(Review by Lance)
Reviewing this gem is like Friday afternoon at the office - 'dress down day' - wear what you like, late back from lunch, finish early, snog the new girl... Ah, the memories!
Yes, the memories, several of the tracks on this release/reissue from Dreyfus Jazz were also on the first ever Basie LP I bought (and which I still proudly possess) - Jive At Five; Blue and Sentimental; One O'Clock Jump; Swinging the Blues and, as if that weren't enough, several of the other tracks were on the second Basie album I bought which, inexplicably, I either sold or exchanged - Jumping at the Woodside; Louisiana; Fiesta in Blue; Tickle Toe - welcome home!
No need to go into detail, nor to list the personnel (for those who need to know, follow the link). If you know Basie - you know all this! Herschel Evans' tenor on Blue and Sentimental, Lester's clarinet on the same number as well as his solo on Tickle Toe. Buck Clayton's feature - Fiesta in Blue. Harry Edison, as exciting as any trumpet player back then, his fire contrasting with Buck's more controlled playing.
The equally exciting trombone solos by Dickie Wells and Vic Dickenson and of course Basie's piano and the 'All-American' rhythm section completed by Freddie Greene, Walter Page and Jo Jones. Much has been made of Ellington's 1940's 'Famous Orchestra' but, whilst they may have been harmonically stronger thanks to Duke and Strayhorn, Basie's soloists were more adventurous whilst Ellington, even with Blanton on bass, could never outswing Basie's boys.
I saw the modern Basie band many times in Newcastle although I was never at any of the, now legendary, sessions where they sat in at a local jazz club. If everyone who said they were there is telling the truth it must have a mega-sized club! But, nevertheless, I'd have swapped all of those concerts to hear the original band live in Kansas City - if I'd only been born back then!
Probably none of my readers were around then either so this is the perfect opportunity to make up for it without the risk of getting taken out by a Saturday Night Special!
Stars? How about a galaxy?
Lance.
Jumping at the Woodside; Louisiana; Fiesta in Blue; Tickle Toe; Jive At Five; Blue and Sentimental; One O'Clock Jump; Swinging the Blues; Katy; Broadway; It's Sand Man; 9:20 Special; South; Doggin' Around; Sent For You Yesterday; Avenue C; Harvard Blues; Every Tub; Rambo; The King.
1 comment :
I've ordered this - who could resist! But from Amazon UK, not from Amazon Francais, which the link takes us to! Probably don't mean a thing, in the current situation ......
Post a Comment