The Count Basie Story

Last updated

The Count Basie Story
The Count Basie Story.jpg
Studio album by
Count Basie and His Orchestra
Released1961
RecordedJune 7–9, 14–6 & 22–24 and July 12 & 13, 1960
Studio Capitol (New York City)
Genre Jazz
Label Roulette
SRB-1
Producer Teddy Reig
Count Basie chronology
Not Now, I'll Tell You When
(1960)		The Count Basie Story
(1961)		 Kansas City Suite
(1960)

Count Basie Story is a double album by pianist, composer and bandleader Count Basie featuring tracks originally performed by his orchestra in the 1930s and 1940s rerecorded in 1960 as a celebration of its 25th anniversary and first released on the Roulette label. [1] [2] Selections from the 2-LP set were also released as Roulette's The Best of Basie in 1962 and The Best of Basie Vol. 2 in 1964. [3] [4] The album was rereleased with bonus tracks in 2004 to commemorate Basie's 100th birthday. [5]

Contents

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [6]
All About Jazz Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [5]

AllMusic awarded the album 3½ stars and its review by Scott Yanow states, "These sides were hotly contested when originally issued because of the contrast in accents between the 1937 band and the later one. The sound is so different that it cannot be compared to the pure and bluesy dance band swing of the originals; it is amped up and brassy, with charts (written by Royal or Neal Hefti) that stress tempo and sophisticated ensemble playing rather than riff-based solos, busyness, and dynamics. For any serious Basie fan, these sides are essential". [6]

Track listing

Disc One:

  1. "Broadway" (Billy Bird, Teddy McRae, Henri Woode) – 3:23
  2. "Down for Double" (Freddie Green) – 2:59
  3. "Lester Leaps In" (Lester Young) – 4:17
  4. "Topsy" (Edgar Battle, Eddie Durham) – 3:42
  5. "Jumpin' at the Woodside" (Count Basie) – 3:11
  6. "Taps Miller" (Basie, Bob Russell) – 3:22
  7. "Shorty George" (Basie, Andy Gibson) – 2:56
  8. "Doggin' Around" (Battle, Herschel Evans) – 3:01
  9. "Avenue C" (Buck Clayton) – 2:33
  10. "Jive at Five" (Basie, Harry Edison) – 3:02
  11. "Rock-a-Bye Basie" (Basie, Shad Collins, Young) – 3:37
  12. "Moten Swing" (Bennie Moten, Buster Moten) – 4:50 Bonus track on CD reissue

Disc Two:

  1. "Swingin' the Blues" (Basie, Durham) – 3:17
  2. "Sent for You Yesterday (And Here You Come Today)" (Basie, Durham, Jimmy Rushing) – 3:09
  3. "Tickle Toe" (Young) – 2:36
  4. "Blue and Sentimental" (Basie, Mack David, Jerry Livingston) – 4:07
  5. "Time Out" (Battle, Durham) – 2:46
  6. "9:20 Special" (Earle Warren, William Engvick) – 3:49
  7. "Red Bank Boogie" (Basie, Clayton) – 2:15
  8. "Every Tub" (Basie, Durham) – 3:11
  9. "Dickie's Dream" (Basie, Young) – 4:09
  10. "Texas Shuffle" (Battle, Evans) – 3:12
  11. "Out the Window" (Basie, Durham) – 2:52
  12. "Boogie Woogie" (Basie, Rushing) – 3:06
  13. "Good Morning Blues" (Basie, Durham, Rushing) – 2:52 Bonus track on CD reissue
  14. "Gee, Baby, Ain't I Good to You" (Andy Razaf, Don Redman) – 2:31 Bonus track on CD reissue

Personnel

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Count Basie</span> American jazz musician and composer (1904–1984)

William James "Count" Basie was an American jazz pianist, organist, bandleader, and composer. In 1935, he formed the Count Basie Orchestra, and in 1936 took them to Chicago for a long engagement and their first recording. He led the group for almost 50 years, creating innovations like the use of two "split" tenor saxophones, emphasizing the rhythm section, riffing with a big band, using arrangers to broaden their sound, and others. Many musicians came to prominence under his direction, including the tenor saxophonists Lester Young and Herschel Evans, the guitarist Freddie Green, trumpeters Buck Clayton and Harry "Sweets" Edison, plunger trombonist Al Grey, and singers Jimmy Rushing, Helen Humes, Thelma Carpenter, and Joe Williams.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Count Basie Orchestra</span> American big band

The Count Basie Orchestra is a 16 to 18 piece big band, one of the most prominent jazz performing groups of the swing era, founded by Count Basie in 1935 and recording regularly from 1936. Despite a brief disbandment at the beginning of the 1950s, the band survived long past the Big Band era itself and the death of Basie in 1984. It continues under the direction of trumpeter Scotty Barnhart.

<i>Count Basie Swings, Joe Williams Sings</i> 1955 studio album by Count Basie and Joe Williams

Count Basie Swings, Joe Williams Sings is an album by pianist/bandleader Count Basie and vocalist Joe Williams recorded in 1955 and originally released on the Clef label.

