Complete Atomic Basie
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (31 May, 1994)
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Editorial Review

Bristling with excitement and electricity, this 1958 album represents the finest accomplishment of Count Basie's "New Testament" big band. His "Old Testament" band of the late 1930s, featuring stars Lester Young, Herschel Evans, Dickie Wells, and Buck Clayton, perfected the blues-drenched, straight 4/4 rhythm of Kansas City swing. Building on the blues foundation, this 1950s band features more ambitious compositions and a more dynamic sound and incorporates more modern developments. One constant, however, is the anchoring rhythm guitar of Freddie Green. As always, Basie can dig deeply into robust stride statements or choose each note as if he had to pay for them separately. Neal Hefti, the primary composer and arranger here, marvelously captures the strengths of each individual musician. His arrangements sparkle exuberantly on the up tunes and create vivid and exotic moods on the slower ones; clever and innovative without ever being overblown. Beefy tenor Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, who was only in the band for a relatively short period, offers the most valuable and vital solo contributions, recalling Ben Webster's tenderness at times, squeaking and honking like an R&B man at others. --Marc Greilsamer ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Sorry about the confusion
the second best jazz dude ever. this salubrious album rocks my socks

Awesome! An A-bomb of sound
Though I prefer the Basie band of the 30's, this is an awesome collection of later work from 1958, enhanced by kickin' arrangements by Neal Hefti. Hefti is better known for working with Sinatra in the 50's, but I feel his work with Basie is more innovative and vibrant than his collaboration with Frank. Another plus is the sound quality on this disc, which greatly surpases anything Basie recorded in the Depression. You can really hear the brass section, especially when you pump up the volume, and how can you not do that considering this is the inimitable Basie? The trumpet solos really soar and Basie's distinctive one-fingered approach to the piano is highlighted by the mixing here. My two favorite tracks have got to be the fantastic Whirlybird, closely followed by Lil' Darlin'. Again, the arrangements on these tracks is first rate and the sound quality is awesome.

The only reason I am not giving this collection 5 stars is because I prefer the Basie band in a live setting, when they would always pull out the stops and just swing it to the ceiling. Check out Basie at the Sands for an example of his band in a live forum. Otherwise, this disc is stellar all the way!

not the early Basie, but really good
Of course this is not the ground-breaking band that featured Lester Young and the Basie rhythm section in the late 30s, but it's a great band, with more power and drive than that band, and just as much swing. Did I really say that? The power comes from abigger band and better recording techniques. Lockjaw Davis's presence is wonderful. Whirlybird and Flight of the Foobirds are super cuts. This is NOT the first Basie disk you should buy, but it is about #6, and since #1-4 (the three disk set of Basie on Decca and Vols. 1,2,3 on Columbia) are in my top 10 jazz disks overall, this is a high recommendation. The Best of Jazz issue of Basie is superb by the way, if you only want to buy one. ... Read more

Asin: B000005GX2
Subjects:  1. Jazz    2. Pop   

Count Basie Swings, Joe Williams Sings
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (19 October, 1993)
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Editorial Review

The 1955 album that revived the careers of both Basie and Williams is reissued here with three bonus tracks. Williams's elegant style on blues and ballads is a perfect complement to the band's brashness; one highlight, of course, is "Every Day I Have the Blues," the Memphis Slim song that became a Williams signature. But the team also clicks on material as diverse as "Teach Me Tonight" and Percy Mayfield's proto-protest "Please Send Me Someone to Love." --Rickey Wright ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Dying for a re-issue!
One of the all time greatest albums. Nearly every track fills you with excitement and joy. But...this is one album that is begging for a high-resolution re-mastering and re-issue. The recording is scratchy, lacks depth, and the bass is nearly non-existent.

Verve Records - Please Please PLEASE! Re-issue this classic album as a Master Edition! This should be one of the 10 most essential jazz CDs in every person's library, but it won't happen without a CD that meets the modern auditory expectation for jazz classics of this era.

Good music, but the quality is awful
I love Joe Williams' voice.Every Day I Have the Blues is great.But the quality of the recording [stinks].It sounds like it was recorded in the 1920s.I regret buying this cd.

Oh lord!
This is the DEFINITIVE Count Basie + Williams album!IT DOES NOT get any better than this!

Of special credit:

"Everyday"<--Easily the best arragement--EVER!

