Count Basie

2 LPs ON I CD

With “Kansas City Suite” and “The Legend,” Benny Carter demonstrated his masterly grasp of the essential style of the Count Basie band. Both albums consist of Carter originals written especially for Basie and in almost every case, Carter established the archetypal Basie approach—a smoothly mellifluous riff by the saxophones, which is then worked over by Basie and his soloists.
Some of the music is more typically Basie than typically Carter, but each track stands up well on its individual merits, notably “The Legend,” whose rich, moody, Ellingtonian harmonies are striking. In a fine exhibition of the Basie style, garnished with the charm and elegance for which Carter was renowned, the band shows, once again, its sonic wealth and ensemble precision. And, to complete the picture, there are brilliant soloists like Joe Newman, Frank Foster, Thad Jones, Budd Johnson, Henry Coker and Marshall Royal (who plays lead alto sax, and gets a sound very much like Carter’s own).

Tracks #1-10 from the Roulette album Kansas City Suite -The Music of Benny Carter (LP SR 52056)

SONNY COHN, THAD JONES, SNOOKY YOUNG & JOE NEMAN, trumpet
HENRY COKER, AL GREY, & BENNY POWELL, trombone
MARSHALL ROYAL, alto sax & clarinet
FRANK WESS, altom & tenor sax, flute
BILLY MITCHELL, tenor sax, clarinet
FRANK FOSTER, tenor sax
CHARLES FOWLKES, tenor sax
COUNT BASIE, piano
FREDDIE GREEN, guitar
EDDIE JONES, bass
SONNY PAYNE, drums
THAD JONES plays cornet on #6.

Recorded at United Recorders, Los Angeles, September 6 (#2,4,6,7) & 7 (#1,3,5,8,9,10), 1960.

Tracks #11-18 from the Roulette album The Legend. Count Basie: From the Pen of Benny Carter (LP SR 52086)

AL AARONS, SONNY COHN, THAD JONES, SNOOKY YOUNG trumpet
HENRY COKER, QUENTIN JACKSON, BENNY POWELL, trombone
BENNY CARTER, alto sax, FRANK WESS, alto & tenor sax, flute
BUDD JOHNSON & FRANK FOSTER, tenor sax, CHARLES FOWLKES, baritone sax
COUNT BASIE, piano , SAM HERMAN, guita
EDDIE JONES, bass, SONNY PAYNE, drums
COZY COLE   replaces Payne on #18. Thad Jones, cymbal, Snooky Young, derby drum,
Charles Fowlkes, claves and Basie, cowbell on #13.

Recorded at Capitol Studios, New York City, October 30 (#11,14,16) & 31 (#19)
and November 1 (#15,17) & 2 (#12,13,18), 1961.

SOLOISTS:

Vine Street Rumble: Frank Foster
Katy Do: Joe Newman & Frank Wess
Miss Missouri: Billy Mitchell & Al Grey
Jackson County Jubilee: Snooky Young (over the band), Billy Mitchell & Thad Jones
Sunset Glow: Henry Coker
The Wiggle Walk: Henry Coker, Frank Foster and Thad Jones (on cornet)
Meetin’ Time: Snooky Young & Frank Foster
Paseo Promenade: Henry Coker & Frank Foster
Blue Five Jive: Frank Foster & Joe Newman
Rompin’ At The Reno: Frank Foster & Thad Jones
The Trot: Al Aarons, Frank Foster & Henry Coker
Easy Money: Snooky Young & Benny Powell
Amoroso: Frank Foster & Sonny Cohn
Goin’ On: Frank Foster
The Swizzle: Thad Jones & Budd Johnson
The Legend: Thad Jones & Frank Foster
Who’s Blue: Al Aarons
Turnabout: Budd Johnson, Frank Foster, Al Aarons & Henry Coker
The Basie Twist: Budd Johnson

TRACKS:

01. Vine Street Rumble 3:38
02. Katy Do 4:19
03. Miss Missouri 5:14
04. Jackson County Jubilee 2:29
05. Sunset Glow 2:27
06. The Wiggle Walk 3:52
07. Meetin’ Time 3:24
08. Paseo Promenade 3:23
09. Blue Five Jive 3:55
10. Rompin’ At The Reno 2:17
11. The Trot 3:08
12. Easy Money 5:19
13. Amoroso 3:47
14. Goin’ On 4:24
15. The Swizzle 3:31
16. The Legend 4:35
17. Who’s Blue 4:30
18. Turnabout 3:56
19. The Basie Twist 2:21 (Bonus Track)