| | Count Basie America's #1 Band! The Columbia Years CD Count Basie Discography of CDs
 (3 Customer Reviews)
AMERICA'S #1 BAND was nominated for the 2004 Grammy Awards for Best Album Notes and for Best Historical Album.
The unfettered sound of joyous swing is exemplified by Count Basie's considerable output. The four-disc set AMERICA'S #1 BAND showcases the classic orchestras and smaller combos from the '30s to the '50s, led by Basie, an undisputed member of jazz royalty. One of the Count's trademarks was his ever-present piano. While the charts and solos of the brass and wind sections often performed with more complexity, he kept things rooted along with his classic rhythm section, his playing a model of economically well-placed notes. In addition to a who's-who roster that includes Lester Young, Buck Clayton, Billie Holiday, Helen Humes, and Jimmy Rushing, this compilation features fine re-mastering work and copious liner notes by musician-historian Loren Schoenberg. The set contains far too many highlights to single any out. Suffice it to say that Basie and company are well-represented in their ability to swing it-and swing it hard, through three decades.
Includes liner notes by Orrin Keepnews, Loren Schoenberg.
Compilation producer: Orrin Keepnews.
Personnel: Count Basie (piano, organ); Jimmy Rushing, Billie Holiday (vocals); Freddie Green (guitar); Rudy Rutherford (clarinet, alto saxophone, baritone saxophone); Buddy DeFranco (clarinet); Tab Smith (soprano saxophone, alto saxophone); Preston Love, Earle Warren, Caughey Roberts, Robin Phillips, Marshall Royal, George Dorsey (alto saxophone); Coleman Hawkins, Don Byas, Herschel Evans, Illinois Jacquet, Lester Young, Lucky Thompson, Paul Bascomb, Wardell Gray, Buddy Tate, Charlie Rouse (tenor saxophone); Jack Washington, Serge Chaloff, Charlie Fowlkes (baritone saxophone); Clark Terry, Ed Lewis, Emmett Berry, Al Stearns, Harry "Sweets" Edison, Joe Newman , Al Killian, Al Porcino, Lamar Wright, Shad Collins, Snooky Young, Bob Mitchell, Buck Clayton (trumpet); Dicky Wells, Eddie Durham, Robert Scott , Eli Robinson, Leon Comegys, J.J. Johnson , George Hunt, Ted Donnelly, Louis Taylor , Matthew Gee, Vic Dickenson, Benny Morton, George Matthews , Dan Minor, Ed Cuffee, Booty Wood (trombone); Gus Johnson, Jo Jones , Shadow Wilson, Buddy Rich (drums).
Liner Note Authors: Loren Schoenberg; Orrin Keepnews.
Recording information: Cafe Society Uptown, New York, NY (11/09/1936-??/??/1964); Chicago, IL (11/09/1936-??/??/1964); Famous Door, New York, NY (11/09/1936-??/??/1964); Los Angeles, CA (11/09/1936-??/??/1964); Meadowbrook Lounge, Cedar Grove, NJ (11/09/1936-??/??/1964); New York, NY (11/09/1936-??/??/1964); Panther Room, Hotel Sherman, Chicago, IL (11/09/1936-??/??/1964); Savoy Ballroom, New York, NY (11/09/1936-??/??/1964); Southland Theatre Restaurant, Boston, MA (11/09/1936-??/??/1964).
Arrangers: Don Redman; Dudley Brooks; Eddie Durham; Harry "Sweets" Edison; Henri Woode; Illinois Jacquet; J.J. Johnson ; Jimmy Mundy; Neal Hefti; Andy Gibson ; Skip Martin ; Tab Smith; Tadd Dameron; Buck Clayton; Buster Harding.
Personnel includes: Count Basie (piano); Billie Holiday, Helen Humes, Jimmy Rushing (vocals); Tab Smith (soprano & alto saxophones); George Dorset (alto saxophone); Don Byas, Lester Young, Buddy Tate, Coleman Hawkins, Preston Love (tenor saxophones); Jack Washington (baritone saxophone); Rudy Rutherford (saxophone, clarinet); Carl "Tatti" Smith, Buck Clayton, Shad Collins, Clark Terry, Al Killian, Al Porcino, Bob Mitchell, Ed Lewis, Emmett Berry, Snooky Young, Harry Edison (trumpet); Dickie Wells, Vic Dickenson, Eddie Durham, Benny Morton, Dan Minor, Eli Robinson (trombone); Buddy DeFranco (clarinet); Freddie Green (guitar); Walter Page, Jimmy Lewis, Rodney Richardson (bass); Shadow Wilson, Gus Johnson, Jo Jones (drums).
Producers: John Hammond, George Avakian.