"Please Send me Someone to Love"<--Ditto.

etc etc

BUY IT
LISTEN TO IT
LOVE IT! ... Read more

Asin: B0000046RR
Subjects:  1. Big Band    2. Jazz    3. Pop    4. Standards    5. Swing    6. Traditional Pop    7. United States of America    8. Vocal Jazz   

The Greatest! Count Basie Plays, Joe Williams Sings Standards
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (01 June, 1990)
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Reviews (5)

THE BEST COMBINATION
I first bought the reel-to-reel version of this album in 1963.It is now 43 years since, and finally, found a copy of it on cd.Without a doubt, the quintessential combination of Joe Williams' voice and Count Basie's band are beyond comparison."Standards" sung and played the way they should have been.No "gimmicks," etc.Just plain, honest and musically incomparable renditions of these songs.It was a sad day for me, when it was announced that, Williams and Basie would no longer appear and record together again.Even sadder is the loss of both of these "GIANTS" within the Jazz and music world.I miss both of them beyond comprehension.This is a MUST recording to include in your musical library.

It doesn't get any better
This is classic Basie and Williams. If you love either performer you have to have it. These standards swing like they rarely have before or since. Buy it!

Disco obrigatório pra quem curte jazz
Pra quem gosta de standards de jazz ( canções americanas) esse disco é uma preciosidade. Além da orquestra de Basie, para surpresa de ninguém, swingar como nunca, Joe Williams, que eu erradamente pensava só cantar blues, é um intérprete muito especial. O repertório foi muito bem escolhido e só tem pérolas mas eu destacaria três faixas especialmente empolgantes: Thou Swell e My Baby Just Cares for Me e I'm Beggining to See The Light. Foi o melhor disco que eu comprei nos últimos meses. Nota 1000. ... Read more

Asin: B00000476B
Sales Rank: 51456
Subjects:  1. Jazz    2. Pop   

Ella & Basie
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (28 October, 1997)
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Editorial Review

This 1963 session is a fine meeting of two great performers with a single-minded devotion to swing, a high point for both in the decade. The tunes are all familiar standards, many with roots in jazz, while the arrangements by Quincy Jones seem ideal. They're perfectly matched to Count Basie's idiom while providing a fine complement to Ella Fitzgerald's vocal leads. They may possibly be the best settings ever constructed for her scat singing. Fats Waller's "Honeysuckle Rose" swings infectiously and has Fitzgerald scatting ebulliently, while his "Ain't Misbehavin'" becomes a gentle ballad. The same depth of feeling colors "Into Each Life Some Rain Must Fall," while "Satin Doll" insinuates and "Them There Eyes" bounces infectiously from the first beat. --Stuart Broomer ... Read more

Reviews (11)

what more could you sak for?
I haven't heard this album in a couple of years and I can still hear every note in my head.A classic.

For Lovers of Swing
Absolultely priceless.Ella was always impressive when she had someone to impress, as her collaborations with Satch, Duke, and Louis Jordan prove.This 1963 studio date is certainly a winner.The scat exchange on "Honeysuckle Rose" shows that Ella is in a playful mood.Her phrasing throughout the album is inventive and she eloquently re-melodicizes classic standards like "Ain't Misbehavin'" and "On the Sunny Side of the Street"."Tea for Two" is a lesson in sweet sincerity."Dream a Little Dream of Me" makes Mama Cass actually seem mediocre and once you hear Ella and Basie do "Deed I Do" it is likely no other version will ever satisfy.Basically (or Basie-cally) the entire album is like a big advertisement for the glory days of swing.God Bless Norman Granz.

One of the best combinations ever conceived!
I wore out the LP, and probably the 7" open reel tape at the Rochester (NY) Public Library when I was a kid.Now that I'm a touch over 40, I still think that this was one of the finest jazz records ever made.Mr. Granz (up in heaven with all the greats), thank you very, very much for this wonderful aggregation of musical delights. ... Read more

Asin: B0000047G4
Subjects:  1. Big Band/Swing    2. Jazz    3. Pop    4. Standards    5. Swing    6. Traditional Pop    7. Vocal Jazz   

Sinatra at the Sands
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (26 May, 1998)
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Editorial Review

Pop this on, close your eyes, and you'll be instantly transported back to the Vegas of 1966. The Sands Hotel was still the "class joint" where Sinatra and his Rat Pack buddies partied, held court, and occasionally even performed. This priceless document (Sinatra's first official live album) captures the Chairman of the Board in performance mode, ably supported by conductor-arranger Quincy Jones and Count Basie and his Orchestra. The set list comprises 16 Sinatra classics--including "Come Fly with Me," "One for My Baby (And One More for the Road)," "It Was a Very Good Year," and "Angel Eyes"--along with two Basie instrumentals and some seriously un-P.C. stage banter. Essential. --Dan Epstein ... Read more

Features

• Live
• Original recording remastered

Reviews (90)

Born in the wrong generation...
I've always joked with people that, because of my taste in classic movies and music, I was born in the wrong generation. Frank Sinatra: Live at the Sands is one of the reasons I always say this. What entertainer today could muster such energy and emotion to transfix an audience? Singers today, and I use the word lightly, seem to focus to much on showing off there range instead of putting there own emotions into songs to sound original. Because of what Sinatra put into a song, the way he not only sang the lyrics but FELT them, he could never be copied or replaced. This concert at the Sands shows why he will always have one of the most individual, timeless voices that ever existed.

