Count Basie Portrait—Past Perfect Series (24 Carat Gold Edition)

Read About This Recording

Throughout his long career, Count Basie epitomized swing. His light piano style was originally influenced by the stride of Fats Waller but Basie gradually pared it down to its essentials, making every note count and often implying more than he played. In the 1930s his big band realigned the function of the rhythm section, with the walking string bass of Walter Page becoming an essential part of the sound, along with Freddie Green's rhythm guitar and the light touch of drummer Jo Jones. The de-emphasizing of the bass drum led to the Basie ensemble having a floating sound. It was helped along the way by Lester Young's lighter-than-air tone on tenor.

After emerging from Kansas City in 1936, Basie and his orchestra became a major force not only during the Swing Era but in the many decades since. The ten-CD set, Past Perfect, mostly covers the 1939-49 period, a time when the band had such key soloists as tenors Young, Buddy Tate, Lucky Thompson and Illinois Jacquet, trombonist Dickie Wells, altoist Tab Smith, and trumpeters Buck Clayton and Harry "Sweets" Edison along with singer Jimmy Rushing.

But more important than the individual stars and even the Basie rhythm section was the sound of the band. Count Basie led jazz's main swing institution. This remarkable set has many of the Basie Orchestra's great moments.

—Scott Yanow

Contents

Remastered!

Imported from Europe!

CD 1 (TT: 50:50 1947-51): Just An Old Manuscript; Katy; She's a Wine-O; Did You Ever See Jackie Robinson Hit That Ball; Shoutin' Blues; After You've Gone; St. Louis Baby; Wonderful Thing; The Slider; Mine, Too; Walking Slow Behind You; Normania; Rocky Mountain Blues; Rat Race; Solid As a Rock; Sweets; Nails; Beaver Junction.

Count Basie, Piano; Sweets Edison, Emmett Berry, Clark Terry, Jimmy Nottingham, Gerald Wilson, Lamar Wright, Al Porcino, Bob Mitchell, Trumpets; Ted Donnelly, Dicky Wells, George Matthews, Melba Liston, Booty Wood, Leon Comegeys, Matthew Gee, Trombones; Earl Warren, Charlie Parker, Marshall Royal, Rubin Philips, Alto Saxes; Paul Gonsalves, Bill Parker, Jimmy Taylor, Georgie Auld, Wardell Gray, Lucky Thompson, Tenor Saxes; Jack Washington, Charlie Fowlkes, Baritone Saxes; Gene Ammons, Tenor Sax/Baritone Sax; Freddie Green, Guitar; Singleton Palmer, Al McKibbon, Jimmy Lewis, Basses; George Ballard, Gus Johnson, Drums; Bobby Troup, Taps Miller, Jimmy Rushing, Billy Valentine, Vocals; Deep River Boys.

CD 2 (TT: 51:43 1947): Seventh Avenue Express; Don't You Want a Man Like Me; Blue and Sentimental; Mr. Robert's Roost; Sophisticated Swing; Guest in the Nest; Your Red Wagon; Money is Honey; Just a Minute; Baby Don't Be Mad of Me; I've Only Myself to Blame; Robbin's Nest; Hey, Pretty Baby; It's Monday Everyday; Bye, Bye Baby; Ready, Set, Go; Brand New Dolly; Cheek to Cheek.

Count Basie, Piano/Celeste; Ed Lewis, Emmett Berry, Snooky Young, Sweets Edison, George Simon, Clark Terry, Jimmy Nottingham, Gerald Wilson, Trumpets; Ted Donnelly, Eli Robinson, George Matthews, George Washington, Melba Liston, Trombones; Dicky Wells, Trumpet/Trombone; Preston Love, Charlie Price, Earl Warren, Alto Saxes; Buddy Tate, Paul Gonsalves, Bill Parker, Tenor Saxes; Jack Washington, Baritone Sax; Freddie Green, Guitar; Walter Page, Singleton Palmer, Basses; Jo Jones, George Ballard, Drums; Jimmy Rushing, Taps Miller, Bob Bailey, Jeanne Taylor, Bobby Troup, Vocals.

CD 3 (TT: 52:43 1947): One O'clock Boogie; Meet Me At No Special Place; I'm Drowning in Your Deep Blue Eyes; Futile Frustration; Swingin' the Blues; St. Louis Boogie; Basie's Basement; Backstage At Stuff's; My Buddy; Shine on, Harvest Moon; Lopin'; I Never Knew; Sugar; The Jungle King; Take a Little Off the Top; I Ain't Mad At You; South; House Rent Boogie.

