COUNT BASIE - Basie At Birdland
Roulette R 52065
Count Basie - Piano; Thad Jones, Sonny Cohn, Lennie Johnson, Snooky Young - Trumpets; Quentin Jackson, Henry Coker, Benny Powell - Trombones; Marshal Royal - Alto sax, clarinet; Frank Wess - Alto sax, tenor sax, flute; Frank Foster, Budd Johnson - Tenor saxes; Charlie Fowlkes - Baritone sax; Freddie Green - Guitar; Eddie Jones - Bass; Sonny Payne - Drums
Jon Hendricks – Vocals (track 5)
Recorded June 1961
Little Pony / Basie / Blues Backstage / Blee Blop Blues / Whirly-Bird / One O'Clock Jump / Good Time Blues / Segue In C / One O'Clock Jump / Easin' It / A Little Tempo, Please / Corner Pocket / I Needs To Be Bee'd With / Discommotion / Segue In C / Whirly-Bird
/ One O'Clock Jump
Basie usually played at Birdland for about two weeks in summer. It was usually hot and humid in the small club. There were two types of seating. Most people sat at tables. Down the side was a bar for all who could not afford tables. At the back of the club was Symphony Sid in a glass booth to broadcast an hour of Birdland’s events nightly. The band relished the freedom from the grind of one-nighters. It was often the time to try new material. Trombonist Quentin Jackson who had experience with Don Redman Cab Calloway and Duke Ellington came in to play plunger mute. His skill gave the band a less polished but earthier sound. Budd Johnson was a saxophonist who had traces of Coleman Hawkins and Lester Young in his sound. Sony Cohn was playing in the trumpet section with Thad Jones.
Publicly Basie always awarded himself second place to Duke Ellington. The Basie band could do things that Ellington's band could not achieve. There was an artful simplicity that was without parallel. Carla Bley who worked for a time as a cigarette girl at Birdland remarked recently: ‘That was my favourite band and it still is. I have never succeeded in copying anything written by anyone who wrote for that band, but I keep trying.’
Basie’s first band was formed in 1935 and went on to attract great musicians such as Lester Young, Herschel Evans and Buck Clayton. The rhythm section of Freddie Green, Jo Jones and Walter Page floated the band and redefined rhythm. Most large groups experienced economic difficulties after the war and Basie managed with smaller groups. Eventually, in 1952, he reformed a big band and before long the band was having an impact. The band was different, relying more on arrangers such as Neil Hefti. The soloists were not as idiosyncratic as the ones from the 30s. The album ‘The Atomic Mr Basie’ presented the band with arrangements by Hefti. Recorded in the studio, the band sounded much more polished and drilled than the band of the 30s.
In spite of the success of ‘The Atomic Mr Basie’, it was the first for Roulette records. The album suffers from almost over production when compared with the 1930s. However, those who were fortunate to experience a live performance of the band spoke in enthusiastic terms of the experience.
‘Basie at Birdland’ is probably the best example of the live band. They are playing at Birdland New York and the audiences are obviously not overawed by the occasion because there is a great deal of talk and atmosphere captured by the recording. The band is very relaxed and the music reflects that.
The quality of the recording is exceptionally good, capturing the nuances of Freddie Green, the brushwork of Sonny Payne and the minimalist piano style of Basie. The recording is typical of the early 1960s where the stereo effect is obvious, it is split down the middle to get a stereo effect.
‘Little Pony’, written in 1951 by Neal Hefti was created to feature Wardell Grey, Frank Foster is featured. It is an opportunity to appreciate the rhythm section of Eddie Jones, Freddie Green and Sonny Payne, who in their different ways drive the band forward.