The Chairman of the Board
Sinatra at the Sands...it's a must have for even the most casual Sinatra fan.It's one of Frank's best albums and it plays like a classic film or novel that will never fall out if fashion.Prepare to be transported to a long gone and nearly forgotten era.Recorded in 1965, when an old blue eye was fifty years old; it displays a confidant and silky smooth Sinatra.Drop in this CD and grab your favorite beverage, relax and prepare to be transported to a time long gone.By the end of the album you'll wish you were old enough to have actually been at the Sands to see the show live!!!!

Close Your Eyes and Your at the Sands with Sinatra
A great live album.Put this in the CD player and close your eyes.Have a scotch on the rocks and light a cigarette, and boom, you are at the Sands listening to Sinatra in concert.One of the great live albums that I have in my collection. ... Read more

Asin: B000006OBQ
Subjects:  1. Pop    2. Pop Vocals    3. Traditional Pop    4. Vocal Jazz   

Live at the Sands
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (21 July, 1998)
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Features

• Live

Reviews (7)

a classic
a powerful collection of live sounds from one of the greats, commanding respect and infinite hours of listening.

One word: Wow!
Though I prefer the early Basie sound of the 30's, this album is remarkable for its clarity, sound quality and sheer presence. Basie also sounded better live than in any studio, and this disc exemplifies this phenomenon. Unlike many other live recordings, there is very little, if any, background noise, superfluous pops and buzzes or anything else to mar the magnificent sound. Incredibly, Basie was relegated to being a warm-up act for Sinatra in the Copa Room in Vegas and these songs were recorded as Basie and the boys swung before the Chairman hit the stage.

The highlights of this album are undoubtedly One O'Clock Jump and the swingin' Jumpin' at the Woodside. It's impossible not to become a Basie convert if you listen to just these two cuts. The brass section really cuts loose and you'll find yourself wanting to get up and just cut loose. That's what Basie is for: smiling, swingin' and having a great time. What a master musician and bandleader he was. Enjoy this collection!

Superb - The best of BASIE
I never got to see Count Basie "Live".But, in listening to his "live" recordings it amazes me that people are talking while the band is playing.These musicians should have had total attention and a standing "O" at the end of every song!What a powerful band!Perhaps some of these folks at the show see them every night?Listen to this CD and you will see why Count Basie was so incredible.You can't go wrong. ... Read more

Asin: B000009D1P
Sales Rank: 55085
Subjects:  1. Big Band    2. Jazz    3. Pop    4. Swing    5. Trad Jazz   

April in Paris
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (24 June, 1997)
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Editorial Review

Count Basie's band endured because of its leader's uncanny ability to put together fresh arrangements and strong soloists while maintaining the band's unique devotion to swing; this CD is among the most enduring of the big band recordings of the 1950s. The title tune is present in a justifiably famous rendition, a performance of swaggering swing and passion that was arranged by organist "Wild Bill" Davis. Frank Foster's "Shiny Stockings," now a jazz standard, made its debut here, while Joe Newman's "Midgets" recasts the band as a bop combo. Throughout the recording are terrific solos by trumpeters Thad Jones and Newman and tenor saxophonists Foster and Frank Wess, all basking in the band's glorious swing. --Stuart Broomer ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Good outtakes
This is one of the few discs where the outtakes are worthwhile.Usually, the differences are minor, and often I have trouble distinguishing one take from another.But here, they reveal Basie's re-working of some of the cuts at a basic level.The three takes of "Magic", for example, display radically different approaches to the piano intro.Of course, even without the outtakes, this is one of the highpoints of Basie's career anyway.

Pure bliss
This is some of the finest Basie in his mid-to-late period.

Very difficult to review.
I had a very tough time trying to decide how to rate this.On the one hand, it's something of a jazz classic, and probably the most famous of Basie's albums.On the other hand, the album is not his best. I've owned this album for a while, and although I have more Basie CDs than anything else, I just don't listen to this one that much.

For one thing, only the title track is really essential.I love "Shiny Stockings," but there is a much better version on "Basie in London."Some other favorites ("Corner Pocket," Sweetie Cakes") sound much better on the live "Corner Pocket" album.If you are a big Basie fan, I suggest you check out a few of the live albums, as Basie is ALWAYS better live.If you're a part-time jazz fan, or want an introduction, this may be for you.

