Count Basie The Big Band Leader

Count Basie & His Atomic Band - Complete Live At The Crescendo 1958 (2016) {5CD Box Set, Phono Records 870245}
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© 1958, 2016 Phono Records | 870245
Jazz / Big Band / Bop / Swing

This superb 5-CD collection compiles all existing live recordings made by the Atomic band at the Crescendo Club, in Hollywood, in the summer of 1958, for the first time ever on a single edition. The sound quality is excellent throughout the set. Count Basie’s career was revived in late 1957 thanks to the success of the Neal Hefti-arranged LP Atomic Basie, which became one of his biggest hits. The orchestra was filled with stars, and Joe Williams’ vocals were heard to great effect supported by Hefti’s excellent scores and the superb quality of the band.

Count Basie & Lester Young - Classic 1936-1947 Count Basie and Lester Young Studio Sessions (2016) {8CD Box Set Mosaic MD8-263}
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© 1936-47, 2016 Mosaic Records | MD8-263
Jazz / Big Band / Mainstream Jazz / Swing / Saxophone

It’s a universally acknowledged truth that great music never sounds out-of-date, and Count Basie is remarkably evergreen. His “Old Testament” band epitomizes the big-band swing era-the rhythmic, harmonic and melodic devices that made 1930s America dance. But in practice that band epitomizes swing itself. “Count Basie took the Kansas City blues and made it happy,” Tony Bennett once remarked, perhaps summing up the enduring appeal that makes a collection like the eight-CD Classic 1936-1947 Count Basie and Lester Young Studio Sessions the Lord’s work.

Terry Gibbs and His Big Band - Swing Is Here! (1960) {Verve Originals rel 2009}
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© 1960, 2009 Verve / Universal | Verve Originals Series | 0602517967137
Jazz / Bop / Big Band / Vibes

The title Swing Is Here would have been more appropriate for the 1930s instead of 1960 when this album was originally issued, and the big-band era had long since waned. Yet vibraphonist Terry Gibbs kept the home fires burning out in California with this exceptional orchestra of cool jazz giants playing a stack of standards and modern compositions by Bill Holman or Gibbs, and one look back with an Artie Shaw number. What is most interesting about these arrangements is that they are always different in emphasizing the fleet, dampened sound of Gibbs in contrast, apart from, or in tandem with the woodwinds and brass instruments.

William "Count" Basie made a major contribution to the popular success of Big Band Swing. His Orchestra had two major strengths; dynamic, inventive soloists - and a closely-knit rhythm section that swung to perfection. Basie was also a particularly gifted pianist, and a leader capable of getting maximum effort and precision from his men. This combination of forces produced electrifying results - captured for posterity in his early 78 rpm records - a further selection of which are heard here in new digital stereo - impressions which seek to reveal the full "live" impact of one of the greatest Big Bands ever assembled.

After Count Basie's death, his orchestra went through an expected period of turmoil, almost declaring bankruptcy and having a new short-term leader (the late trumpeter Thad Jones). By 1986 its fortunes had improved and under the leadership of tenor-saxophonist Frank Foster it has become the only "ghost" orchestra to still play viable music after the death of its leader. Long Live the Chief was recorded only weeks after Foster assumed command, but already his arrangements and leadership were giving fresh life to this great jazz institution. In addition to remakes of "April in Paris, " "Lil' Darlin', " "Corner Pocket" and "Shiny Stockings, " there was already some new material in the band's books and this enjoyable CD shows just how strong the orchestra was even during this period of transition.