Features Harry Edison, Illinois Jacquet, and Buddy Tate. LP, Vinyl record album

Transcription sessions featuring vocals by Jimmy Rushing, Earl Warren, and Thelma Carpenter. CD

The 50s Basie band, loud and proud – recorded beautifully by Verve on the stage of the Newport Jazz Festival in 1957 – a great year, both for the group and the fest! The lineup here features Count Basie firmly at the helm on piano – with players who include Lester Young, Illinois Jacquet, and Frank Foster on tenor – plus Thad Jones and Joe Newman on trumpets – all tightly grooving on arrangements by Ernie Wilkins, AK Salim, and others – filled with plenty of Basie jumps, leaps, and vamps! Jimmy Rushing sings vocals on the track "Sent For You Yesterday & Here You Come Today" – and other tracks include "Lester Leaps In", "Swingin At Newport", "Polka Dots & Moonbeams", and "Evenin". CD also contains 5 more bonus tracks from another Verve album – Count Basie & Joe Williams at Newport, most with Williams on vocals – including "All Right Okay You Win", "The Comeback", "Roll 'Em Pete", "Smack Dab In The Middle", and "One O' Clock Jump". CD

Basie and Basie-ites – recorded at Newport in 1957, in a number of varying groupings with players that include Lester Young, Thad Jones, Frank Wess, Joe Newman, and Frank Foster. Jimmy Rushing sings vocals on the track "Sent For You Yesterday & Here You Come Today" – and other tracks include "Lester Leaps In", "Swingin At Newport", "Polka Dots & Moonbeams", and "Evenin". Contains 5 bonus tracks: "All Right, Okay, You Win", "The Comeback", "Roll 'Em Pete", "Smack Dab In The Middle" & "One O' Clock In The Morning". CD

Includes the songs "One O'Clock Jump", "Topsy", "Every Tub", "Swingin' The Blues", "Blues Backstage", "Eventide", "April In Paris", "Corner Pocket", "Shiny Stockings", "All Of Me", "The Second Time Around", "Li'l Ol' Groovemaker...Basie", "Count Me In", "Doodle-Oodle", "Li'l Darlin'", and "Broadway". CD

... LP, Vinyl record album

The classic Basie Band from 1958 – with Joe Newman, Thad Jones, Wendell Culley, and Snooky Young on trumpet; Benny Powell, Henry Coker, and Al Grey on trombone; Frank Wess on alto and flute; Marshall Royal on alto; Billy Mitchell and Frank Foster on tenor; Charlie Fowlkes on baritone; Freddie Greene on guitar; Eddie Jones on bass; and Sonny Payne on drums. LP, Vinyl record album

A great little gem from the Count Basie years on Verve – a tight little record that has Basie really reinventing his sound for the 50s – an album that's filled with short, uncomplicated tracks that have a surprisingly easy-going groove! The arrangements are swinging and tight, with that Hefti-styled focus on a core element that really moves the tunes along – delivered by some great solo work from players that include Joe Newman on trumpet, Henry Coker on trombone, and Marshall Royal on alto. Basie has plenty of space to tinkle the ivories in mellow soul lines, too – and tracks include "Sure Thing", "Why Not", "Fawncy Meeting You", "Bootsie", "Bunny", "Cash Box", and "Basie Talks". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the lesser-remembered Basie sessions for Roulette – but one of the best ones too! The album follows nicely in the "dance" style of Basie's earlier albums for Clef – by offering a set of work that was typical of that the group might have performed on one of their more popular live sets for swingers. The tunes are a bit familiar, the charts are more rhythmic and not too far out – but the playing is top-shelf all the way, and the set grooves with a style that makes you easily understand why the Count was still going strong at the time. Titles include "It Had To Be You", "Fools Rush In", "Easy Living", "Give Me The Simple Life", "Secret Love", and "It's A Pity To Say Goodnight". LP, Vinyl record album

Includes the songs "Straight Life", "Basie Goes Wess", "Softly With Feeling", "Peace Pipe", "Blues Go Away", "Cherry Point", "Bubbles", "Right On", "The Blues Done Come Back", "Plymouth Rock", "Stereophonic", "Mambo Mist", "Sixteen Men Swinging", "She's Just My Size", "You're Not The Kind", "I Feel Like A New Man", "You For Me", "Soft Drink", "Two For The Blues", "Slow But Sure", "Be My Guest", "Blues For The Count And Oscar", "Goin' To Chicago", "Sent For You Yesterday", "Bread", "There's A Small Hotel", "Tipping On The QT", "Blee Blop Blues", "Extended Blues", "I Want A Little Girl", "Oh, Lady Be Good", "Song Of The Islands", "The New Basie Blues", "Sure Thing", "Why Not", "Fawncy Meeting You", "Bootsie", "Tom Whaley", "Paradise Squat", "Basie Talks", "Hob Nail Boogie", "Jack And Jill", "Bunny", and "Cash Box". CD