Q (2/04, p.112) - 4 stars out of 5 - "This choice and unprecedented collection collates almost 100 tracks recorded between 1936 and 1951..." America's #1 Band! The Columbia Years Music
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Click on the  buttons below to play song samples |
| | | | America's #1 Band! The Columbia Years CD DISC 1: THE SMALL GROUP RECORDINGS JONES-SMITH, INC.: |
  | 1. | Shoe Shine Boy | $0.99 | |
| 2. | Evenin' - (featuring Jimmy Rushing) | $0.69 | |
| 3. | Boogie Woogie (I May Be Wrong) - (featuring Jimmy Rushing) | $0.99 | |
| 4. | Oh, Lady Be Good | |
| 5. | I Ain't Got Nobody | $0.99 | |
| 6. | Goin' to Chicago Blues - (featuring Jimmy Rushing)  | $0.99 | |
| 7. | Live and Love Tonight | $0.69 | |
| 8. | Love Me or Leave Me | $0.99 | |
| 9. | Dickie's Dream | $0.99 | |
| 10. | Lester Leaps In | $0.99 | |
| 11. | How Long Blues | $0.99 | |
| 12. | Royal Garden Blues | $0.99 | |
| 13. | Bugle Blues | $0.69 | |
| 14. | Sugar Blues | $0.69 | |
| 15. | Farewell Blues | $0.69 | |
| 16. | Cafe Society Blues | $0.99 | |
| 17. | Way Back Blues | $0.69 | |
| 18. | St. Louis Blues | $0.99 | |
| 19. | Neal's Deal | $0.99 | |
| 20. | Bluebeard Blues | $0.69 | |
| 21. | Golden Bullet | $0.69 | |
| 22. | You're My Baby, You | $0.99 | |
| | America's #1 Band! The Columbia Years Songs DISC 2: THE SMALL GROUP RECORDINGS COUNT BASIE OCTET: |
| 1. | Song of the Islands | $0.69 | |
| 2. | These Foolish Things | $0.69 | |
| 3. | I'm Confessin' (That I Love You) | $0.99 | |
| 4. | One O'Clock Jump | $0.99 | |
| 5. | I Ain't Got Nobody | $0.69 | |
| 6. | Little White Lies | $0.99 | |
| 7. | I'll Remember April | $0.99 | |
| 8. | Tootsie | |
| 9. | Rock-A-Bye Basie | $0.69 | |
| 10. | One Hour - (featuring Helen Humes) | $0.99 | |
| 11. | Taxi War Dance | |
| 12. | Twelfth Street Rag | $0.69 | |
| 13. | Miss Thing, Pt. 1 | |
| 14. | Miss Thing, Pt. 2 | |
| 15. | Nobody Knows - (Take 1) | $0.99 | |
| 16. | Pound Cake | |
| 17. | Song of the Islands | $0.69 | |
| 18. | Clap Hands! Here Comes Charlie | $0.99 | |
| 19. | Tickle Toe | |
| 20. | Louisiana | $0.69 | |
| 21. | Easy Does It | $0.69 | |
| 22. | Somebody Stole My Gal - (featuring Jimmy Rushing) | |
| 23. | I Want a Little Girl | $0.69 | |
| | America's #1 Band! The Columbia Years Album DISC 3: COUNT BASIE AND HIS ORCHESTRA: |
| 1. | Five O'Clock Whistle | $0.99 | |
| 2. | Broadway | $0.69 | |
| 3. | It's the Same Old South | $0.99 | |
| 4. | Jump the Blues Away | $0.69 | |
| 5. | Jitters, The | $0.99 | |
| 6. | 9:20 Special | |
| 7. | Goin' to Chicago Blues | $0.99 | |
| 8. | Harvard Blues | |
| 9. | One O'Clock Jump | |
| 10. | It's Sand, Man | |
| 11. | Ain't It the Truth | |
| 12. | Taps Miller | |
| 13. | Avenue C | $0.99 | |
| 14. | Blue Skies - (featuring Jimmy Rushing) | $0.99 | |
| 15. | Queer Street | $0.99 | |
| 16. | Lazy Lady Blues - (featuring Jimmy Rushing) | |
| 17. | Rambo | $0.99 | |
| 18. | King, The | |
| 19. | Hob Nail Boogie | $0.99 | |
| 20. | Mutton Leg | $0.99 | |
| 21. | Stay on It | $0.99 | |
| 22. | Little Pony | $0.99 | |
| 23. | Beaver Junction | $0.99 | |
| | America's #1 Band! The Columbia Years CD DISC 4: AT THE FAMOUS DOOR: |
| 1. | One O'Clock Jump - (previously unreleased, live) | |
| 2. | Swingin' the Blues - (previously unreleased, live) | |
| 3. | Rock-A-Bye Basie - (previously unreleased, live) | $0.69 | |
| 4. | Don't Worry 'Bout Me - (previously unreleased, live, featuring Helen Humes) | |
| 5. | Time Out - (previously unreleased, live) | $0.99 | |
| 6. | Boogie Woogie Blues - (previously unreleased, live, featuring Jimmy Rushing) | $0.99 | |
| 7. | Roseland Shuffle - (previously unreleased, live) | $0.99 | |
| 8. | White Sails - (previously unreleased, live, featuring Helen Humes) | $0.99 | |
| 9. | Clap Hands! Here Comes Charlie - (previously unreleased, live) | $0.99 | |
| 10. | One O'Clock Jump - (previously unreleased, live, featuring Billie Holiday) | |
| 11. | They Can't Take That Away from Me - (live) | $0.99 | |
