Product Description

Jazz Icons: Count Basie features one of the greatest big band orchestras captured at the height of their considerable powers. Billed frequently as the Â"most explosive force in jazz,Â" this recently discovered 60-minute concert, taped in Sweden in 1962, highlights the legendary musical talents of this 18-piece band which included such luminaries as Marshal Royal, Freddie Green, Quentin Â"ButterÂ" Jackson, Frank Wess and sensational drummer Sonny Payne. This is the earliest known complete concert of Count Basie and his orchestra to be released on DVD. Stellar performances include Â"Corner Pocket,Â" Â"Old Man River,Â" and Â"One OÂ’Clock Jump.Â"

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #35043 in DVD
• Brand: Jazz
• Released on: 2006-09-26
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Formats: Color, DVD, Live, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 56 minutes

Amazon.com
A lot of words can be used to describe the performance of the Count Basie Orchestra on Live in '62, an hour-long concert recorded in Sweden, but one will suffice: swingin'. No big band, not even the great Duke Ellington's, ever swung as relentlessly, or effortlessly, as Basie's various ensembles, and this one is a prime example. Having split up his so-called "Old Testament" band in the early '50s, Basie was at it again a few years later with this "New Testament" outfit, which featured great players like trumpeters Snooky Young and Thad Jones, trombonist Quentin Jackson, saxophonists Marshal Royal and Frank Wess, the eternal Freddie Green on guitar, and the amazing drummer Sonny Payne. The 11 tunes performed here (and reproduced with surprisingly crisp, clear audio and black & white visuals) include some Basie staples (like Green's "Corner Pocket" and Basie's own signature "One O'Clock Jump"), a few jazz classics ("I Got Rhythm," "Old Man River," "Stella by Starlight"), and three vocal numbers featuring Irene Reid. Every one of them is a delight, with superb arrangements highlighting the band's ensemble playing, masterful control of dynamics, excellent soloing, more than a few touches of humor… and, of course, that ineffable swing. Tough to pick a particular highlight, but Payne's lengthy solo spot on "Old Man River" might be it--not only is he a sensational drummer, spinning out rhythms as if they were melodies and never once losing the tempo, but the way he tosses and juggles his sticks is marvelously entertaining. A thorough and informative accompanying booklet more than makes up for the lack of bonus features. --Sam Graham

Jazz Times
"Jazz Icons is doing for jazz what the Criterion Collection has done for classic and important films".

From the Director
JAZZ ICONS(tm) is an ongoing DVD series featuring full-length concerts and in-studio performances by the greatest legends of jazz, filmed all over the world from the 1950s through the 1970s. Beautifully transferred from the riginal masters, none of these concerts has ever been officially released on home video, and in many cases, the material was never broadcast. Each DVD is produced with the full support and cooperation of the artists or their estates. JAZZ ICONS(tm) comes to you from Reelin' In The Years Productions, GRAMMY Nominated producers of the American Folk Blues Festival DVDs 1962 - 1966.

Customer Reviews

Basie in Sweden
A beautifully photographed concert from the vaults of Swedish Television.
A dynamic rendition of the Basie aggregation at it`s peak. SONNY PAYNE is a joy to watch,he literally steals the show with his fantastic drumworks and "tricks with sticks".Wow,he`s certainly in a leading role along with the Count.
It starts off with one of Frank Foster`s best compositions `EASIN IT` with fine solos and then ,what more to say,it`s all so gorgeous to be able to have this testament from a succsessful tour on DVD.
Don`t hesitate.You won`t be disappointed!

Classic performance, surprisingly good audio
The Jazz Icons series does a great service by preserving for us an important part of American musical heritage. I've been a Basie fan for a long time, and had the opportunity to see the band perform a couple of times with the Count at the helm, so I may be biased, but I think the Basie DVD is the best one of the series that I've seen so far. It features some of the Count's legendary sidemen. To name just a few: Frank Wess and Frank Foster in the sax section, Thad Jones and Snooky Young on trumpet, Sonny Payne on drums, and of course, Freddie Green on guitar.
Sonny Payne is on top of his game and is a delight to watch throughout the performance. Eric Dixon displays his big, warm tenor sax sound on a gorgeous interpretation of "You Are Too Beautiful." Other tunes feature impressive solo work from Wess, Foster, and Sonny Cohn on trumpet.
Any downside to this performance will be determined by personal taste. For example, the surprisingly up-tempo rendition of "Old Man River" is great, but Payne's drum solo is long and may try the patience of some listeners. Also, vocalist Irene Reid belts out her tunes with power and conviction, apparently trying to emulate the sound (and even the look) of Ella Fitzgerald, but she will not please everyone. By her third selection, I was getting tired of hearing her repeatedly shout in the same high-impact register instead of getting inventive with the melody.
For a 1962 Swedish Television recording, this session is remarkably well preserved and restored. It's in black & white, and the lighting is a bit off in some scenes, but the sound is great all the way. This is a collector's item that will be enjoyed over and over.

A Blast From The Past - Beautiful!
At last, a DVD which has great historical value, great video quality (b & w) and good audio. Nirvana for the collector.

This is the way jazz DVD's should be produced - no stiff introductions (as the Norman Granz collection, otherwise fine), just a straightforward presentation of the music, which is great. The producers have apparently started with a pristine tape which belies its 42 years. The transfer is fine, and this is one great production, at a reasonable price too.

Five stars!