Jo Jones

This release contains the complete Jo Jones septet album "The Jo Jones Special", featuring the classic Count Basie rhythm section with Freddie Green and Walter Page, as well as Basie himself as a guest on a couple of tracks. Added as a bonus is the complete LP "Vamp Till Ready", by a Jo Jones sextet that included such stars as Harry “Sweets” Edison and Tommy Flanagan.

PERSONNEL:

JO JONES, drums
BENNIE GREEN, trombone
EMMETT BERRY, trumpet
LUCKY THOMPSON, tenor sax
FREDDIE GREEN, guitar
NAT PIERCE, piano
WALTER PAGE, bass

Count Basie (piano, replaces Pierce on 1 & 7)
Pete Johnson (piano, replaces Pierce on 4)
Lawrence Brown  (trombone, replaces Green on 4)
Buddy Tate  (tenor sax, replaces Thompson on 4)
Rudy Powell  (alto sax & clarinet added on 4)

New York, August 11 & August 16 (track 4 only), 1955.

[8-19] BONUS ALBUM: Jo Jones Sextet: VAMP TILL READY
Jo Jones (d), Harry “Sweets” Edison (tp), Bennie Green (tb),
Jimmy Forrest (ts), Tommy Flanagan (p), Tommy Potter (b).
New York, April 19, 1960.

INCLUDES 12-PAGE BOOKLET

TRACKS:

01 SHOE SHINE BOY [first take]
02 LOVER MAN
03 GEORGIA MAE
04 CARAVAN
05 LINCOLN HEIGHTS
06 EMBRACEABLE YOU
07 SHOE SHINE BOY [second take]
08 VAMP TILL READY
09 YOU’RE GETTING TO BE A HABIT WITH ME
10 SHOULD I
11 SANDY’S BODY
12 THOU SWELL
13 SHOW TIME
14 LIZA
15 BUT NOT FOR ME
16 ROYAL GARDEN BLUES
17 MOZELLE’S ALLEY
18 SOX TROT
19 IN THE FORREST

TOTAL TIME: 77:40 Min.

DOWN BEAT original review: THE JO JONES SPECIAL
“The Jo Jones Special is the first album on which ‘the man who plays like the wind’ has been the leader. Throughout all the sides, the uniting personality is Jo, a master of flowingly musical jazz drumming. Aside from his huge stature in the history of jazz percussion, Jo still remains one of the greatest of contemporary jazz drummers.” (Ralph J. Gleason)