| 12. | Swing, Brother, Swing - (live, featuring Billie Holiday) | |
| 13. | I Can't Get Started - (live) | $0.99 | |
| 14. | Moten Swing - (previously unreleased, live) | $0.99 | |
| 15. | Ebony Rhapsody - (previously unreleased, live) | $0.99 | |
| 16. | Darn That Dream - (previously unreleased, live) | $0.99 | |
| 17. | Take It, Pres - (previously unreleased, live) | |
| 18. | Baby, Don't Tell on Me - (previously unreleased, live, featuring Jimmy Rushing) | $0.99 | |
| 19. | I Got Rhythm - (previously unreleased, live) | $0.99 | |
| 20. | 9:20 Special - (previously unreleased, live) | |
| 21. | Elmer's Tune - (previously unreleased, live) | $0.99 | |
| 22. | Jumpin' at the Woodside - (previously unreleased, live) | |
| Average Rating: (4.7 out of 5 stars)   great music but a little disappointing
Great music, beautiful sound, a very good work of remastering. But why another (questionable, BTW) anthology, and not a chronological, complete re-edition of the Columbia Basie?
Submitted by a reviewer (Italy) 
Was This Review Helpful? Yes No
 Solid Basie from one of his peak periods
I don't regret buying this, but the set was a a bit of a disappointment nevertheless. The 3-disc Decca box from the same period led me to expect even more. So I could not put full 5 stars. Maybe it is the mix-and-match nature of the set, small groups, big band, obscure live stuff. The booklet is excellent. I wish they would have made it bigger, it would have deserved more lavish treatment and big photos.
Submitted by a reviewer (Washington DC)
Was This Review Helpful? Yes No
NOT the complete Columbia discography but superb nonetheless
A disclaimer: while extensive, this is not the complete Columbia/Okeh catalog of William "Count" Basie and his Orchestra. For those looking for more, consider The Complete Columbia Recordings 1936-1941 (DRCD11208), issued in 2001 with 24-bit remastering. Having said that, this is a major release project and should be in every Basie-ite's collection as a reference on the Old Testament big band, as well as Bill Basie's numerous small group recordings. Orrin Keepnews is a jazz producer of note and was the compiler of this re-issue project, and should be credited for making a "solid representation" of the Basie Columbia years, without it being a straight chronology. First, this re-issue project includes the rare Smith-Jones, Inc. sides from 1936, which show Lester Young in his early years, as well as Basie/Page/Jones in the rhythm section. It also makes available the small group side of Basie, including the Kansas City Seven and Bad Boys takes, not to mention the Octet recordings in 1950 with Count Basie's favorite drummer, Buddy Rich, in attendance on 4 sides. In fact, discs 1 & 2 are nothing but small group recordings, a fact viewed favorably by the associate producer and annotator, Loren Schoenberg, director of the Jazz Museum in Harlem as well as a noted jazz musician. On Disc 3, a substantial selection of Count Basie and His Orchestra's sides, beginning in 1940, are featured, including a couple of takes with significance in jazz history, such as Queer Street, with Shadow Wilson in the drum chair. 9:20 Special, Ain't It The Truth and The King are notable, as are the Neal Hefti arrangements, which foreshadow the direction of many big bands in the fifties and beyond. J.J. Johnson, the noted trombonist and arranger/writer, later of Miles Davis fame, is featured on his composition Rambo. Side 4 is a bonus well worth the price of admission: live radio broadcasts which show the band "on the job" from 1939 to 1941. I personally like radio broadcasts from this period, so this was a plus for me. The liner notes are extensive, although not perfect, and the sound quality is excellent, even superb, given the source material. The real reason to purchase this is the sonic quality, which is probably unmatched by any other release of this material.
Submitted by rick (Arvada CO)
Was This Review Helpful? Yes No | Have you heard this album? |  |
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