Product Description

Norman Granz is one of the most important non-musicians in the history of jazz and no one has made a greater contribution to the staging, recording and filming of jazz concerts. This series of performances from the prestigious Montreux Jazz FestivalTM now makes a part of this legacy available on dvd for the first time. The "jam" is one of the great traditions of jazz and when you have a line up like this 1975 concert you can really see why. The great Count Basie is in charge of proceedings from the piano and is aided and abetted by the likes of Niels Pedersen on bass, Louis Bellson on drums, Milt Jackson on vibraphone and Roy Eldridge on trumpet and saxophone. It’s pure jazz magic.Billie’s Bounce Roy Eldridge, Count Basie, Johnny Griffin, Niels Pedersen, Louis Bellson & Milt Jackson Montreux blues I Johnny Griffin & Milt Jackson Lester leaps in Johnny Griffin, Milt Jackson Roy Eldridge, Niels Pedersen & Louis Bellson Montreux blues II Roy Eldridge, Milt Jackson & Johnny Griffin

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #80621 in DVD
• Released on: 2004-09-21
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Color, Dolby, DTS Surround Sound, DVD, Enhanced, Live, Full Screen, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 65 minutes

Amazon.com
Swing, blues, and improvisation--the central components of jazz--are in full effect on Norman Granz Jazz in Montreux Presents Count Basie Jam '75. No one, but no one, could swing with more ease than pianist-bandleader Basie, who, as part of a rhythm section that also includes the great drummer Louis Bellson and bassist Niels Pedersen, provides rock-solid backing for the front line of trumpeter Roy Eldridge, tenor saxophonist Johnny Griffin, and vibraphonist Milt Jackson. There are no frills here, and no surprises; we're watching six superb musicians jamming the blues, including two standards ("Billie's Bounce" and "Lester Leaps In") and two "Montreux Blues" improvised for the occasion. Griffin has a full, tough style reminiscent of Coleman Hawkins, while Eldridge is a bit more elliptical and Jackson (one of the instrument's two principal exponents in the 20th century, along with Lionel Hampton) is in typically fine form; all three solo at considerable length while the rhythm section swings tirelessly behind them. The visuals lack a certain crispness, but the remastered sound is excellent, and critic Nat Hentoff offers insight into the nature of jazz and the character and contributions of producer-promoter-label executive Norman Granz, a crusty fellow who was nonetheless an indefatigable champion of the music and the people who played it. Other than the musicians' wardrobes (it's a good thing their playing doesn't clash the way some of their shirts, jackets, and ties do, or the result would be sheer cacophony), there is simply nothing here for jazz fans not to like. --Sam Graham

Customer Reviews

Fun Concert..and correction for S J BUCK
Basie rhythm section is of course tight, and I would agree that the front line is not always cohesive, but I still think its great fun. For SJ,in your reply to my Oscar review, the "run" you refer to in "NightTime" is not part of the tune. You have the transciption book taken from the "Live At The Blue Note" concert. He just happened to do a run before the tune and it was put into the transcription for some strange reason. I have no less than 6 recordings of the tune and have heard it live twice. In late 1989 and 1998. Not trying to be a smarty pants, but that is the deal

You can always Count on Basie!
Sorry for the "punishing" title for this review, but I just couldn't resist the urge. I owned the original LP on the Pablo label from the middle 1970s which contained three of these numbers ... Billie's Bounce, Lester Leaps In, and one of the the two Blues Jams. The other Blues Jam was on a compilation LP from the Montreux 1975 Festival (which, unfortunately, I never owned).

The sound quality on this DVD is not as good as the audio recording on LP or CD, but don't let that bother you. This is a very good session, with everyone in fine form. One reason I purchased this video is that the price is right. Another is that, as a (semi-pro) Tenor Sax player myself, I'm a big fan of Johnny Griffin. Griffin is in excellent form for this show. I'd never seen him on film until I watched this DVD. Roy Eldridge was also up for this show. I had seen him live about 9 months previously when he played the opening set for an Ella Fitzgerald concert. Eldridge is in better form here, taking risks and usually achieving the desired results. I've heard better from Milt Jackson on live dates from this period, but Jackson is still good enough here to make a difference. The rhythm section is crisp (although the sound mix is not the greatest on the DVD). Basie seems to be able to play with any combination of musicians. This makes him a good fit for a Norman Granz' produced live jam session.

Growing up, I encountered many critics who complained about the line-ups for the Jam Session section on JATP recordings. For the most part, I never had a problem with the mixed swing and bebop lineups. Willie Smith contrasted well with Bird on the '40s records, while Eldridge and Gillspie did the same on the mid-to-late 50s dates. How does one make enough money to pay the artists what they're worth on a JATP tour? Add an Illinois Jacquet and/or a Flip Philips to the lineup. Besides, if one doesn't like it when they "cook", both these guys play great on the ballads (listen to Jacquet's "Tenderly" and Philips' "All of Me" in the 1955 JATP Box Ballad Medley and you'll see what I mean).

Its the same thing on this Basie Jam date. Eldridge is a swing musician, first and foremost, who happens fit in well with musicians of later styles. He does not sound out of place with Johnny Griffin or Milt Jackson in the lineup. I believe they "jell" very well together. The energy level is as high here as on any of the JATP Jam Sessions in the 1950s box sets. It doesn't have to be labeled JATP to be JATP, and for my money, this is JATP. Etaion Shrdlu could have even written the two Montreux Blues Jams! (smile)

In the end, I debated whether I should rate this DVD with 4 or 5 Stars. Good thing this isn't a fashion video ... it might not have even made 3 stars! In the end, I rounded 4.5 stars up to 5 (despite the protests of my wife)! She doesn't like Jam Sessions.

Thank you again Norman Granz and Montreaux
This is what makes jazz the greatest American art form
this world has ever witnessed. This is music that will
always be appreciated, long after the pop stars and flash
in the pans are forgotten. This crew, with Johnny
Griffin, [very underated], Roy Eldridge, Neils Orsted
Pederson, Milt Jackson, Louis Bellson, and of course,
the Count himself. You actually get to hear the Count
play, not just comp, as is usually the case. Johnny
Griffin is a very dynamic tenor man, and you can see
that here. Everybody solos on this outing, and if you
don't like this one, you don't like the earthy, bluesy
mode of jazz that made this form immortal in the music
world. These guys do this for the sheer love of it,
and you can see this, in this performance.