To sum it up, I guess I'd say this.If you don't know Basie, this is a good place to start.If you DO know Basie, and still don't have this CD, you probably would be disappointed.I would rate this closer to 3 stars, but it does have appeal to new fans. ... Read more

Asin: B0000047CS
Subjects:  1. Jazz    2. Pop   

Count Basie at Newport
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (25 October, 1990)
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Editorial Review

This 1957 performance, which united Count Basie's contemporary band with its greatest alumni, was a truly festive event that reached back to the 1930s for some of the repertoire and some of the guests. The contrasting tenors of Lester Young and Illinois Jacquet, drummer Jo Jones, trumpeter Roy Eldridge, and the great Kansas City blues shouter Jimmy Rushing are all featured, as is the band's regular vocalist, Joe Williams. The band, a great unit on its own, shines in support of Young on his trademark "Lester Leaps In," while Rushing matches the band's collective power on "Sent for You Yesterday" and "Boogie Woogie."Basie's piano sounds more inspired than usual, and the extended jam session on "One O'Clock Jump" is a triumph for Eldridge. --Stuart Broomer ... Read more

Features

• Live

Reviews (13)

wow
"One o' Clock" jump is a historical moment, Here you have Count Basie, Lester Young, Roy Eldridge, and Illionois Jaqucet blowing the place up. You can here people cheering them on in the croud and in the band, and you can tell this was a night to remember. For me the real reason to aquire this gem if for the Lester Young. He is incredible on this recording, a masterpiece

Great music, great fun, swinging swinging swinging
This is a great wild and swinging performance, both the "reunion" sides and the straight band stuff.

In the late 1940s and early 1950s Lester Young toured and performed with the Basie New Testament band quite often.In fact, at times he would simply show up for a rehearsal or stage performance unannounced and just blow. Basie always kept the door open for him.However, even though THE PRESIDENT was in rough shape that weekend (he wasn't dying that happened 3 years later), there are no later day recordings of Prez with the band that capture the swing that the reunion sides do here. I think it had to do with having Joe Jones and Mr. Rushing present.

One of the great things here is hearing Jimmie Rushing--who was a bit more of a stranger to Basie in these years than Prez--swinging the band. The New Testament band reacts to his singing by swinging back at him like they would any other master soloist. You can also pick up on some of the other cuts where Jimmie isn't singing, where his hand clapping and shouting is adding to the fury of the bands swing.Even if you are so culturally deprived as not to be a Jimmie Rushing fan, you will be after you hear his sides on this CD.

Illinois Jacquet and Roy Eldrige also shine on this record, on the killer rendition of One O'clock Jump.They were both at the height of their powers here and really burnt it up. Both of them are the real stars of the One O'clock Jump.

Don't forget the Count Basie Orchestra here.I have three other recordings of Bleep Blop Blues (the first with the nonette and two studio recordings). The live jumping version on this CD is the best one I have ever heard. As much as I love the other cuts on the CD, I find myself putting that on repeat and repeat and repeat. Joe Williams does show you why he is the righteous successor to Mr. Rushing, (although Joe always saw himself as more of a disciple of Joe Turner). I also love the interaction between the New Testament Band and some of the swing veterans as their riffs rise behind the veterans, especially on One O'clock Jump. Any idea that Basie's new band was not the leading swing organization of its time is quickly dispelled by what the band does here.

And John Hammond LOL: Oh well, at least his introductions aren't faked like he did on the Vanguard recordings of the Spirituals to Swing concerts. His introduction of the Basie band is interesting in giving you a picture of how many members of the New Testament band came out of the old swing bands.His patronizing tone really takes you back to what Jazz musicians, and African American artists in general had to put up from supposedly liberal (NAACP board member was Hammond) whites just to perform.

This is a one in a million special CD.This was the first CD I bought. It belongs in every home!

Top class swing
Brilliant!
Although introductions by John Hammond are too long and reveal slight confusion, this is swing music at its best, the power and energy of classic Basie band recreated in the age of stereo technology. For, Lester Young (one of two swing-era candidates for the best tenorist ever), Jimmy Rushing (perhaps the best blues singer in jazz) and Joe Jones (probably the best swing-drummer) return to the flock. What a performance - a festival whithin Newport festival!
These veterans give the orchestra (powerful on its own) a new impetus - more than anything else in hard, merciless drive. Solos and obligattos by Young are beautiful, combining brutal blues "primitivism" with proto-modern harmony and tone in Young's inimitable way, Rushing is in his musical prime, while "Papa Joe" does what he does best - Basie's big band remains the most inspiring musical environment for him.
Naturally, the part of the CD with singer Joe Williams (sans Rushing, Young and Jones) although excellent, is not on the level of the recordings with these older giants, but than again, how could it be? It is a pitty that this sort of reunion was not more common.
In addition to great colaboration in the first part of the concert, another giant of swing, Roy "Little Jazz" Eldridge (bop-buffs know him as the musical daddy of Dizzy Gillespie), climbs to the stage to join Young, Jones and Illinois Jacquet for powerful big-band finale. The piano work of Bill Basie, the arragements and ensemble work are top class throughout, so I'm really wondering why You haven't purchased it yet?
Some 15 years ago I first heard "Evenin'" (with Rushing's macho but lyrical rendition of the verse) and "Sent for you yesterday" (which rocked my old phonograph) on two Verve compilations and ever sice that moment I was wondering what the entire album sounds like. It turned out to be one of my favorite CDs, and, although I'm not an expert, probably one of the finest moments in the history of swing style. Young passed away not long after this reunion (although he lived long enough to hear the record) and, sadly, no concert like this one will ever take place again. ... Read more