Two great Eurpoean performances – with a lineup that includes Frank Foster, Billy Mitchell, Frank Wess, Snooky Young, Freddie Green, and others. Tracks include "Why Not", "Easy Money", "A Little Tempo Please", "Jumpin' At The Woodside", "Blee Blop Blues", and "Stella By Starlight". 30 tracks total. CD

Count Basie and Barbecue – words together that are bound to make us love this album! The set's got an easygoing swing that takes us right back to Basie's best for Roulette Records – a reference the title seems to imply – and although the band's a later one, they've got that perfect Basie sense of fluidity, especially in the way the horns come together! Basie's piano work isn't as dramatic or dynamic as in years past, but that's fine with us, because the band more than makes up for that change with their own groovy sound. Titles include "Way Out Basie", "I Don't Know It Yet", "Lester Leaps In", "Beaver Junction", and "Ain't That Something". LP, Vinyl record album

... 78 RPM, Vinyl record

Basie plays with a big band, including Illinois Jacquet, Bobby Plater, Marshall Royal, Eric Dixon, and Charles Fowlkes on saxes, Al Aarons, Victor Paz, Gene Goe, Sam Noto, and Ernie Royal on trumpet, Biill Huges, Grover Mitchell, Dick Boone, and Harlen Floyd on trombone, Freddie Green on guitar, Norman Keenan on bass, and Ed Shaughnessy on drums. LP, Vinyl record album

With vocals from Helen Humes and James Rushing. 78 RPM, Vinyl record

A great little set – despite our initial fears! We'll admit that we're the first ones to shy away from anything that says "Kansas City" in the title – as we expect a lot of hoke – but this album's a surprisingly great batch of tunes, original numbers written by Benny Carter in honor of the KC of days past, but arranged and performed by the Basie group in a swinging style that's got the best touches of their Roulette years, plus a bit of Ellingtonish ambition in the horn charts. Titles include "Katy Do", "Miss Missouri", "Jackson County Jubilee", "Sunset Glow", "Meetin Time", and "The Wiggle Walk". The Legend features all original material by Carter – penned and arranged specifically with a Basie flair, and that group's special blend of modern elements and old-school swing – developed in the years with Neal Hefti, and carried through strongly here with Carter. Benny himself plays alto with the group – and other players include Frank Foster and Budd Johnson on tenors, Sam Herman on guitar, and Eddie Jones on bass – whose instrument lines up wonderfully with the drums of Sonny Payne to make for some very sweet bottom action on the set. Thad Jones and Snooky Young are on trumpets – and titles include "The Trot", "Easy Money", "Goin On", "The Swizzle", "Who's Blue", and the title track "The Legend". CD

Count Basie and Quincy Jones were always a mighty mighty combination – and there's no finer proof of that fact than this sweet little set! Quincy had a way of swinging Basie's group even more than Neal Hefti did – really letting the piano step out front, and swinging the larger horn parts in this mode that was extremely soulful, yet never with the hoke that could sometimes mar a Basie set – a style that was very 60s groovy, and which really helped breathe new life into the Count's ensemble! The album's a killer all the way through – and the tunes are all originals – written by Quincy, and arranged especially for the set – great little numbers that include "Nasty Magus", "Dum Dum", "Boody Rumble", "Count Em", "Belly Roll", and "Lil Ol Groovemaker Basie"! LP, Vinyl record album

A live set – recorded before Frank Sinatra's famous appearance with Basie at the Sands! CD

Material recorded before Frank Sinatra's famous appearance at The Sands with The Count! CD

Tracks include "Lullaby Of Birdland", "Blee Blop Blues", "Hours Alone", "Basie Blues", "Paradise Squats", and "Basie English". CD

Live recordings from February 23, 1959 in Stockholm – with the classic lineup that includes Thad Jones, Joe Newman, Frank Wess, Frank Foster, Marshall Royal, Freddie Green, and Joe Williams. Titles include "Bag A Bones", "Plymouth Rock", "Blues In Frankie's Flat", "The Deacon", "Who, Me", "Five O'Clock In The Morning", "Brushes And Brass", and "The Midgets". LP, Vinyl record album

With Roy Eldridge on trumpet, Benny Carter on alto, Zoot Sims on tenor, Vic Dickenson and Al Grey on trombone, Ray Brown on bass, and Jimmie Smith on drums. CD

