COUNT BASIE
SWING LEGENDS 24 CLASSIC HITS
Nimbus NI
2006
Crotchet
Amazon
UK
AmazonUSA
Mid-price
Honeysuckle Rose,
Smarty, One O'clock Jump,
Listen My Children, John's Idea,
Good Morning Blues, Time Out,
Topsy, I Keep Remembering,
Don't You Miss Your Baby?,
Georgianna, Blues In the Dark,
Sent For You Yesterday and Here You Come Today,
Every Tub, Now Will You Be Good,
Swinging the Blues, Texas Shuffle,
Jumpin' at the Woodside, Shorty
George, He Blues I Like to Here, Do
You wanna Jump Children?, Panassie Stomp,
Evil Blues, Oh? Lady Be Good
Australian Engineer and Broadcaster Robert Parker make this album from the
Stereo recreation of the 78RPM originals. He must be congratulated on doing
an excellent job of getting rid of the noise these recordings usually suffer
from and making them of listenable quality.
Most of the tracks were recorded in 1937/8 and they play an important part
in the evolution of the jazz Big Band. The Basie Band continued until Bill
Basie's death in April 1984 and would always have my vote as the No1 Big
Band.
Many of the musicians's involved in these sets became leaders in their own
right and many had a significant contribution to make towards the development
of jazz. Lester Young was just as influential in his day as was John Coltrane
many years later. Buck Clayton on Trumpet, Walter Page on Bass and Drummer
Joe Jones all helped to shape the style of jazz people played on their respective
instruments. Jimmy Rushing created the role of Blues Shouter and of course
Bill Basie changed the roll of the Piano in Big Bands.
When I left the RAF in 1956, the Youth Band I played with played many of
these arrangements, I liked them then and I still like them now. The great
controversy of the time when these were made was as to which of the Tenor
Sax styles featured was the best; the Coleman Hawkins inspired Herschel Evans
or the lighter sound of new boy Lester Young? Here it for yourself and see
what you think!
Don Mather
CD Reviews