Asin: B00000476C
Subjects:  1. Big Band    2. Jazz    3. Pop    4. Swing    5. United States of America   

Sinatra-Basie
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (25 October, 1990)
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Editorial Review

The first of three albums that Frank Sinatra recorded with swing legend Count Basie, Sinatra-Basie is also the best. Sinatra's voice doesn't sound in great shape, but he pushes himself throughout to keep up with the jazzy twists and turns of Basie's band; the resulting tension makes for a thrilling listening experience, especially for those who think of Sinatra as more of a saloon balladeer than a jazz singer. "Learnin' the Blues," "I Only Have Eyes for You" and "(Love Is) the Tender Trap" are the highlights of the set, but all ten of the tracks are winners. --Dan Epstein ... Read more

Reviews (24)

Sinatra's Second Prime
This is a wonderful, wonderful album, but a word of warning:There are two Basie-Sinatra albums out there.Get this one; do not get the second one.Sinatra's prime was with Tommy Dorsey; this one was at the end of his second prime.The second Sinatra-Basie album starts the beginning of Sinatra's nauseating "Vegas" era (e.g., "Strangers in the Night").In this one, every tune is tightly arranged and totally swingin'.The set-ender, "I Won't Dance", is not only the best of this album, it's one of the best of its kind of all time.Listen to how Basie builds the bridge--it takes my breath away every time.Not a weak selection at all on this one.Very highly recommended.

swings like big ben
Sinatra's best years (even when some of them are mediocre) - first with Capitol and then with his own label Reprise - can be found between 1957 and 1965. The proof is available on this 1963 pairing with Basie. From a careerthat wandered through it's trash, this one is orchestration and vocalization extraordinaire. This was Frank's swinging period, the black hat and suit worn to the studio to bring class to his crooning of the ironic Please Be Kind, Pennies From Heaven and Love Is the Tender Trap. Unlike earlier and latter recordings, Sinatra is flawless, a matured and whiskey-voice made God-like courtesy of his newfound genuis for the studio. Strip away the Basie-conducted orchestra and Frank would still sound heaven-sent and vice versa. There's no doubt; these recordings captured the perfection of two masters. Frank's voice is as good as it would ever get and Basie makes his orchestra swing so wide it could knock out lamp posts on a four lane highway. Basie was lucky to be included in these mastermind sessions. Frank was even luckier. But luck wasn't a lady: the Sinatra-Basie sessions prove it was a sly fusion of two men with an appreciation for art, style and cool. Nobody did it better.

An historic musical first
The first Frank Sinatra and Count Basie collaboration resulted in a terrific album.Many of the songs here had been recorded by Sinatra before, but they are given new arrangements here.The Basie big band sound works really well with Sinatra's voice.Sinatra's fans should dig this album. ... Read more

Asin: B000002K9B
Subjects:  1. Big Band    2. Pop    3. Pop Vocals    4. Standards    5. Swing    6. Traditional Pop    7. Vocal Jazz   

It Might as Well Be Swing
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (08 September, 1998)
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Editorial Review

This 1964 release was the second collaboration between Frank Sinatra and Count Basie, and features a much higher percentage of swing-oriented arrangements (courtesy of Quincy Jones) than the previous Sinatra-Basie. This time around, the Count Basie Orchestra gives the swinging treatment to such contemporary numbers as "More," "I Can't Stop Loving You," "Wives and Lovers," and "Fly Me to the Moon (In Other Words)," and Sinatra responds with plenty of exuberance and gusto. It's got a good beat, and you can dance to it; out of all the tracks, only "Hello, Dolly!" fails to stand the test of time (or repeated listenings). --Dan Epstein ... Read more

Features

• Original recording remastered

Reviews (18)

Ain't this a kick in the head
Man, this is by far the best Frank Sinatra album I've heard!

The whole lineup is full of all-stars:Frank on vocals, Count Basie on piano, and Quincy Jones conducting/arranging.

Very upbeat and swinging.Solid songs throughout - no real disappointments on any of them.

And it helps that it's got my favorite Sinatra song "Fly me to the Moon".The only complaint is that it's not long enough.

This music still sounds good to this day - a whopping 40 years later!

Well worth the discounted price.