On My Way & Shoutin Again is a wonderful album of 60s Basie – one that focuses on the writing and arranging talents of the great Neal Hefti! Hefti's one of our favorite soundtrack composers of the decade, but in the years before his film fame, he was a frequent partner of Basie – and this album marks one of their greatest collaborations together. The tunes are very much in the "loud, then soft, then loud" mode that Hefti pioneered with Basie's angular group of the 50s – but they've also got some of the warmer, more whimsical touches that Neal would explore more fully in his later soundtrack work too. The result is a classic Basie session, but with plenty of surprises – featuring a fresh batch of tunes that includes "Jump For Johnny", "Ducky Bumps", "Rose Bud", "Shanghaied", "Together Again", and "Eee Dee". Not Now I'll Tell You When is a great title for this classic Count Basie album – as it really gets at the tight, focused direction that makes Basie so great at this point in his career – his way of singling out each and every instrumentalist, and perfectly timing their performances! The sense of rhythm is what makes the Basie group so different from so many other large ensembles – not big band swing, not tonal modern, but this rootsy, soulful style at the bottom – even when the instrumentation is impeccable – that undeniable groove that makes a record like this swing from the start, then keep on going strongly, even when lots of colors and tones come into the mix. The whole lineup's great – and players include Frank Wess on flute, Frank Foster on tenor, Thad Jones on trumpet, and Freddie Green on guitar – and the album features a lot of sweet originals that really keep things interesting – including "The Daly Jump", "Not Now I'll Tell You When", "Rare Butterfly", "Back To The Apple", "Blue On Blue", and "Swingin At The Waldorf". CD

... CD

Features Lester Young on tenor and Jimmy Rushing on vocals. Tracks include "Exactly Like You", "Glory Of Love", "Pennies From Heaven", "Listen My Children And You Shall Hear", and "Time Out". CD

The title's not a hokey TV reference or anything like that – but a strong reminder that the Count Basie group was still very much in their prime during the 1970s, thanks especially to the recording talents that the Pablo label brought to records like this! Most of the work here was arranged and composed by Sam Nestico – the talent who was bringing a really fresh voice to the Basie group while still keeping most of its best elements intact. The track "Bundle O Funk" features some great Fender bass in the grooves, and is arguably one of the few funky tracks that Basie ever recorded – but other tracks get back to an all acoustic groove, and include "The Great Debate", "Ya Gotta Try", "Reachin Out", "Featherweight", and "Prime Time". LP, Vinyl record album

Features vocals by Joe Williams. Tracks include "I Want To Be Satisfied", "Cute", "Smack Dab In The Middle", "April In Paris", and "Bleep Blop". CD

A collection of recordings from 1962 and 1969, with sidemen including Thad Jones on trumpet, Frank Foster on tenor sax, Freddie Green on guitar, and Harold Jones on drums. LP, Vinyl record album

Two wonderful early 50s albums recorded by Count Basie for Verve – both sessions aimed at the dancefloor, and served up with an undeniably soulful groove! The style here is hard and swinging – the older Basie mode refined for the 50s – thanks to arrangements by Ernie Wilkins, Frank Foster, Neal Hefti, Manny Albam, and others! Groups on the set are often a bit small – and feature reeds by Frank Foster, Frank Wess, and Paul Quinichette; trumpets by Thad Jones, Joe Wilder, and Joe Newman; trombone from Henry Coker and Benny Powell; guitar by Freddie Green; and both piano and organ from Count Basie – the latter of which is a surprising and wonderful addition to this set! Features 24 tracks in all – with titles that include "Cherry Point", "Bubbles", "Straight Life", "Basie Goes Wess", "Mambo Mist", "Stereophonic", "Plymouth Rock", "Sixteen Men Swinging", "You For Me", "Soft Drink", "Slow But Sure", and "She's Just My Size". LP, Vinyl record album

A collection of 28 early Basie recordings for Vocalion, Columbia, and Brunswick labels, plus unissued masters! Includes work with the orchestras of Mildred Bailey, Harry James, Glenn Hardman, Teddy Wilson, plus the Basie orchestra, with vocals by Billie Holiday, Helen Humes, and Jimmy Rushing. CD

With Joe Newman, Reunald Jones Sr, Thad Jones & Wendell Culley on trumpets, Benny Powell, Bill Hughes & Henry Coker on trombones, Bill Graham, Charlie Fowlkes, Frank Wess & Marshal Royal on reeds, Freddie Green on guitar, Eddie Jones on bass & Sonny Payne on drums. CD

With Freddie Greene on guitar, George Duvivier on bass, Eddie Shaughnessy on drums, Roy Eldridge on trumpet, Al Grey and Billy Byers on trombone, and Eddie Lockjaw Davis on tenor sax. LP, Vinyl record album

