Track Listing

1. April in Paris - Count Basie, Duke, Vernon
2. Corner Pocket - Count Basie, Green, Freddie
3. Didn't You? - Count Basie, Foster III, Frank B
4. Sweetie Cakes - Count Basie, Wilkins, Ernest Bro
5. Magic - Count Basie, Wess, Frank Welling
6. Shiny Stockings - Count Basie, Foster, Frank
7. What Am I Here For? - Count Basie, Ellington, Duke
8. Midgets - Count Basie, Newman, Joseph Dwig
9. Mambo Inn - Count Basie, Bauza, Mario
10. Dinner With Friends - Count Basie, Hefti, Neal
11. April in Paris - Count Basie, Duke, Vernon
12. Corner Pocket - Count Basie, Green, Freddie
13. Didn't You? - Count Basie, Foster III, Frank B
14. Magic - Count Basie, Wess, Frank Welling
15. Magic - Count Basie, Wess, Frank Welling
16. What Am I Here For? - Count Basie, Ellington, Duke
17. Midgets - Count Basie, Newman, Joseph Dwig

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #32431 in Music
• Released on: 1997-06-24
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: Original recording reissued

Album Details
Japanese 20bit Re-release featuring Eight Bonus Tracks: Shiny Stockings, April in Paris (Alternate Version), Corner Pocket (Alternate Version), Didn't You (Alternate Version), Magic (2 Versions), What Am I Here for You, and Midgets.

Amazon.com
Count Basie's band endured because of its leader's uncanny ability to put together fresh arrangements and strong soloists while maintaining the band's unique devotion to swing; this CD is among the most enduring of the big band recordings of the 1950s. The title tune is present in a justifiably famous rendition, a performance of swaggering swing and passion that was arranged by organist "Wild Bill" Davis. Frank Foster's "Shiny Stockings," now a jazz standard, made its debut here, while Joe Newman's "Midgets" recasts the band as a bop combo. Throughout the recording are terrific solos by trumpeters Thad Jones and Newman and tenor saxophonists Foster and Frank Wess, all basking in the band's glorious swing. --Stuart Broomer

Customer Reviews

Simply a classic
There are a few jazz records that I find myself returning to again and again and this is one of them. My whole family likes it when I play it. I love the early kansas city swing stuff even more than this, but this is great stuff from the 50's. If you buy it you'll find yourself playing it one more once...

Alright, that was cheesy, but it is still a great album.

TRUE DESERT ISLAND DISC
THIS IS ONE OF COUNT BASIE'S BEST AND MOST FAMOUS ALBUMS, MADE BACK IN THE MID 1950'S WHEN HE PUT TOGETHER HIS "NEW TESTAMENT" BAND, A SCALED DOWN VERSION OF A TRADTIIONAL BIG BAND (NOW 10 PIECES). GREAT ARRANGEMENTS, GREAT ORCHESTRATION, GREAT SOUND AND A VERY TIGHT BAND PLAYING THEIR HEARTS OUT. EVERY SONG SWINGS TO THE NTH DEGREE.

a milestone
"April in Paris", a landmark album worthy of its acclaim, is a benchmark recording in the Count Basie catalog for a number of reasons. The album marks the return of Count Basie to the big band scene, with some new players and tunes that knocked the socks off of audiences everywhere. The elegantly robust opener on this 1956 release for Verve is a forever famous one, a standard that continues being played even today. "Corner Pocket" is almost as celebrated as the previous title track, with sections of musicality that are so sweeping listeners will find themselves pleasantly lost for a few moments.

"Didn't You?" is an impressive number chased by the whole gang, sure to get everyone swinging and tapping them toes. Basie opens things up for us with a saunter on "Sweetie Cakes", with horns and strings in hot pursuit of his lead. Skip ahead to "Shiny Stockings" to invoke that feeling of yesterday, where cats like Basie reigned supreme on stage. This 20-bit digital transfer from the Verve master edition, complete with bonus alternate takes and new liner notes, is a must own for the serious jazz collector.

Personnel:

Count Basie (piano), Joe Newman (trumpet, arrangements), Wendell Culley, Reunald Jones, Thad Jones (trumpets), Henry Coker, Bill Hughes, Benny Powell (trombone), Marshall Royal (clarinet, alto sax), Bill Graham (alto sax), Frank Wess (flute, clarinet, alto sax, tenor sax, arrangements), Frank Foster (tenor sax, clarinet, arrangements), Charlie Fowlkes (baritone sax), Freddie Green (guitar, arrangements), Eddie Jones (bass), Sonny Payne (drums), Jose Mangual and Ubaldo Bieto (percussions).

Original Producer: Norman Granz
Total Time: 68:06
Date: July 1955 and January 1956
20-bit high resolution digital transfer