Count Basie, Piano; Ed Lewis, Emmett Berry, Snooky Young, Sweets Edison, Trumpets; Ted Donnelly, George Matthews, Eli Robinson, Bill Johnson, Trombones; Preston Love, Rudy Rutherford, Alto Saxes/Clarinets; Preston Love, Charlie Price, Alto Saxes; Buddy Tate, Paul Gonsalves, Tenor Saxes; Jack Washington, Baritone Sax/Alto Sax; Freddie Green, Guitar; Walter Page, Bass; Jo Jones, Drums; Ann Baker, Bob Bailey, Jimmy Rushing, Taps Miller, Vocals.

CD 4 (TT: 53:50 1944-47): Red Bank Boogie; Jimmy's Blues; Avenue C; This Heart of Mine; That Old Feeling; Blue Skies; Jivin' Joe Jackson; High Tide; Queer Street; Patience and Fortitude; The Mad Boogie; Lazy Lady Blues; Rambo; Stay Cool; The King; Brand New Wagon; Me and the Blues; Bill's Mill.

Count Basie, Piano; Sweets Edison, Al Killian, Al Stearns, Joe Newman, Ed Lewis, Emmett Berry, Snooky Young, Trumpets; Ted Donnelly, Eli Robinson, Louis Taylor, Dicky Wells, J.J. Johnson, George Matthews, Bill Johnson, Trombones; Rudy Rutherford, Clarinet/Baritone Sax; Jimmy Powell, Earl Warren, Preston Love, George Dorsey, Alto Saxes; Buddy Tate, Lucky Thompson, Illinois Jacquet, Paul Gonsalves, Tenor Saxes; Jack Washington, Baritone Sax; Freddie Green, Guitar; Rodney Richardson, Walter Page, Basses; Shadow Wilson, Jo Jones, Drums; Thelma Carpenter, Lynne Sherman, Jimmy Rushing, Ann Moore, Vocals.

CD 5 (TT: 56:59 1941-44): Down for Double; More Than You Know; Harvard Blues; Coming-Out Party; One O'clock Jump; Blue Shadows and White Gardenias; 'Ay Now; Basie Blues; I'm Gonna Move to the Outskirts of Town; Rusty Dusty Blues; Ride On; Lost the Blackout Blues; Time on My Hands; It's Sand, Man; Ain't it the Truth; For the Good of Your Country; I Didn't Know About You; Taps Miller.

Count Basie, Piano; Buck Clayton, Ed Lewis, Sweets Edison, Al Killian, Al Stearns, Joe Newman, Trumpets; Dicky Wells, Ed Cuffee, Dan Minor, Robert Scott, Eli Robinson, Ted Donnelly, Louis Taylor, Trombones; Jerry Blake, Clarinet/Alto Sax; Rudy Rutherford, Clarinet/Baritone Sax; Tab Smith, Soprano Sax/Alto Sax; Earl Warren, Alto Sax/Vocals; Caughey Roberts, Jimmy Powell, Alto Saxes; Don Byas, Buddy Tate, Lucky Thompson, Tenor Saxes; Jack Washington, Baritone Sax; Freddie Green, Guitar; Walter Page, Rodney Richardson, Basses; Jo Jones, Shadow Wilson, Drums; Paul Robeson, Henry Nemo, Jimmy Rushing, Thelma Carpenter, Vocals.

CD 6 (TT: 57:38 1941): Tune Town Shuffle; I'm Tired of Waiting for You; One-Two-Three-O'Lairy; Basie Boogie; Fancy Meeting You; Diggin' for Dex; My Old Flame; Fiesta in Blue; Tom Thumb; Take Me Back, Baby; King Joe, Part I; King Joe, Part II; Moon Nocturne; Something New; I Struck a Match in the Dark; Platterbrains; All of Me; Feather Merchant.

Count Basie, Piano; Buck Clayton, Ed Lewis, Sweets Edison, Al Killian, Trumpets; Dicky Wells, Ed Cuffee, Dan Minor, Robert Scott, Eli Robinson, Trombones; Tab Smith, Soprano Sax/Alto Sax; Earl Warren, Alto Sax/Vocals; Don Byas, Buddy Tate, Tenor Saxes; Jack Washington, Baritone Sax; Freddie Green, Guitar; Walter Page, Bass; Jo Jones, Drums; Jimmy Rushing, Lynne Sherman, Paul Robeson, Vocals.