A great little record from this legendary pair – a late nite, bluesy sort of record that's a nice change from some of the Joe Williams/Count Basie material on Verve! Basie plays Hammond on part of the record – and the organ makes a wonderful accompaniment to Joe's vocals – played with this open tone that kind of flows up from the bottom and around the edges, while the rest of the Basie group provide slightly gentler backigns – still that syncopated swing we love from the Count, but more laidback too – in a way that fits the material and the vocals perfectly! Titles include "Sweet Sue", "Dinah", "Memories Of You", "Baby Won't You Please Come Home", and "Call Me Darling. LP, Vinyl record album

Twin pianos, recorded in a very easy-going setting – just the kind of record that will help you discover a whole new side of Count Basie, and fall in love with the work of Oscar Peterson all over again! We really dig these more laidback sides from the Pablo label in the 70s – and although this album's got a rhythm section (unlike some of Peterson's other meetings with contemporary jazz giants), the feel is still largely guided by the main soloists – especially given that Basie's style of vamping seems to pull in rhythm players John Heard on bass and Louis Bellson on drums. Tracks include "Soft Winds", "Rent Party", "Indiana", "Hey Raymond", "After You've Gone", and "That's The One". CD

Plenty marvelous work from Count Basie and a whole host of longtime associates – all pulled from 50s records for the Vanguard label, most of which weren't done under Basie's leadership, but were headed by drummer Jo Jones, trumpeter Buck Clayton, and singer Joe Williams! Other players include Freddie Green on guitar, Lucky Thompson on tenor, Earl Warren on alto sax, Emmett Berry on trumpet, and Marlowe Morris on organ – and oddly, Basie doesn't even appear to be on all the tracks. That's ok with us, though – because often, small group sessions by Basie sidemen could be even more interesting than their bigger band work – as you'll hear on titles that include "Caravan", "Splittin", "Squeeze Me", "Buck Huckles", "Georgia Mae", "Lover Man", and "Shoe Shine Boy". CD

A post-Basie session from the Count Basie Orchestra – recorded after the Count had passed away, and Frank Foster returned from his wayward years to assume leadership of the group! The sound here is very much in the best Basie mode of the late 50s and early 60s – extremely fluid large group arrangements that sparkle with touches from Basie stalwarts Frank Foster, Eric Dixon, and Freddie Green – plus a number of younger players in the group. Dee Carson is sitting in Basie's chair on piano, and Carmen Bradford sings on the track "A Foggy Day". Other titles include "Hey I See You Over There", "You Got It", "April In Paris", "Bus Dust", and "Corner Pocket". LP, Vinyl record album

A post-Basie session from the Count Basie Orchestra – recorded after the Count had passed away, and Frank Foster returned from his wayward years to assume leadership of the group! The sound here is very much in the best Basie mode of the late 50s and early 60s – extremely fluid large group arrangements that sparkle with touches from Basie stalwarts Frank Foster, Eric Dixon, and Freddie Green – plus a number of younger players in the group. Dee Carson is sitting in Basie's chair on piano, and Carmen Bradford sings on the track "A Foggy Day". Other titles include "Hey I See You Over There", "You Got It", "April In Paris", "Bus Dust", and "Corner Pocket". CD

Tracks include "Why Not?", "Whirlybird", "Corner Pocket", "Kid From Redbank", "Spring Is Here", and "Roll 'Em" – 15 tracks total. CD

Recorded at the Olympia Theatre in November of 1957, with solos by Eddie Lockjaw Davis, Frank Foster, Eddie Jones, Sonny Payne, Joe Newman, and Thad Jones. LP, Vinyl record album

Titles include "Strike Up The Band", "Guess I'll Have To Change My Plans", "Poor Little Rich Girl", "Are You Havin Any Fun", "Anyting Goes", and "With Plenty Of Money". LP, Vinyl record album

Directed by Bill Hughes – with featured artists Butch Miles on drums and Melba Joyce on vocals. CD

Directed by trumpeter Scotty Barnhart – with guest vocals from Carmen Bradford and Jamie Davis. Tracks include "Who, Me?", "Four, Five, Six", "Flute Juice", "April In Paris", "Easin' It", "Blues In Hoss Flat", "Doodle Oodle", and "Deed I Do". CD

Includes the songs "Down For The Count", "Whirly Bird", "Cottontail", "In A Mellow Tone", "Basie", "Please Send Me Someone To Love", "Bug Out", "Love Makes The World Go Round", "Farmer's Market", and "Basie Power". CD

Led by Grover Mitchell. CD

Special guests include Geri Allen, Curtis Fuller, Hank Jones, Frank Wess, Nnenna Freelon, and Jon Hendricks! CD

