Artist: Count Basie

Albums: The Essential Count Basie - Volumes 1 & 2

Label: Columbia Jazz Masterpieces (Sony)

CD Release Dates: Vol 1: 1987-06-29    Vol 2: 1987-11-16

ASIN's:...........Vol 1: B00000269U    Vol 2: B0000026C3

UPC's:............Vol 1: 074644060829  Vol 2: 074644083521

Description: This collection begins with an unusual quintet context, Count
Basie's first recording date after leaving Kansas City in 1936. Listening to
the four selections from this session, one is struck almost immediately by the
light and buoyant-never intense or heavy-feel of the music. Indeed, Basie is
jazz's greatest practitioner of the understated and spare. Backed by Lester
Young and Buck Clayton, each a legends in his own right, and a rhythm section
of Count Basie, Freddie Green, Walter Page, and Jo Jones, this music becomes
simply indomitable.

Other selections on Volume 1 feature the earliest incarnation of the Basie
Orchestra. On 'If I Could Be With You One Hour Tonight', we hear the beautiful
voice of Helen Humes, who sings in a fashion similar to another Basie alumna,
the great Billy Holiday. The arrangement of 'Rock-a-Bye Basie' is usually
credited to Jimmy Mundy, but it was probably modified by many of the members
of the band. In any case, it is played with conviction and swung with gentle,
dancing riffs in a manner few of Basie's contemporaries could approach.

Volume 2 continues the early years of the Count's illustrious career. Despite
obvious differences between the early Basie bands and the smoother, more
polished, outfits of the '60s and '70s, one factor remains constant: Basie
rarely deviated from his policy of swinging at danceable tempos. We hear a raw
and energetic band. Musicians Lester Young, Dickie Wells, Buck Clayton,
Jo Jones, and others, were creating a new style of music during the period
documented here, and their enthusiasm and verve is palpable. Standout tracks
include 'Lester Leaps In' and 'I Never Knew', both of which spotlight the great
tenor sound of Lester 'Prez' Young.

In summary, this is truly classic swing music, and it gets no better. It
captures the essence of what was sometimes called the 'Old Testament' Basie
band.

Personnel: Count Basie [leader, piano]
           Jimmy Mundy [arranger]
           Andy Gibson [arranger]
           Eddie Durham [arranger]
           Buck Clayton [arranger, trumpet]
           Tab Smith [arranger, soprano saxophone, alto saxophone]
           Helen Humes [vocals]
           Jimmy Rushing [vocals]
           Carl Smith [trumpet]
           Harry Edison [trumpet]
           Ed Lewis [trumpet]
           Shad Collins [trumpet]
           Dickey Wells [trombone]
           Dan Minor [trombone]
           Benny Morton [trombone]
           Jack Washington [alto saxophone, baritone saxophone]
           Earle Warren [alto saxophone]
           Buddy Tate [tenor saxophone]
           Lester Young [tenor saxophone]
           Freddie Green [guitar]
           Walter Page [bass]
           Jo Jones [drums]

Performances: Volume 1

              01 - Oh, Lady Be Good [03:08.00]
              02 - Goin' to Chicago Blues [03:07.17]
              03 - Live and Love Tonight [03:05.50]
              04 - Love Me or Leave Me [02:31.70]
              05 - Rock-a-Bye Basie [03:02.43]
              06 - Baby, Don't Tell on Me [02:52.72]
              07 - If I Could Be with You One Hour Tonight [02:59.43]
              08 - Taxi War Dance [02:49.55]
              09 - Jump for Me [03:10.55]
              10 - Twelfth Street Rag [03:03.62]
              11 - Miss Thing (Part 1) [02:52.50]
              12 - Miss Thing (Part 2) [02:45.30]
              13 - Lonesome Miss Pretty [02:53.30]
              14 - Nobody Knows [02:47.10]
              15 - Pound Cake [02:44.25]
              16 - How Long Blues [02:58.35]

[Volume 1 recorded between 1936 & 1939]

              Volume 2

              01 - I Can't Believe that You're in Love with Me [02:42.15]
              02 - Clap Hands, Here Comes Charlie [02:29.52]
              03 - Dickie's Dream [03:08.63]
              04 - Lester Leaps In [03:13.25]
              05 - The Apple Jump [02:58.37]
              06 - I Left My Baby [03:14.30]
              07 - Volcano [02:51.15]
              08 - Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea [02:34.55]
              09 - I Never Knew [02:40.73]
              10 - Tickle Toe [02:39.32]
              11 - Louisiana [02:26.28]
              12 - Easy Does It [03:28.00]
              13 - Let Me See [02:47.27]
              14 - Blow Top [02:55.18]
              15 - Gone With 'what' Wind [02:47.32]
              16 - Super Chief [03:22.30]

[Volume 2 recorded between 1939 & 1940]

Liner Scans: No

Format: FLAC [Free Lossless Audio Codec]

Extraction: EAC v1.0 beta 2 [Exact Audio Copy]

File Size: 265 MiB

Posting Date: 15 September 2011

Posting Group: alt.binaries.sounds.lossless

Contact: alt.binaries.sounds.lossless.d

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