Hughes (2) (tracks: 6 to 10), Henderson Chambers (tracks: 1 to 4), Henry Coker; Trumpet – Joe Newman, Joe Wilder (tracks: 1 to 4), Reunald Jones, Thad Jones (tracks: 6 to10), Wendell Culley. Tracks 1-4: Recorded December 12, 1953 at Fine Sound, New York City. Track 5: Recorded August 13, 1953 in Los Angeles. Tracks 6-10: Recorded August 16, 1954 at Fine Sound, New York City. 96 kHz, 24-bit digital transfer.

Following a brief lull earlier in the 1950s, Count Basie had rebuilt his big band by the time of this trio of studio sessions originally recorded for Clef. Among the musicians present on one or more of the dates are trumpeters Joe Newman, Joe Wilder, and Thad Jones and a reed section with Marshall Royal, Frank Foster, Frank Wess, and Ernie Wilkins, along with a dependable rhythm section anchored by Basie's longtime rhythm guitarist, Freddie Green. While none of the numbers seemed to stay in the band book for all that long, the consistently swinging performances and tasty solos make this worth the attention of swing fans. ~Ken Dryden

King Of Swing

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Count Basie, Tony Bennett - Basie Swings, Bennett Sings

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 30:51
Size: 70.6 MB
Styles: Big band, Vocal jazz
Year: 1959/2009
Art: Front

[2:52] 1. Life Is A Song (Let's Sing It Together)
[1:32] 2. With Plenty Of Money And You
[2:07] 3. Jeepers Creepers
[2:48] 4. Are You Havin' Any Fun
[2:22] 5. Anything Goes
[1:34] 6. Strike Up The Band (Strike Up The Band)
[2:05] 7. Chicago
[3:02] 8. I've Grown Accustomed To Her Face
[3:30] 9. Poor Little Rich Girl
[3:34] 10. Growing Pains
[1:45] 11. I Guess I'll Have To Change My Plans
[3:35] 12. After Supper

The Roulette half of the two Bennett/Basie sessions is a band singer's paradise, with the Basie band caught at a robust and swinging peak and Bennett never sounding happier or looser in front of a microphone. The Count himself, alas, appears on piano only on two numbers ("Life Is a Song" and "Jeepers Creepers"), while Bennett's perennial pianist Ralph Sharon takes over on the remaining ten tracks and does all the charts. Yet Sharon writes idiomatically for the Count's style, whether on frantic rave-ups like "With Plenty of Money and You" and "Strike Up the Band" or relaxed swingers like "Chicago." Though not a jazz singer per se, the flavor of jazz is everywhere in Bennett's voice, which in those days soared like a trumpet. The 1990 CD included an atmospheric unissued Neal Hefti ballad "After Supper," but even this bonus track does little to extend the skimpy playing time (about 31 minutes) of what is still a great, desirable snapshot from American showbiz of the late 1950s. ~Richard S. Ginnell

Basie Swings, Bennett Sings

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Count Basie, Sarah Vaughan - Count Basie & Sarah Vaughan

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:06
Size: 105.5 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 1962/1995
Art: Front

[2:10] 1. Perdido
[3:56] 2. Lover Man
[2:53] 3. I Cried For You
[3:53] 4. Alone
[3:09] 5. There Are Such Things
[2:48] 6. Mean To Me
[2:43] 7. The Gentleman Is A Dope
[4:50] 8. You Go To My Head
[3:07] 9. Until I Met You
[3:21] 10. You Turned The Tables On Me
[4:50] 11. Little Man (You've Had A Busy Day)
[2:50] 12. Teach Me Tonight
[2:42] 13. If I Were A Bell
[2:48] 14. Until I Met You

Although Count Basie gets top billing, he actually doesn't even appear on this set. Basie's Orchestra and pianist Kirk Stuart are purely in a supporting role behind the magnificent voice of Sarah Vaughan, other than a couple of short spots for trumpeter Joe Newman and Frank Foster's tenor. Sometimes Vaughan sounds overly mannered and seems to give little weight to the words she is singing, but her wide range and impeccable musicianship carry the day. Highlights include "Perdido," "Mean to Me," and "You Go to My Head," and the set is understandably recommended more for Sarah Vaughan fans than Count Basie collectors. [Some reissues add a pair of charming Vaughan duets with Joe Williams, "Teach Me Tonight" and "If I Were a Bell," that were originally released as a single, plus an alternate take of "Until I Met You."] ~Scott Yanow

Count Basie & Sarah Vaughan

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Count Basie, Zoot Sims - Basie & Zoot

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:17
Size: 108.2 MB
Styles: Piano blues/jazz
Year: 1976/2008
Art: Front

[4:40] 1. I Never Knew
[5:37] 2. It's Only A Paper Moon
[6:34] 3. Blues For Nat Cole
[6:37] 4. Captain Bligh
[6:25] 5. Honeysuckle Rose
[4:42] 6. Hardav
[6:33] 7. Mean To Me
[6:06] 8. I Surrender, Dear

This is a classic encounter in the Original Jazz Classics series. Pianist Count Basie (in his best-small group outing of the 1970s) and tenor saxophonist Zoot Sims were mutually inspired by each other's presence and, with the tasteful assistance of bassist John Heard and drummer Louie Bellson, they can be heard playing at the peak of their creative powers. Every listener interested in swinging jazz should pick up this disc, if only to hear these hard-charging versions of "I Never Knew," "It's Only a Paper Moon," and "Honeysuckle Rose." A gem, and essential music. ~Scott Yanow

Basie & Zoot

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