Hard to believe it took a few decades in the careers of both players for them to record together – but that's exactly what you've got here – a landmark meeting of Count Basie and Duke Ellington from the early 60s, near the tail end of Duke's classic stretch on Columbia! Teo Macero produced the session with just the right amount of care and class to keep the whole thing from being an exercise in cliche – and there's a surprising amount of depth here that you might not expect – the best modern elements of Duke's orchestra on Columbia, coming into play with a bit more of the fire and vamp of the Basie group at the time! Titles include "Battle Royal", "Wild Man", "Segue In C", "Jumpin At The Woodside", "To You", and "Take The A Train". CD

Hard to believe it took a few decades in the careers of both players for them to record together – but that's exactly what you've got here – a landmark meeting of Count Basie and Duke Ellington from the early 60s, near the tail end of Duke's classic stretch on Columbia! Teo Macero produced the session with just the right amount of care and class to keep the whole thing from being an exercise in cliche – and there's a surprising amount of depth here that you might not expect – the best modern elements of Duke's orchestra on Columbia, coming into play with a bit more of the fire and vamp of the Basie group at the time! Titles include "Battle Royal", "Wild Man", "Segue In C", "Jumpin At The Woodside", "To You", and "Take The A Train". LP, Vinyl record album

We're not sure if the match is perfect, but it's still pretty darn nice – a live performance that has Ella Fitzgerald singing in front of the Count Basie Band – all recorded before a very enthusiastic audience at the Montreux Jazz Festival in 1979! The set's a nice capper to one of Ella's biggest decades as a star – and she steps out here with a well-earned confidence that allows her to match the energy of the Basie group and take new inspiration from their fire. Titles include "Make Me Rainbows", "Round Midnight", "Basella", "You've Changed", "Fine & Mellow", "Some Other Spring", and "After You've Gone". LP, Vinyl record album

Features Ella Fitzgerald on vocal performances of "April In Paris", "Party Blues", and "Every Day I Have The Blues" – with Count Basie backing. Also features a jam session version of "Billie's Bounce" – with Art Blakey, Charles Mingus, Tal Farlow, Zoot Sims, and others – and a solo piano take on "Lady Fair" by George Wallington. LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible pairing of two important 60s talents – magnificent vocals from Arthur Prysock, and some of the best backings he ever received – thanks to Basie! LP, Vinyl record album

One of Sinatra's greatest records ever – pure genius all the way through! Frank's backed here by the orchestra of Count Basie, with some incredible arrangements by Quincy Jones that really have a jazzy, syncopated kick to them. The move seems to be an unintentional way of covering for Frank's slightly failing pipes – but it also picks up on a seminal beat change in 60s pop, the same sort of gentle snapping groove that you'd find in the best work by Bacharach, a shift that really infuses Frank's vocals with a whole new sound, one that shows that he's ready to keep on growing and growing after being stuck in a Nelson Riddle rut. All tracks are superb – hip 60s pop and showtunes, like "I Believe In You", "Fly Me To the Moon", "More", "The Good Life", "Wives & Lovers", and "I Wanna Be Around". CD

Sinatra-Basie is the inaugural effort from the 2 leaders and the stellar orchestra – and it's a great one. Sinatra is as charismatic and loose out front as he's ever been on record, and the Basie & his players swing brilliantly with arrangements by Neal Hefti. Titles include "Pennies From Heaven", "Please Be Kind", "My Kind Of Girl", "Learnin' The Blues", "Nice Work If You Can Get It" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

A classic Vegas moment for Sinatra – with accompaniment by Count Basie, and arrangements from Quincy Jones, to boot! The set features some great spoken bits – really one of the first chances the American mainstream got to taste the Vegas vibe – and titles include "It Was A Very Good Year", "Fly Me To The Moon", "The Shadow Of Your Smile", "Come Fly With Me", "Street Of Dreams", "One For My Baby", and "My Kind Of Town". LP, Vinyl record album

With Eddie Davis and Zoot Sims on tenor, Harry Edison on trumpet, JJ Johnson on trombone, Ray Brown on bass, Irving Ashby on guitar, and Louis Bellson on drums. LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

A really wonderful collaboration between two very unlikely partners – and a great album that really stands out as some of the best work from both artists in the 60s! Count Basie's group gets hard and soulful on the record – and even a little funky on the best cuts – and Jackie Wilson is in a raw bluesy vocal style that recalls the best moments of his earlier Brunswick singles – a great edge that makes the whole Basie groove sound even more hard-hitting than ever. Benny Carter arranged, but the groove is more a hard-edged Count Basie mode mixed with Brunswick soul styles – and Jackie blows it out over the top on great versions of "Funky Broadway", "Ode To Billie Joe", "I Was Made To Love Her", "Even When You Cry", and "Respect". Also features a version of "For Your Precious Love" that was a bit of a hit for the pair! LP, Vinyl record album

