Description:
The Count Basie selections open with an early 1932 recording from Bennie Moten's Kansas City Orchestra immediately after Basie joined them eventually taking the helm from Moten. The set jumps ahead five years to the summer of 1937, highlighting several Decca sides including the classic Basie lineup with tenor saxophonist Lester Young. The '40s are represented by only two tracks, the 1941 vintage "Goin' to Chicago" and "9:20 Special," both from the Columbia/OKeh library. The second half of the '40s were lean times for the band, which ended the decade temporarily paired down due to economics and a change in musical taste, and it wasn't until the early to mid '50s that the orchestra gained momentum again, particularly in the wake of 1955's April in Paris on Verve and the Atomic Mr. Basie album on Roulette. Five sides from that decade finish out this set, culminating with "Lil' Darlin'" from Atomic Mr. Basie. |
 Toby
Topsy
One O'Clock Jump
John's Idea
Jumpin' At The Woodside
Swingin' The Blues
Doggin' Around
Blue And Sentimental
Dark Rapture
Cherokee, Pts. 1 & 2
Goin' To Chicago Blues
Jive At Five
9:20 Special
Soflty With Feeling
Corner Pocket
April In Paris
Every Day I Have The Blues
Shiny Stockings
Li'l Darlin |
Collective Personnel: Buck Clayton, Harry 'Sweets' Edison, Thad Jones, Hot Lips Page, Joe Wilder, Eddie Durham, Al Grey, Bennie Morton, Benny Powell, Dicky Wells, Coleman Hawkins, Frank Foster, Ben Webster, Fran Wess, Lester Young, Freddie Green, Jimmy Rushing, Helen Humes, Joe Williams, more |
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