Shortly after being discharged from military service in 1953, tenor saxophonist Frank Foster joined Count Basie's band. By then, Basie's so-called New Testament band was in place and had been recording for a year. The orchestra was known as the New Testament band to differentiate it from the swing-era band that started in 1935 and lasted until late 1949. Vocalist Billy Eckstine was the first to urge Basie to give up the small groups Basie led from 1950 to 1952, telling the Count, “This is small garbage for you." Morris Levy, co-owner of New York's Birdland, sweetened the pot by giving Basie's new band a residency at the club.
Foster's first recorded arrangement for the band was Blues Backstage in 1954. Here it is...
Foster favored mid-tempo, walking blues when arranging for Basie, a tempo that grooved. His original songs and arrangements for the band included Shiny Stockings, Down for the Count, Blues Backstage, Back to the Apple, Discommotion and Blues in Hoss' Flat.
Foster recorded three albums devoted to his Basie sound—two as a leader and one as the sole arranger of a Basie album. Tuesday is as good a day as any to dig Frank Foster and Basie. Puts a wag in the week's tail.
Here's the complete No Count for Savoy in 1956, with the Frank Foster Septet featuring Benny Powell and Henry Coker (tb), Frank Foster and Frank Wess (ts,fl), Kenny Burrell (g), Eddie Jones (b) and Kenny Clarke (d)...
Here's Count Basie's Easin' It in 1960, with arrangements by Frank Foster, featuring Sonny Cohn, Snooky Young, Thad Jones and Joe Newman (tp); Al Grey, Henry Coker and Benny Powell (tb); Marshal Royal (cl,as), Frank Wess (as,ts,fl), Frank Foster (ts,arr), Billy Mitchell (ts), Charlie Fowlkes (bar), Count Basie (p), Freddie Green (g), Eddie Jones (b), Sonny Payne (d), plus special guest Clark Terry (tp) on track #1 and possibly on track #2...
And here's Basie Is Our Boss, recorded for Argo/Cadet in 1963 with Al Aarons (tp), Frank Foster (ts), Eric Dixon (ts,fl), John Young (p), Buddy Catlett (b) and Philip Thomas (d). A special thanks to Bill Kirchner for reminding me about the album...
Foster's first recorded arrangement for the band was Blues Backstage in 1954. Here it is...
Foster favored mid-tempo, walking blues when arranging for Basie, a tempo that grooved. His original songs and arrangements for the band included Shiny Stockings, Down for the Count, Blues Backstage, Back to the Apple, Discommotion and Blues in Hoss' Flat.
Foster recorded three albums devoted to his Basie sound—two as a leader and one as the sole arranger of a Basie album. Tuesday is as good a day as any to dig Frank Foster and Basie. Puts a wag in the week's tail.
Here's the complete No Count for Savoy in 1956, with the Frank Foster Septet featuring Benny Powell and Henry Coker (tb), Frank Foster and Frank Wess (ts,fl), Kenny Burrell (g), Eddie Jones (b) and Kenny Clarke (d)...
Here's Count Basie's Easin' It in 1960, with arrangements by Frank Foster, featuring Sonny Cohn, Snooky Young, Thad Jones and Joe Newman (tp); Al Grey, Henry Coker and Benny Powell (tb); Marshal Royal (cl,as), Frank Wess (as,ts,fl), Frank Foster (ts,arr), Billy Mitchell (ts), Charlie Fowlkes (bar), Count Basie (p), Freddie Green (g), Eddie Jones (b), Sonny Payne (d), plus special guest Clark Terry (tp) on track #1 and possibly on track #2...
And here's Basie Is Our Boss, recorded for Argo/Cadet in 1963 with Al Aarons (tp), Frank Foster (ts), Eric Dixon (ts,fl), John Young (p), Buddy Catlett (b) and Philip Thomas (d). A special thanks to Bill Kirchner for reminding me about the album...
This story appears courtesy of JazzWax by Marc Myers.
Copyright © 2024. All rights reserved.