Includes 90 orchesta and small group tracks including "I'll Remember April", "St. Louis Blues", "Taxi War Dance", "Pound Cake", "Easy Does It", Stay On It", "Rock-A-Bye Basie", and "Ebony Rhapsody". CD

One of Basie's biggest albums – but still a work of pure genius! "April In Paris" is one of the darkest jazz standards ever written, and it never sounded better than in this original version, which features that great ending in which Basie and the band stop, then start, then stop – leaving you completely unresolved at the finish. The group's a strong one – with Frank Foster, Frank Wess, Freddie Green, Sonny Payne, Marshall Royal, Henry Coker, Joe Newman, and Thad Jones – and tracks include "Shiny Stockings", "Midgets", "Mambo Inn", "Sweety Cakes", and "Corner Pocket". LP, Vinyl record album

Tracks include "Daly Jump", "9:20 Special", "I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good)", "Moten Swing", and "Teddy The Toad" – 13 tracks total. CD

A beautiful early Verve recording by Basie – one that's packaged here in a great David Stone Martin cover, with a red and blue watercolor of Basie himself. Players include Frank Foster, Frank Wess, Ernie Wilkins, Marshall Royal, Joe Newman, Thad Jones, Bennie Powell, and Freddie Green – plus Basie, of course. Titles include "Two Franks", "Ska Di Didle Dee Bee Doo", "Rails", "Blues Backstage", and "Perdido" – and there's a very strong focus on the best soloists in the group! (Note: this material was also issued under the title The Band Of Distinction – but this is the first version.) LP, Vinyl record album

A killer set from Count Basie – recorded during the height of his years at Roulette! The back cover of the record proclaims that "Basie Is Back Home" – clearly a bit by Birdland to lay claim to being the Count's home address, which is a bit of a challenge to his KC roots! Whatever the back story, though, the set's a nice one – swinging hard in that completely tight 60s mode, with a great lineup that includes Frank Foster and Budd Johnson on tenor, Thad Jones on trumpet, Bennie Powell on trombone, and Freddie Green on guitar – a really great group who definitely make the record a cooker! Tracks include "Good Time Blues", "Segue In C", "Little Pony", "Discommotion", and "Whirly Bird", which has a vocal by Jon Hendricks! LP, Vinyl record album

A great little set – despite our initial fears about the package – and a really wonderful pairing of the talents of Count Basie and Benny Carter! We'll admit that we're the first ones to shy away from anything that says "Kansas City" in the title – as we expect a lot of hoke – but this album's a surprisingly great batch of tunes, original numbers written by Benny Carter in honor of the KC of days past, but arranged and performed by the Basie group in a swinging style that's got the best touches of their Roulette years, plus a bit of Ellingtonish ambition in the horn charts. Titles include "Katy Do", "Miss Missouri", "Jackson County Jubilee", "Sunset Glow", "Meetin Time", and "The Wiggle Walk". LP, Vinyl record album

A very late set from Basie – but still swinging hard in the best Pablo mode! Some tracks also feature a smaller group – with Booty Wood on trombone and Eric Dixon on tenor. LP, Vinyl record album

With Ray Brown on trumpet, Mitchell Bootie Wood on trombone, Eric Dixon on saxophone, Freddie Green on guitar, Keter Betts on bass, Mickey Roker on drums, and others. CD

A great little set – despite our initial fears! We'll admit that we're the first ones to shy away from anything that says "Kansas City" in the title – as we expect a lot of hoke – but this album's a surprisingly great batch of tunes, original numbers written by Benny Carter in honor of the KC of days past, but arranged and performed by the Basie group in a swinging style that's got the best touches of their Roulette years, plus a bit of Ellingtonish ambition in the horn charts. Titles include "Katy Do", "Miss Missouri", "Jackson County Jubilee", "Sunset Glow", "Meetin Time", and "The Wiggle Walk". Benny Carter himself plays on Legend, the second album in this set – and other players include Frank Foster and Budd Johnson on tenors, Sam Herman on guitar, and Eddie Jones on bass – whose instrument lines up wonderfully with the drums of Sonny Payne to make for some very sweet bottom action on the set. Thad Jones and Snooky Young are on trumpets – and titles include "The Trot", "Easy Money", "Goin On", "The Swizzle", "Who's Blue", "The Legend", and "Turnabout". CD