CD 7 (TT: 51:46 1941): Wiggle Woggie; I'll Forget; It's Square but it Rocks; You Lied to Me; Beau Brummel; Music Makers; Jump the Blues Away; Deep in the Blues; The Jitters; Tuesday at Ten; Undecided Blues; I Do Mean You; 9:20 Special; H and J; Feedin' the Bean; Going to Chicago Blues; You Betcha My Life; Down, Down, Down.

Count Basie, Piano; Buck Clayton, Ed Lewis, Sweets Edison, Al Killian, Trumpets; Dicky Wells, Vic Dickenson, Dan Minor, Ed Cuffee, Trombones; Tab Smith, Soprano Sax/Alto Sax; Earl Warren, Alto Sax; Paul Bascomb, Buddy Tate, Don Byas, Coleman Hawkins, Tenor Saxes; Jack Washington, Baritone Sax; Freddie Green, Guitar; Walter Page, Bass; Jo Jones, Kenny Clarke, Drums; Helen Humes, Jimmy Rushing, Vocals.

CD 8 (TT: 50:57 1940): The World is Mad, Part I; The World is Mad, Part II; Evenin'; Moten Swing; It's Torture; I Want a Little Girl; All or Nothing At All; The Moon Fell in the River; What's Your Number; Draftin' Blues; Five O'clock Whistle; Love Jumped Out; My Wanderin' Man; Broadway; It's the Same Old South; Stampede in G Minor; Who Am I; Rockin' the Blues.

Count Basie, Piano; Sweets Edison, Buck Clayton, Ed Lewis, Al Killian, Trumpets; Dicky Wells, Vic Dickenson, Dan Minor, Trombones; Jack Washington, Alto Sax/Baritone Sax; Tab Smith, Soprano Sax/Alto Sax; Earl Warren, Alto Sax; Buddy Tate, Lester Young, Paul Bascomb, Tenor Saxes; Jack Washington, Baritone Sax; Freddie Green, Guitar; Walter Page, Bass; Jo Jones, Drums; Helen Humes, Jimmy Rushing, Vocals.

CD 9 (TT: 51:30 1939-40): Riff Interlude; Volcano; Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea; Ham 'n' Eggs; Hollywood Jump; Someday, Sweetheart; I Never Knew; Tickle Toe; Let's Make Hey! While the Sun Shines; Louisiana; Easy Does It; Let Me See; Blues (I Still Think of Her); Somebody Stole My Gal; Blow Top; Gone With WhatWind; You Can't Run Around; Super Chief.

Count Basie, Piano; Buck Clayton, Ed Lewis, Sweets Edison, Shad Collins, Trumpets; Dicky Wells, Benny Morton, Dan Minor, Vic Dickenson, Trombones; Jack Washington, Alto Sax/Baritone Sax; Tab Smith, Soprano Sax/Alto Sax; Earl Warren, Alto Sax; Buddy Tate, Lester Young, Tenor Saxes; Freddie Green, Guitar; Walter Page, Bass; Jo Jones, Drums; Helen Humes, Jimmy Rushing, Vocals.

CD 10 (TT: 52:05 1939): Miss Thing; If I Didn't Care; Twelfth Street Rag; And the Angels Sing; Lonesome Miss Pretty; Bolero At the Savoy; Pound Cake; You Can Count on Me; You and Your Love; How Long Blues; Sub-Deb Blues; Moonlight Serenade; Song of the Islands; I Can't Believe That You're in Love With Me; Clap Hands, Here Comes Charlie; The Apple Jump; I Left My Baby.

Count Basie, Piano; Buck Clayton, Ed Lewis, Sweets Edison, Shad Collins, Trumpets; Dicky Wells, Benny Morton, Dan Minor, Trombones; Jack Washington, Alto Sax/Baritone Sax; Earl Warren, Alto Sax; Buddy Tate, Lester Young, Tenor Saxes; Freddie Green, Guitar; Walter Page, Bass; Jo Jones, Drums; Helen Humes, Jimmy Rushing, Vocals.

Includes 40-page book.