More from Sinatra and Basie
The second Frank Sinatra and Count Basie collaboration is not as good as their first one, in my opinion.Sure, it does have a higher percentage of swinging arrangements.But it suffers from a poor selection of material.Songs like "I Can't Stop Loving You", "Hello, Dolly!" and "Wives and Lovers" aren't really appropriate for Sinatra."I Can't Stop Loving You" is particularly bad.Frank doesn't sing country songs as well as his friend Dino.However, there as also some good selections here, such as "Fly Me To the Moon" and "The Best Is Yet To Come".It's a hit and miss album, but Frank's fans will find something to enjoy here.

A Couple of Lousy Song Choices or it Might Have Been Great!
This outing with the Basie Band is a mixed bag: some absolutely outstanding numbers and some perplexingly dumb choices. In brief:
1.Fly me to the Moon: Classic Sinatra.A must have.
2. I Wish You Love:Nicely done. No problem.
3. I Believe in You: Another Classic well done.
4. More:Ehhh, so-so.Adequately done but no great shakes as it is a better instrumental than vocal song.
5. I Can't Stop Loving You: Frank, this wasn't your song!And Quincy Jones what is with the hokey C&W flavored arrangement.Terrible.
6. Hello, Dolly!:Well I could have hated this too, but in the 2nd refrain the Basie Band and Sinatra turn it into a tribute to Louis Armstrong, and for that, it's a keeper.
7. I Wanna Be Around:Good track.
8. The Best is Yet to Come: Worth buying the CD just for this.One of the best songs ever written, done to a fair-thee-well by Quincy Jones, the good Count and Ol'Blue Eyes!
9.The Good Life:Okay.
10. Wives & Lovers:Good cover of an okay tune.

So buy it for tracks 1,3,7 & most especially 8.The first outing with Basie was the best, but these 4 classic songs save this CD from the never-mind pile. ... Read more

Asin: B00000AG9F
Subjects:  1. Big Band    2. Jazz    3. Pop    4. Pop Vocals    5. Swing    6. Trad Jazz    7. Traditional Pop    8. Vocal Jazz   

Count Basie/Sarah Vaughan
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (02 April, 1996)
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Reviews (11)

Outstanding!
The thing that always seems to get overlooked in any discussion of Basie's music is his extraordinary taste as an accompanyist.What we all recognize as the classic, minimalist "Count Basie style" of piano playing actually evolved from his role as a supporting commentator to his soloists.In "Basie II," where the whole band became an extension of the leader's style, it comes as no surprise that the Basie Band became the premiere big band for accompanying singers.EVERYBODY, from B. B. King to Frank Sinatra, wanted to record with the Basie Band.So, putting Sarah Vaughan out front of the orchestra proves to be a particular stroke of genius.
Sarah was, as everybody knows by now, an "unlimited" vocalist, with complete control over her incredible 3 1/2 octave range.She came up in the same Earl Hines Band that was "the incubator of bebop," producing such talents as Lucky Thompson, Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie and Art Blakey, to name just a few.Dizzy's famous "A Night In Tunisia" was originally written as a vocal feature for Sarah Vaughan.Her chops on all of these songs combine with a rare gift for getting to the emotional and musical core of things that is simply astounding.Even superficial show-tunes, like "The Gentleman Is a Dope," emerge as major revelations the way she sings them.Meanwhile, the Basie Band supports her with just the right mix of drama and tone color throughout.Basie insists on honest JAZZ performance on every number, so that even the more sentimental numbers emerge as standout vocal stylings.There is none of the pop schmaltz which too often invades Sarah's recordings with others.So, what we get here is perhaps the most unlimited jazz singer ever, doing what only she can do, while the Basie Bands supports her with powerful, punchy, TASTEY charts, executed with the usual phenomenal precision.
Give one listen to "You Turned the Tables on Me" and you'll know why this CD belongs in your collection.

music that will never go out of style
this is a great CD.the only reason it does not get five stars is because while it features a great lineup of the Basie Band, the Count does not actually even play on this album (with the exception of track number six, "Mean To Me", for which he does not even get credited!)! This lineup of the Basie Band is the one from the Roulette Records years in the very early sixties (which includes Frank Wess, Frank Foster, Sonny Payne, Freddie Green, Joe Williams, Thad Jones, Snooky Young, among others).Sarah Vaughan never sounded better.Like Sinatra and Ella, she actually used her voice as a musical instrument.The arrangements are tight and the band swings (as usual).Highly recommended.

Sarah and the Orchestra, not Basie...
Although Count Basie gets top billing, he actually does not appear on this CD!