With Marshall Royal and Bobby Plater on alto, Eric Dixon and Eddie Davis on tenor, Charles Fowlkes on baritone, Gene Goe, George Cohn, Oscar Brashear, and Al Aarons on trumpet, Grover Mitchell, Richard Boone, Bill Hughes, and Steve Galloway on trombone, Freddie Green on guitar, Harold Jones on drums, and Norman Keenan on bass. LP, Vinyl record album

One of the coolest, grooviest Tony Bennett albums you could ever hope to buy – a really wonderful album that features backings by the Count Basie band, in the best swinging mode of their Roulette Records years! Tony always had a lot of jazz in his sound, but this album's a really special one – and quite different than the gentler territory of his later jazz efforts with Bill Evans – instead a record that really pushes that strong vocal range that Bennett always had on his pop singles of the 50s, but refocuses the sound towards a deeper Basie mode. Arrangements are by Ralph Sharon, Tony's usual accompanist – but the sound is pure Basie all the way through! Titles include "Life Is A Song", "Plenty Of Money", "Strike Up The Band", "Poor Little Rich Girl", "I've Grown Accustomed To Her Face", and "Growing Pains". CD

A very unusual twin-piano album – one that features the talents of Oscar Peterson and Count Basie on the keys, with just bass and drums to back them up! The format's one of the most relaxed you'll hear from Pablo Records, and it makes for a really unique look at both players – especially Basie, who's often comping the keys behind a much larger band. The Count definitely brings a rhythmic flow to the record, and Peterson opens up nicely in the setting – and each player handles an electric piano on a track apiece, too. Titles include "Red Wagon", "Roots", "Lil Darlin", "Cherry", "Lady Fitz", and "Lester Leaps In". CD

The great pair of albums by Frank Sinatra backed by Count Basie and his incredible orchestra from the early 60s – Sinatra-Basie from '62 and It Might As Well Be Swing from '64 – together in a single set! Sinatra-Basie is the inaugural effort from the 2 leaders and the stellar orchestra – and it's a great one. Sinatra is as charismatic and loose out front as he's ever been on record, and the Basie & his players swing brilliantly with arrangements by Neal Hefti. Titles include "Pennies From Heaven", "Please Be Kind", "My Kind Of Girl", "Learnin' The Blues", "Nice Work If You Can Get It" and more. It Might As Well Be Swing is simply one of Sinatra's greatest records ever – pure genius all the way through! This one features some incredible arrangements by Quincy Jones that really have a jazzy, syncopated kick to them. This picks up on a seminal beat change in 60s pop, the same sort of gentle snapping groove that you'd find in the best work by Bacharach, a shift that really infuses Frank's vocals with a whole new sound, one that shows that he's ready to keep on growing and growing after being stuck in a Nelson Riddle rut. All tracks are superb – hip 60s pop and show tunes, like "I Believe In You", "Fly Me To the Moon", "More", "The Good Life", "Wives & Lovers", and "I Wanna Be Around". CD

One of Sinatra's greatest records ever – pure genius all the way through! Frank's backed here by the orchestra of Count Basie, with some incredible arrangements by Quincy Jones that really have a jazzy, syncopated kick to them. The move seems to be an unintentional way of covering for Frank's slightly failing pipes – but it also picks up on a seminal beat change in 60s pop, the same sort of gentle snapping groove that you'd find in the best work by Bacharach, a shift that really infuses Frank's vocals with a whole new sound, one that shows that he's ready to keep on growing and growing after being stuck in a Nelson Riddle rut. All tracks are superb – hip 60s pop and showtunes, like "I Believe In You", "Fly Me To the Moon", "More", "The Good Life", "Wives & Lovers", and "I Wanna Be Around". LP, Vinyl record album

A really wonderful collaboration between two very unlikely partners – and a great album that really stands out as some of the best work from both artists in the 60s! Count Basie's group gets hard and soulful on the record – and even a little funky on the best cuts – and Jackie Wilson is in a raw bluesy vocal style that recalls the best moments of his earlier Brunswick singles – a great edge that makes the whole Basie groove sound even more hard-hitting than ever. Benny Carter arranged, but the groove is more a hard-edged Count Basie mode mixed with Brunswick soul styles – and Jackie blows it out over the top on great versions of "Funky Broadway", "Ode To Billie Joe", "I Was Made To Love Her", "Even When You Cry", and "Respect". Also features a version of "For Your Precious Love" that was a bit of a hit for the pair! CD

Nothing basic about this album by Count Basie – as the album has the legend working for the MPS label – whose own big band scene he really helped inspire! The band here is really dynamic – working with great arrangements from Chico O'Farrill, who's inherent sense of groove really gets things going from the start – which creates plenty of energy for the horn work by players who include Bobby Plater and Marshall Royal on alto, Eric Dixon on flute and tenor, Eddie Lockjaw Davis on additional tenor, Grover Mitchell on trombone, and Oscar Brashear and Sonny Cohn on trumpets. Basie himself plays piano – with that legendary punctuated style that's still quite strong at this point – and titles include "M Squad", "Blues In My Heart", "Sweet Lorraine", "Red Roses For A Blue Lady", "As Long As I Live", and "I've Got The World On A String". CD