<i>Count Basie at Newport</i> 1957 live album by Count Basie and his orchestra

Count Basie at Newport is a live album by jazz musician Count Basie and his orchestra. It was originally issued as Verve MGV 8243 and included only the tracks 1-7 and 13. Tracks 9-12 originally included in Count Basie & Joe Williams/Dizzy Gillespie & Mary Lou Williams at Newport.

<i>Strike Up the Band</i> (Tony Bennett and Count Basie album) 1959 studio album by Tony Bennett and the Count Basie Orchestra

Strike Up the Band is a 1959 studio album by Tony Bennett with the Count Basie Orchestra. The album was released at first with the title Basie Swings, Bennett Sings as SR-25072, featuring a different cover and track order.

<i>First Time! The Count Meets the Duke</i> 1961 album by Duke Ellington

First Time! The Count Meets the Duke is an album by American pianists, composers and bandleaders Duke Ellington and Count Basie with their combined Orchestras recorded and released on the Columbia label in 1961.

<i>Chairman of the Board</i> (album) 1959 studio album by Count Basie

The Chairman of the Board is a 1959 studio album by Count Basie and his orchestra.

<i>The Original American Decca Recordings</i> 1992 compilation album by Count Basie

The Original American Decca Recordings is a 1992 compilation 3-CD set of sessions led by jazz bandleader Count Basie recorded for the Decca label between 1937 and 1939.

<i>The Big Band</i> 1966 studio album by Jimmy McGriff

The Big Band is an album by American jazz organist Jimmy McGriff featuring performances recorded in 1966 and originally released on the Solid State label.

<i>Kansas City Suite</i> 1960 studio album by Count Basie & His Orchestra

Kansas City Suite is an album by pianist, composer and bandleader Count Basie featuring tracks recorded in 1960 and originally released on the Roulette label.

<i>Not Now, Ill Tell You When</i> 1960 studio album by Count Basie & His Orchestra

Not Now, I'll Tell You When is an album by pianist and bandleader Count Basie featuring tracks recorded in 1960 and originally released on the Roulette label.

<i>Everyday I Have the Blues</i> (Joe Williams album) 1959 studio album by Joe Williams with Count Basie & His Orchestra

Everyday I Have the Blues is an album by singer Joe Williams with Count Basie and His Orchestra featuring tracks recorded in 1959 which was originally released on the Roulette label.

<i>Basie Plays Hefti</i> 1958 studio album by Count Basie

Basie Plays Hefti is an album released by pianist, composer and bandleader Count Basie performing the compositions and arrangements of Neal Hefti recorded in 1958 and originally released on the Roulette label.

<i>Sing Along with Basie</i> 1958 studio album by Joe Williams, Lambert, Hendricks & Ross and the Basie Band

Sing Along with Basie is an album by vocalese jazz group Lambert, Hendricks & Ross with Joe Williams and the Count Basie Orchestra recorded in 1958 and originally released on the Roulette label.

<i>Basie One More Time</i> 1959 studio album by Count Basie

Basie One More Time is an album by pianist and bandleader Count Basie performing the compositions and arrangements of Quincy Jones recorded in late 1958 and early 1959 and originally released on the Roulette label.

<i>Breakfast Dance and Barbecue</i> 1959 live album by Count Basie and His Orchestra with Joe Williams

Breakfast Dance and Barbecue is a live album by pianist, composer and bandleader Count Basie and his Orchestra with vocalist Joe Williams featuring tracks recorded at a Disc Jockey convention in Florida in 1959 and originally released on the Roulette label.

<i>Kansas City Revisited</i> 1959 studio album by Bob Brookmeyer

Kansas City Revisited is an album by jazz trombonist and arranger Bob Brookmeyer featuring Brookmeyer's new orchestrations of 1920s and '30s era Kansas City jazz tunes. The album was recorded in 1958 for the United Artists label.

<i>Greys Mood</i> 1979 studio album by Al Grey

Grey's Mood is an album by trombonist Al Grey recorded in Paris at sessions in 1973 and 1975 and released on the French Black and Blue label in 1979.

<i>Copenhagen Concert</i> 1979 live album by Buck Clayton All Stars featuring Jimmy Rushing

Copenhagen Concert is a live album by American trumpeter Buck Clayton recorded in Copenhagen, Denmark in 1959 and released on the SteepleChase label as a double LP in 1979. A similarly titled Copenhagen Concert was recorded by Dizzy Gillespie with Leo Wright in 1960.

<i>Basie Reunion</i> 1958 studio album by Paul Quinichette

Basie Reunion is an album by Count Basie Orchestra members led by jazz saxophonist Paul Quinichette featuring tracks recorded in 1958 and released on the Prestige label.

References

  1. ↑ Edwards, D. & Callahan, M. Roulette Album Discography, Part 4, accessed November 5, 2015
  2. ↑ Kitora, R., Count Basie Discography, accessed November 5, 2015
  3. ↑ Yanow, Scott. The Best of Basie, Vol. 1 – Review at AllMusic . Retrieved November 5, 2015.
  4. ↑ Yanow, Scott. The Best of Basie, Vol. 2 – Review at AllMusic . Retrieved November 5, 2015.
  5. 1 2 Bowers, J., All About Jazz Review, September 25, 2004
  6. 1 2 Yanow, Scott. The Count Basie Story – Review at AllMusic . Retrieved November 3, 2015.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.