But, that's OK. His orchestra uses a light touch to support Sarah Vaughan's fine performance. Vaughan sometimes feels a little too mannered when compared with the earthier stylings of Ella Fitzgerald or the fragile quaver of Billie Holiday, but she has a tremendous range and excellent phrasing. ... Read more

Asin: B000005H33
Sales Rank: 15917
Subjects:  1. Ballads    2. Big Band    3. Jazz    4. Pop    5. Standards    6. Swing    7. Traditional Pop   

This Time by Basie: Hits of the 50's
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (14 September, 1993)
list price: $9.98 -- our price: $9.98
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Reviews (3)

eternal sound
Classic songs (and lots of them) performed with eternal heart and soul.

Cannot go wrong here.

Quincy and The Count Score Again !!
The FULL album title of this is "Hits of The 50's and 60's--This Time By Basie." And if you check the list of tunes, you can see where Reprise Records' producer came up with the name. This is my personal favorite Basie band: Thad Jones, Al Grey, Henry Coker, Marshall Royal, Frank Foster, Frank Wess, Sonny Payne and the ever-present Freddie Green....and the stars really shine on these magnificent Quincy Jones arrangements. These charts are STILL being played by bands 40+ YEARS LATER!! (The album jacket credited Quincy himself as the arranger, but it really was just Quincy's music company--the actual arrangements were done by one of Quincy's writers, Billy Byers! Thanks to John C. Smith and Dan Haerle for sharing their research on this). The band had something of a hit when Billy took a country ballad and added a strong back-beat, with a walking bass line and moved the tempo up a hair..."I Can't Stop Loving You" was an instant success!! In addition to that one, "..San Francisco," "Fly Me To The Moon," "Moon River," "One Mint Julep" and "The Swingin' Shepherd Blues" are all big-band classics. Besides the (11) tunes on the original album, the reissue includes (5) bonus tracks, which had not been previously released. "Pretty Woman" and Billy Byers' satirical "Oh Soul Mio" (for which he DOES get credit, on this reissue) are welcome additions to the reissue.

I REALLY LOVED this album (for anyone who disputes this, the defense produces one totally-worn-out vinyl record) and it's great that new generations of music lovers can now hear this also. If you only have ONE Basie album...MAKE THIS THE ONE!!

Basie is the best
The one selection that reaches out and grabs you is the 4 plus minute rendition of I Can't Stop Loving You..It is impossible not to tap your foot or move around. If you like real brass and feeling sax then this song steals the show.As a pro wrestler I use it for a special 4 minute entrance...great sounds ... Read more

Asin: B000002MHU
Sales Rank: 104414
Subjects:  1. Big Band    2. Jazz    3. Pop    4. Swing   

Frankly Basie: Count Basie Plays the Hits of Frank Sinatra
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (16 November, 1993)
list price: $14.98 -- our price: $14.98
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Reviews (2)

Basie tribute to Sinatra
The original lp was titled "Count Basie - More Hits of the 50's and 60's".I bought it when I was stationed in Germany in the early 60's. I saw the Basie Band in Augsburg, Germany and they played songs from their new album - "This Time By Basie" - a collection of current songs of the 50's and 60's arranged by Quincy Jones. The "More Hits of the 50's and 60's" was released later as a follow up to "This Time By Basie" with arrangements this time by Billy Byers.The early 60's Basie Band was one of the most powerful big bands of all time.I had looked in vain for this album under the lp's release name untill I realized that the songs were all Frank Sinatra songs and a closer look revealed that a CD had been released under a new name. The CD release of the "Frankly Basie - Count Basie plays the hits of Frank Sinatra" is an excellent album and I highly recommend it to fans of Basie and Sinatra alike.

Flatly disappointed
This album disappointed me.It's hard to identify what song is being played even if you've listened to Frank Sinatra for years.There is nothing outstanding about this album.I recommend First Time! Duke Ellington Meets Count Basie. ... Read more

Asin: B0000046RO
Sales Rank: 150077
Subjects:  1. Big Band    2. Jazz    3. Pop    4. Swing   

Atomic Swing
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (26 January, 1999)
list price: $11.98 -- our price: $11.98
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Reviews (2)

The Count at his best !
This is an excellent Swing CD of classic Basie with tunes from the 50's and 60's. An awesome CD for those just starting to listen to swing. It isvery easy to listen to and gets you jumpin'. It is truely the Count at hisbest.

A good compilation
This is a nicely priced collection of some of the best tunes by the "New Testament" Basie band of the late fifties and early sixties.Great charts, great performances, and high quality recordings make this agood starter for someone interested in the later Basie band.(If you'relooking for a good buy in the early Basie recordings, get the"Swingsation" series Basie album.) ... Read more

Asin: B00000HYBP
Sales Rank: 145801
Subjects:  1. Big Band    2. Jazz    3. Pop    4. Swing   

The Complete Decca Recordings
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (17 March, 1992)
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Editorial Review

Ellington's band had more grace and sophistication, but no big band swung harder than the incomparable Basie band. Recorded between 1937 and 1939, these 63 classics feature a cornucopia of legendary musicians: Herschel Evans' big-toned, earthy tenor balances Lester Young's ethereal tenor. Harry "Sweets" Edison's soaring blares complement Buck Clayton's muted trumpet. Jimmy Rushing's nasal, booming operatics contrast with Helen Humes's precise elegance. The Freddie Green-Walter Page-Jo Jones rhythm section flawlessly anchors the driving 4/4 rhythm. And, of course, there's the leader's minimalist piano, using just the right, essential mix of boogie-woogie and stride. These three CDs are peppered with what would become jazz standards and should be a cornerstone of any music library. --Marc Greilsamer ... Read more

Features

• Box set

Reviews (10)

for all who have ears
If you have ears and do not have this set, something is wrong!