Tremendous work from one of the greatest pairings in 50s jazz – the crack later group of Count Basie and the amazing arranging talents of the great Neal Hefti! Hefti later went onto greater fame as a 60s soundtrack composer, but back in the day him and Basie were an incredible team together – as Hefti's talent for quirky, witty, whimsical horn passages really opened up the Basie sound of earlier years – and took the band far past any Kansas City cliches, into a groove that was much more suited for a modern audience! This album's one of the best the two ever cut together – and it's overflowing with Hefti gems that include "Cute", "Pensive Miss", "Sloo Foot", "Scoot", "A Little Tempo Please", "Count Down", and "Pony Tail". LP, Vinyl record album

A Count Basie trio set – the second meeting of the Kansas City Three, a combo that features Ray Brown on bass an Louis Bellson on drums! Basie's really great here – out front, and moving with modes that are quite different than his fuller group sessions – surprisingly sensitive at points, even though still imbued with all of his trademark swing! Bellson's touch on the kit really helps – punctuating things, while never going too far at all – a nice punch, right when needed – and Ray Brown proves once again that he's just the right fit for just about any combo. Titles include "Racehorse", "Blues For Eric", "Draw", "Sandman", "If I Could Be With You For One Hour Tonight", and "I Surrender Dear". CD

With MF Wanzo, Grover Mitchell, and Bill Hughes on trombones; Gene Goe, Oscar Brashear, W Reed, and Sonny Cohn on trumpets; Charlie Fowlkes on baritone, Marshal Royal and Bobby Plater on alto, Eric Dixon and Eddie Davis on tenor, Freddie Green on guitar, Norman Keenan on bass, and Harold Jones on drums. LP, Vinyl record album

A quartet date with Basie on piano, Dizzy Gillespie on trumpet, Ray Brown on bass, and Mickey Roker on drums. Titles include "Back To The Land", "Constantinople", "You Got It", "St James Infirmary", "Follow The Leader" and "Ow". LP, Vinyl record album

Basieland in the 60s – a very nice place to be! This excellent Verve session features the highly pyrotechnic Basie 60s ensemble really letting loose – complete with great horn work by Frank Foster, Frank Wess, and Eric Dixon on reeds – all of whom bring a very soulful edge to the proceedings, and blow these strong sharp lines over the album's great arrangements from Billy Byers. Byers also wrote all the tunes too – making the set one of those great Basie albums that overflows with fresh new songs that continually redefine the Count's groove. Tracks are short and tight, but have some wonderful horn charts that really explode with magical energy – and titles include "Sassy", "Wanderlust", "Instant Blues", "Basie Land", "Big Brother", and "Yuriko". LP, Vinyl record album

Count Basie takes on groovy tunes from films – including "Shadow Of Your Smile", "Days Of Wine & Roses", "Hurry Sundown", "Strangers In The Night", and "Secret Love". LP, Vinyl record album

A repackaged version of material from Count Basie's excellent Dance Session albums for Verve – no-nonsense albums that really get at the high-grooving side of the group, and which feature the kind of compelling and catchy tunes that always made them a favorite on the dancefloor! The Count manages to play a bit of organ on the session, in the tone that we really like at the time – and arrangements are by Ernie Wilkins, Neal Hefti, Johnny Mandel, and Frank Wess – on tracks that include "Straight Life", "Soft Drink", "Cherry Point, "Plymouth Rock", "Slow But Sure", "Two For The Blues", and "Bubbles". CD

Benny Carter was really on fire in the 60s – a saxophonist who was not only re-asserting his role as a soloist, but also a growing new talent in the field of arranging, as well – on records like this killer outing with the Count Basie group, and a host of other excellent albums to come! The set features all original material by Carter – penned and arranged specifically with a Basie flair, and that group's special blend of modern elements and old-school swing – developed in the years with Neal Hefti, and carried through strongly here with Carter. Benny himself plays alto with the group – and other players include Frank Foster and Budd Johnson on tenors, Sam Herman on guitar, and Eddie Jones on bass – whose instrument lines up wonderfully with the drums of Sonny Payne to make for some very sweet bottom action on the set. Thad Jones and Snooky Young are on trumpets – and titles include "The Trot", "Easy Money", "Goin On", "The Swizzle", "Who's Blue", "The Legend", and "Turnabout". LP, Vinyl record album