''Count Basie Story'' is a double album by pianist, composer and bandleader

Count Basie William James "Count" Basie (; August 21, 1904 – April 26, 1984) was an American jazz pianist, organist, bandleader, and composer. In 1935, he formed the Count Basie Orchestra, and in 1936 took them to Chicago for a long engagement and the ...

featuring tracks originally performed by his orchestra in the 1930s and 1940s rerecorded in 1960 as a celebration of its 25th anniversary and first released on the

Roulette Roulette (named after the French language, French word meaning "little wheel") is a casino game which was likely developed from the Italy, Italian game Biribi. In the game, a player may choose to place a bet on a single number, various grouping ...

label. Selections from the 2-LP set were also released as Roulette's ''The Best of Basie'' in 1962 and ''The Best of Basie Vol. 2'' in 1964. The album was rereleased with bonus tracks in 2004 to commemorate Basie's 100th birthday.Bowers, J.
All About Jazz Review
September 25, 2004

Reception

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...

awarded the album 3½ stars and its review by

Scott Yanow Scott Yanow (born 1954) is an American jazz reviewer, historian, and author. Life and career Yanow was born in New York City and grew up near Los Angeles. Beginning in 1974, Yanow was a regular reviewer of many jazz styles and was the jazz e ...

states, "These sides were hotly contested when originally issued because of the contrast in accents between the 1937 band and the later one. The sound is so different that it cannot be compared to the pure and bluesy dance band swing of the originals; it is amped up and brassy, with charts (written by Royal or Neal Hefti) that stress tempo and sophisticated ensemble playing rather than riff-based solos, busyness, and dynamics. For any serious Basie fan, these sides are essential". '' DownBeat's'' reviewer John S. Wilson assigned the release 4 stars. He wrote of the then newly recorded versions of the Basie repertory,"These new versions are smooth, polished, and cleanly recorded, and they often swing with rugged fury". But he lamented, "this essentially ensemble band is no match for the collection of brilliant soloists who made up that earlier Basie team . . . Like any re-creations of performances as vital as those by the original Basie band, these fall short of the mark . . . the originals are still the ones to have and to hear".

Track listing

''Disc One:'' # " Broadway" (Billy Bird, Teddy McRae, Henri Woode) – 3:23 # "Down for Double" (Freddie Green) – 2:59 # "Lester Leaps In" (

Lester Young Lester Willis Young (August 27, 1909 – March 15, 1959), nicknamed "Pres" or "Prez", was an American jazz tenor saxophonist and occasional clarinetist. Coming to prominence while a member of Count Basie's orchestra, Young was one of the most i ...

) – 4:17 # " Topsy" ( Edgar Battle, Eddie Durham) – 3:42 # " Jumpin' at the Woodside" (Count Basie) – 3:11 # "Taps Miller" (Basie, Bob Russell) – 3:22 # "Shorty George" (Basie, Andy Gibson) – 2:56 # "Doggin' Around" (Battle, Herschel Evans) – 3:01 # "Avenue C" (

Buck Clayton Wilbur Dorsey "Buck" Clayton (November 12, 1911 – December 8, 1991) was an American jazz trumpeter who was a member of Count Basie's orchestra. His principal influence was Louis Armstrong, first hearing the record " Confessin' that I Love You" ...

) – 2:33 # "Jive at Five" (Basie, Harry Edison) – 3:02 # "Rock-a-Bye Basie" (Basie, Shad Collins, Young) – 3:37 # " Moten Swing" (

Bennie Moten Benjamin Moten (November 13, 1893 – April 2, 1935) was an American jazz pianist and band leader born and raised in Kansas City, Missouri, United States. He led his Kansas City Orchestra, the most important of the regional, blues-based orchest ...

, Buster Moten) – 4:50 Bonus track on CD reissue ''Disc Two:'' # "Swingin' the Blues" (Basie, Durham) – 3:17 # "Sent for You Yesterday (And Here You Come Today)" (Basie, Durham,

Jimmy Rushing James Andrew Rushing (August 26, 1901 – June 8, 1972) was an American singer and pianist from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, U.S., best known as the featured vocalist of Count Basie's Orchestra from 1935 to 1948. Rushing was known as " Mr. Five by ...

) – 3:09 # "Tickle Toe" (Young) – 2:36 # " Blue and Sentimental" (Basie,

Mack David Mack David (July 5, 1912 – December 30, 1993) was an American lyricist and songwriter, best known for his work in film and television, with a career spanning the period between the early 1940s and the early 1970s. David was credited with writing ...

Jerry Livingston Jerry Livingston (born Jerry Levinson; March 25, 1909 – July 1, 1987) was an American songwriter and dance orchestra pianist. Life and career Born in Denver, Colorado to Sam and Dora (Lazarus) Levinson, Jerry Livingston studied music at the ...