‘Basie’ features a solo by Budd Johnson. Johnson is one of the surprises of the whole session. He was one of the oldest in the band. He has an amazing CV, ranging from work with Dizzy Gillespie, Claude Hopkins, Gil Evans, Earl Hines and even Louis Armstrong. Johnson seemed to have absorbed all eras of jazz. His solo on Frank Foster’s ‘Segue In C’ is one of the highlights of the whole album. His creativity and relaxation as he follows Basie’s initial promptings is engaging. Also, on the same piece there is Quentin Jackson whose plunger muted solo is magisterial and witty. ’Blues Backstage’ is one of those relaxed slow pieces, with exquisite timing, that Basie did so well. It includes a solo from tenorist Budd Johnson and some high-notes from trumpeter Snooky Young.
Drummer Sonny Payne was a controversial figure. His show business antics obscured the fact that he was a brilliant drummer for this band. His brushwork, his interpolations, his fills and accents are precise. He could take the band from a whisper to a roar. His energy and his rhythmic subtlety drove the band especially the way that he meshed with Freddy Green.
Green joined with Basie in 1937 and he remained for the next fifty years. The precision of his rhythm guitar playing, he rarely solos but his contribution to the total sound of the band is a wonder. No one has ever equalled the unobtrusive Green. A useful listening exercise would be to listen to Basie pieces just to appreciate how the guitar works.
The original 1961 LP had nine tracks. Subsequent issues have eight extra tracks, also recorded at Birdland. There are alternate takes of ‘Segue in C’ and ‘Whirly-Bird’ with an exceptional solo from Budd Johnson (Hendricks is omitted.). ‘Easin’ It’, makes an appearance as does Frank Foster’s ‘Discommotion’. ‘Segue in C’ is featured with solos not quite as good as the one originally issued, by showing how much solo and arrangements can change, A classic Basie intro opens ‘I Needs to Be Beed With’.
It took Norman Granz and his Pablo Label to persuade Basie to record with just a rhythm section. Basie, like Ellington in their different ways, is a wonderful pianist. Basie is ‘less is more’ personified. There are numerous examples at Birdland. ‘Good Times Blues has a long intro (just listen to all the chatter as Basie plays). It has all the characteristics of his style.
This is a band utterly at ease with itself.
Reviewed by Jack Kenny
Roulette R 52065
Count Basie - Piano; Thad Jones, Sonny Cohn, Lennie Johnson, Snooky Young - Trumpets; Quentin Jackson, Henry Coker, Benny Powell - Trombones; Marshal Royal - Alto sax, clarinet; Frank Wess - Alto sax, tenor sax, flute; Frank Foster, Budd Johnson - Tenor saxes; Charlie Fowlkes - Baritone sax; Freddie Green - Guitar; Eddie Jones - Bass; Sonny Payne - Drums
Jon Hendricks – Vocals (track 5)
Recorded June 1961
Little Pony / Basie / Blues Backstage / Blee Blop Blues / Whirly-Bird / One O'Clock Jump / Good Time Blues / Segue In C / One O'Clock Jump / Easin' It / A Little Tempo, Please / Corner Pocket / I Needs To Be Bee'd With / Discommotion / Segue In C / Whirly-Bird
/ One O'Clock Jump
Basie usually played at Birdland for about two weeks in summer. It was usually hot and humid in the small club. There were two types of seating. Most people sat at tables. Down the side was a bar for all who could not afford tables. At the back of the club was Symphony Sid in a glass booth to broadcast an hour of Birdland’s events nightly. The band relished the freedom from the grind of one-nighters. It was often the time to try new material. Trombonist Quentin Jackson who had experience with Don Redman Cab Calloway and Duke Ellington came in to play plunger mute. His skill gave the band a less polished but earthier sound. Budd Johnson was a saxophonist who had traces of Coleman Hawkins and Lester Young in his sound. Sony Cohn was playing in the trumpet section with Thad Jones.
Publicly Basie always awarded himself second place to Duke Ellington. The Basie band could do things that Ellington's band could not achieve. There was an artful simplicity that was without parallel. Carla Bley who worked for a time as a cigarette girl at Birdland remarked recently: ‘That was my favourite band and it still is. I have never succeeded in copying anything written by anyone who wrote for that band, but I keep trying.’
