Count Basie Orchestra: Swinging, Singing, Playing

Robert J. Robbins

CD/DVD Reviewer since 2009

Robert has covered jazz for over 30 years and contributes regularly to Big Bands International in the UK.

Recent articles (13 total)

Published: September 22, 2009

Count Basie Orchestra
Swinging, Singing, Playing
Mack Avenue
2009

Although over a quarter-century has elapsed since the passing of Count Basie Count Basie
1904 - 1984
piano in 1984, the bandleader and pianist's legacy has proved one of the most durable from the big band era, and the Basie band's Swinging, Singing, Playing maintains the Basie tradition and carries it triumphantly into the new millennium. Dennis Wilson (not to be confused with his late Beach Boys namesake), who served in the Basie trombone section from 1977-87, first under Basie himself, then under Thad Jones Thad Jones
1923 - 1986
trumpet and Frank Foster Frank Foster
1928 - 2011
saxophone , returns to conduct the current ensemble in eleven of his own Basie-styled charts, including four original compositions. (Wilson is now Professor of Music at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor).

"Giant Blues Flag Waver" is Wilson's compositional opening salvo, in which the traditional Basie groove joins forces with John Coltrane John Coltrane
1926 - 1967
saxophone 's "Giant Steps," with tenor saxophonist Doug Lawrence, drummer Marion Felder and guest pianist Geri Allen Geri Allen
b.1957
piano in the solo spotlight. Another guest, bassist Rufus Reid Rufus Reid
b.1944
bass, acoustic , captures solo honors on "Naiomi's Blues," which Wilson named for his daughter. Wilson says that he composed "Dark Morning" on the very day of Basie's death. It has remained unrecorded until here, where it receives a midnight-blue velvet treatment reminiscent of Neal Hefti Neal Hefti
1922 - 2008
trumpet 's "Li'l Darlin'" and Henry Mancini Henry Mancini
b.1924
piano 's "Dreamsville." It's highlighted by Michael Williams' bucket-muted trumpet saluting Freddie Hubbard Freddie Hubbard
1938 - 2008
trumpet .

The 87-year-old scat master Jon Hendricks Jon Hendricks
b.1921
vocal teams with the thirtysomething British show business prodigy Jamie Cullum Jamie Cullum

vocal at the piano on the Basie-meets-James Brown James Brown
1933 - 2006
vocal (plus a hint of Joe Zawinul Joe Zawinul
1932 - 2007
keyboard 's "Birdland") "Blues On Mack Avenue," which also features Wilson in a plunger-muted solo saluting the late Basie trombonist Al Grey Al Grey
1925 - 2000
trombone , in addition to an open statement by Wilson's Basie predecessor Curtis Fuller Curtis Fuller
b.1934
trombone . (The album closes with the iconic Basie piano tag, on which Cullum maintains the final chord in a nod to The Beatles' "A Day In the Life," accompanied by Hendricks' laughter).

Flutist Frank Wess Frank Wess
b.1922
sax, tenor , a Basie veteran of nearly three decades (he introduced the flute into the Basie repertoire while doubling on alto and tenor), rejoins the band for Quincy Jones Quincy Jones
b.1933
producer 's "Jessica's Day," nearly 50 years after he first recorded the tune with Basie. Wilson has expanded Wess' flute lead on the original recording, Basie One More Time (Roulette, 1960), into a fully-realized solo feature, and the octogenarian Wess succeeds brilliantly.

In 1985, the Basie ensemble under Thad Jones appeared on The Manhattan Transfer The Manhattan Transfer

vocal 's Grammy-winning Vocalese album (Atlantic, since reissued on Rhino), and one of the vocal quartet's founding members, Janis Siegel, reunites with the band in tributes to Ella Fitzgerald Ella Fitzgerald
1917 - 1996
vocal and Sarah Vaughan Sarah Vaughan
1924 - 1990
vocal , both of whom enjoyed long associations with Basie. Andre Previn Andre Previn
b.1929
piano 's late-1950s paean to hipness "Like Young" is firmly in "First Lady Of Song" vein, while "Close Your Eyes" and "I Have Waited So Long," composed by Vaughan herself and featuring just the sax section led by the superb Marshall McDonald, echo "The Divine One," as Vaughan was nicknamed. Thad's older brother, the nonagenarian Hank Jones Hank Jones
1918 - 2010
piano , provides outstanding piano accompaniment to all of Siegel's vocals.

The album's sole liability is vocalist Nnenna Freelon Nnenna Freelon
b.1954
vocal on "Too Close for Comfort" and Jerome Kern Jerome Kern
1895 - 1945
arranger 's "Yesterdays." She sings flat on the latter and her attempts at scat do not match those of either Siegel or Hendricks elsewhere on the CD ("Yesterdays" is redeemed by the electrifying drumming of Basie veteran Butch Miles Butch Miles
b.1944
drums . Cullum's vocal contribution is the Oscar Levant/Stanley Adams standard "Blame It On My Youth," which Wilson indicates as a salute to Tony Bennett Tony Bennett
b.1926
vocal , whose A Swingin' Christmas (Sony/Columbia, 2008), featuring the Basie band, was recorded just a few months earlier. On all other "Counts," however, Swinging, Singing, and Playing is an absolute winner.

Tracks: Too Close for Comfort; Giant Blues Flag Waver; Like Young; Jessica's Day; Blame It On My Youth; Close Your Eyes; Naiomi's Blues; Yesterdays; I Have Waited So Long; Dark Morning; Blues On Mack Avenue.

Personnel: Dennis Wilson: conductor, composer, arranger, trombone; Bill Hughes: leader, bass trombone; Marshall McDonald: lead alto sax; Grant Langford: alto sax; Doug Lawrence: tenor sax; Doug Miller: tenor sax; John Williams: baritone sax; William "Scotty" Barnhart: trumpet; Michael Williams: trumpet; Kris Johnson: trumpet; James Zollar: trumpet; Dave Keim: lead trombone; Clarence Bank: trombone; Alvin Walker: trombone; Barry Cooper: bass trombone; Tony Suggs: piano; Will Matthews: guitar; James Leary: bass; Marion Felder: drums. Guest Artists: Nnenna Freelon: vocals; Janis Siegel: vocals; Jon Hendricks: vocals; Jamie Cullum: vocals, piano; Geri Allen: piano; Hank Jones: piano; Rufus Reid: bass; Butch Miles: drums; Frank Wess: flute; Curtis Fuller: trombone.