) – 4:07 # "Time Out" (Battle, Durham) – 2:46 # " 9:20 Special" ( Earle Warren, William Engvick) – 3:49 # "Red Bank Boogie" (Basie, Clayton) – 2:15 # "Every Tub" (Basie, Durham) – 3:11 # "Dickie's Dream" (Basie, Young) – 4:09 # "Texas Shuffle" (Battle, Evans) – 3:12 # "Out the Window" (Basie, Durham) – 2:52 # "Boogie Woogie" (Basie, Rushing) – 3:06 # "Good Morning Blues" (Basie, Durham, Rushing) – 2:52 Bonus track on CD reissue # " Gee, Baby, Ain't I Good to You" ( Andy Razaf, Don Redman) – 2:31 Bonus track on CD reissue

Personnel

– piano * John Anderson (Disc Two, track 13), Sonny Cohn (out on Disc One, track 12 and Disc Two, tracks 13 & 14), Wendell Culley (Disc One, track 12 and Disc Two, track 14),

Thad Jones Thaddeus Joseph Jones (March 28, 1923 – August 20, 1986) was an American jazz trumpeter, composer and bandleader who has been called "one of the all-time greatest jazz trumpet soloists". Early life, family and education Thad Jones was born i ...

(out on Disc One track 10, Disc Two Track 5), Joe Newman, Jimmy Nottingham (Disc One track 10, Disc Two Track 5),

Snooky Young Eugene Edward "Snooky" Young (February 3, 1919 – May 11, 2011) was an American jazz trumpeter. He was known for his mastery of the plunger mute, with which he was able to create a wide range of sounds. Biography Young was lead trumpeter of t ...

– trumpet * Henry Coker, Al Grey (out on Disc Two, track 14), Bill Hughes (Disc Two, track 14),

Benny Powell Benjamin Gordon Powell Jr. (March 1, 1930 – June 26, 2010) was an American jazz trombonist. He played both standard (tenor) trombone and bass trombone. Biography Born Benjamin Gordon Powell Jr. in New Orleans, Louisiana, he first played pr ...

– trombone *

Marshal Royal Marshal Walton Royal Jr. (December 5, 1912 – May 8, 1995) was an American jazz alto saxophonist and clarinetist best known for his work with Count Basie, with whose band he played for nearly twenty years. Early life and education Marshal Royal ...

–

alto saxophone The alto saxophone is a member of the saxophone family of woodwind instruments. Saxophones were invented by Belgians, Belgian instrument designer Adolphe Sax in the 1840s and patented in 1846. The alto saxophone is pitched in the key of E♭ ( ...

, clarinet *

Frank Wess Frank Wellington Wess (January 4, 1922 – October 30, 2013) was an American jazz saxophonist and flutist. He was renowned for his extensive solo work; however, he was also remembered for his time playing with Count Basie, Count Basie's band duri ...

– alto saxophone,

tenor saxophone The tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the saxophone family, a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s. The tenor and the alto are the two most commonly used saxophones. The tenor is pitched in the key of B (whi ...

, flute * Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis (Disc Two, track 14), Frank Foster (out on Disc One track 10, Disc Two Track 5),

Billy Mitchell William Lendrum Mitchell (December 29, 1879 – February 19, 1936) was a United States Army officer who had a major role in the creation of the United States Air Force. Mitchell served in France during World War I and, by the conflict's end, ...

(out on Disc Two, track 14),

Seldon Powell Seldon Powell (November 15, 1928 – January 25, 1997) was an American tenor saxophonist and flautist whose work spanned multiple genres, including jazz and rhythm and blues. Background Powell worked with Tab Smith (1949), Lucky Millinder (194 ...

(Disc One track 10, Disc Two Track 5) –

Charlie Fowlkes Charles Baker Fowlkes (February 16, 1916 – February 9, 1980) was an American baritone saxophonist who was a member of the Count Basie Orchestra for over twenty-five years. Early life Fowlkes was born in New York City on February 16, 1916. He st ...

–

baritone saxophone The baritone saxophone (sometimes abbreviated to "bari sax") is a member of the saxophone family of instruments, larger (and lower-pitched) than the tenor saxophone, but smaller (and higher-pitched) than the bass saxophone, bass. It is the lowe ...

* Freddie Green – guitar * Eddie Jones –

bass Bass or Basses may refer to: Fish * Bass (fish), various saltwater and freshwater species Wood * Bass or basswood, the wood of the tilia americana tree Music * Bass (sound), describing low-frequency sound or one of several instruments in th ...

* Gus Johnson (Disc One, track 1, Disc Two, tracks 2 & 12),

Sonny Payne Sonny Payne (May 4, 1926 – January 29, 1979) was an American jazz drummer, best known for his work with Count Basie and Harry James. Biography Payne's father was Wild Bill Davis's drummer Chris Columbus. After early study with Vic Berton, ...

(all others) – drums * Joe Williams – vocals (Disc Two, tracks 2 & 12–14)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Count Basie Story, The 1961 albums Count Basie Orchestra albums Roulette Records albums Albums produced by Teddy Reig