Basie's band is here fresh from Kansas City. Its approach is simple. The greatest rhythm section in the history of Jazz, Basie, Walter Page, Joe Jones, and (first Claude Williams followed by the classic) Freddie Green set the tempo, lightly to hardly swinging, the sections come in, and then the great soloists of this orchestra Buck Clayton, Herschel Evans, and the great Genius Lester Young come in to make some of the greatest performances in Jazz history.The tunes, particularly on the first CD are triumphs of the blues based "head arrangements" that were the stock in trade of Kansas City Jazz.

We aksi gave the magnificent singing and swinging of the incomparable Jimmy Rushing and later the singing of Helen Humes.During the first year or so of the Decca contract Billie Holiday was Basie's female singer.However, because she was already signed with Columbia-Brunswick she never recorded with the band. What a tragedy that we only have three air checks from radio of Billie with this band, none on this CD.

It should be noted that on the last set of recordings here after Herschel Evans died, the great Tenor man Chu Berry joined the band to later be replaced by Buddy Tate. The competition between Evans and Young was the stuff of legends, but the blowing battles that triumph between Berry and Young on Cherokee and Lady Be Good on the last CD here is as good as it gets in 1930s Jazz.

How can you choose between the tracks or selections with the smaller collections of Decca Basie do you select One o'clock Jump over Jumpin' at the Woodside, Texas Shuffle over Good Morning Blues, no you can't. There are a lot of gems here that aren't as widely known and do nto appear in smaller compilations.The most import are the many sides with only Basie's piano supported by the rest of the rhythm section. If you are serious about playing, jazz, blues, or swing or just music, particularly if you play a rhythm instrument, program these sides on your CD and try to play along. Just listening without playing is a real education in blues and swing.

The rhetoric is of course that later the band got to be more and more of an arranged band and less swinging than this. I don't agree with that at all. However, there is a gritty bluesy magic here that does tend to float away after they left Decca.

Of course, the sad history of these recordings is that Decca signed Basie to the three years of these recordings for 700 bucks before Basie got to New York and realized what the orchestra could mean.It took the union and lawyers John Hammond found to get Decca to pay the band members union scale for these classic sides. It's also evident if you compare the last of these Decca sides to the first Columbia sides that Decca wasn't as concerned with the recording quality of these records as Columbia.But that's life under capitalism, great art getting ripped off by big money.

There is simply no excuse for anyone with ears not to have this collection.The sides aren't just great art or necessary history, they are fun, they are moving, and they are going to put a song in your heart and a smile on your face!

Superb, and great sound.
This is an excellent recording, obviously mastered by some masterful recording engineers. My only wish is that I could've been in the recording studio or dance hall myself, but this is about the next best thing. Duke Ellington I adore and will forever, but this selection puts jazz band music in a whole different perspective. Smoke is coming out of my speakers. The whole house is shaking. The roof is buckling. Don't say you weren't warned!

Lively, humorous and energetic!
I recently suffered a loss of nearly 1/2 of my cd collection, and when I realized that this set wasn't stolen, I literally cried tears of joy!

I love jazz and swing and the blues and Basie et. al. know what they're doing, and go at it with zest and a sense of fun.Track 7 on Disc 2, "Mama don't want no peas 'n' rice 'n' cocnut oil", never fails to make me smile and often laugh.It's a great story, concept and song.If only for this track, the collection would be worthwhile.

The trick of it is, I'd easily give you a list of 50% of the songs that right off, you're likely to love and find essential to your quality of life.But then again, the other 50% give life balance.

The clarity of the recordings is a pleasure not just because of the absence of pops, clicks or hiss (some tracks have a wee bit, but compared to other period re-releases, this is about as good as it gets), but the recordings have a sense of a "clean, open" headspace, no bounce or reverb or other additions.It's very much as if you're listening to them in a studio or small, empty club.Just you and them and the music.Maybe a pack of smokes and a drink and your best guy/gal.

Close your eyes and smile! ... Read more

Asin: B000003N3G
Subjects:  1. Big Band    2. Big Band/Swing    3. Classic Jazz    4. Jazz    5. Pop    6. Swing