Basie’s first band was formed in 1935 and went on to attract great musicians such as Lester Young, Herschel Evans and Buck Clayton. The rhythm section of Freddie Green, Jo Jones and Walter Page floated the band and redefined rhythm. Most large groups experienced economic difficulties after the war and Basie managed with smaller groups. Eventually, in 1952, he reformed a big band and before long the band was having an impact. The band was different, relying more on arrangers such as Neil Hefti. The soloists were not as idiosyncratic as the ones from the 30s. The album ‘The Atomic Mr Basie’ presented the band with arrangements by Hefti. Recorded in the studio, the band sounded much more polished and drilled than the band of the 30s.
In spite of the success of ‘The Atomic Mr Basie’, it was the first for Roulette records. The album suffers from almost over production when compared with the 1930s. However, those who were fortunate to experience a live performance of the band spoke in enthusiastic terms of the experience.
‘Basie at Birdland’ is probably the best example of the live band. They are playing at Birdland New York and the audiences are obviously not overawed by the occasion because there is a great deal of talk and atmosphere captured by the recording. The band is very relaxed and the music reflects that.
The quality of the recording is exceptionally good, capturing the nuances of Freddie Green, the brushwork of Sonny Payne and the minimalist piano style of Basie. The recording is typical of the early 1960s where the stereo effect is obvious, it is split down the middle to get a stereo effect.
‘Little Pony’, written in 1951 by Neal Hefti was created to feature Wardell Grey, Frank Foster is featured. It is an opportunity to appreciate the rhythm section of Eddie Jones, Freddie Green and Sonny Payne, who in their different ways drive the band forward.
‘Basie’ features a solo by Budd Johnson. Johnson is one of the surprises of the whole session. He was one of the oldest in the band. He has an amazing CV, ranging from work with Dizzy Gillespie, Claude Hopkins, Gil Evans, Earl Hines and even Louis Armstrong. Johnson seemed to have absorbed all eras of jazz. His solo on Frank Foster’s ‘Segue In C’ is one of the highlights of the whole album. His creativity and relaxation as he follows Basie’s initial promptings is engaging. Also, on the same piece there is Quentin Jackson whose plunger muted solo is magisterial and witty. ’Blues Backstage’ is one of those relaxed slow pieces, with exquisite timing, that Basie did so well. It includes a solo from tenorist Budd Johnson and some high-notes from trumpeter Snooky Young.
Drummer Sonny Payne was a controversial figure. His show business antics obscured the fact that he was a brilliant drummer for this band. His brushwork, his interpolations, his fills and accents are precise. He could take the band from a whisper to a roar. His energy and his rhythmic subtlety drove the band especially the way that he meshed with Freddy Green.
Green joined with Basie in 1937 and he remained for the next fifty years. The precision of his rhythm guitar playing, he rarely solos but his contribution to the total sound of the band is a wonder. No one has ever equalled the unobtrusive Green. A useful listening exercise would be to listen to Basie pieces just to appreciate how the guitar works.
The original 1961 LP had nine tracks. Subsequent issues have eight extra tracks, also recorded at Birdland. There are alternate takes of ‘Segue in C’ and ‘Whirly-Bird’ with an exceptional solo from Budd Johnson (Hendricks is omitted.). ‘Easin’ It’, makes an appearance as does Frank Foster’s ‘Discommotion’. ‘Segue in C’ is featured with solos not quite as good as the one originally issued, by showing how much solo and arrangements can change, A classic Basie intro opens ‘I Needs to Be Beed With’.
It took Norman Granz and his Pablo Label to persuade Basie to record with just a rhythm section. Basie, like Ellington in their different ways, is a wonderful pianist. Basie is ‘less is more’ personified. There are numerous examples at Birdland. ‘Good Times Blues has a long intro (just listen to all the chatter as Basie plays). It has all the characteristics of his style.
This is a band utterly at ease with itself.
Reviewed by Jack Kenny
