Basie Reunion + For Basie (Digipack Edition)

Two complete albums: "Basie Reunion" and "For Basie" on a single CD. These LPs feature the great tenor saxophonist Paul Quinichette with members from different formations of the Count Basie band. The group plays pieces from the Basie Book, which showcase the wonderful swing of the Kansas City School.

Paul Quinichette -a musician heavily influenced by Lester Pres Young (and nick-named Vice-Pres) -plays here mostly à la Young fully capturing the soul and swing of the Basie style.


Tracklisting:

01. Love Jumped Out (Buck Clayton) (5:56)
02. The Blues I Like To Hear (Smith-Rushing) (7:27)
03. Johns Idea (Basie-Durham) (9:18)
04. Baby Dont Tell On Me (Basie-Young-Rushing) (7:56)
05. Roseland Shuffle (Count Basie) (9:37)
06. Rock-A-Bye-Basie (Collins-Basie-Young) (6:41)
07. Texas Shuffle (Evans-Battle) (7:08)
08. Out The Window (Durham-Basie) (7:38)
09. Jive At Five (Edison-Basie) (9:47)
10. Diggin For Dex (Durham-Basie) (7:11)

Total time: 78:42 min.


Tracks #1-5 from "Basie Reunion" (Prestige LP 7147). Personnel: Paul Quinichette (ts), Buck Clayton, Shad Collins (tp), Jack Washington (bs), Nat Pierce (p), Freddie Green (g), Eddie Jones (b) and Jo Jones (d). Recorded at Rudy Van Gelder Studio in Hackensack, New Jersey, on September 5, 1958.

Tracks #6-10 from "For Basie" (Prestige LP 7127). Personnel: Paul Quinichette (ts), Shad Collins (tp), Nat Pierce (p), Freddie Green (g), Walter Page (b) and Jo Jones (d). Recorded at Rudy Van Gelder Studio in Hackensack, New Jersey, on October 18, 1957.

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Reviews:

- Basie Reunion

"This 1958 session by members of two distinct editions of Count Basie's band is actually a follow-up to a similar reunion, For Basie, recorded earlier the same year. With tenor saxophonist Paul Quinichette as the leader and trumpeters Shad Collins and Buck Clayton in the front line, Jack Washington was lured out of semi-retirement to play baritone sax, though he obviously was having some problems with the instruments, due to the fact he had played alto sax almost exclusively around the time this recording was made. Nat Pierce fills Count Basie's economical role on piano, and the rest of the rhythm section includes rhythm guitarist Freddie Green (who served 50 years with the Basie organization), bassist Eddie Jones, and drummer Jo Jones. The five selections all date from Basie's repertoire circa 1937-1940, and other than Washington's numerous reed squeaks, the playing is first-rate. While this session isn't meant to substitute for the original recordings by Count Basie, the consistently swinging performances make this meeting of mostly Basie alumni worth purchasing."

Ken Dryden -All Music Guide


- For Basie

"Tenor-saxophonist Paul Quinichette, who had played with the Count Basie Orchestra in the early 1950's, was a virtual soundalike of Lester Young in the 1950's. On the first of two Prestige sets that pay tribute to Basie, Quinichette is teamed up with four fellow Basie alumni (trumpeter Shad Collins, guitarist Freddie Green, bassist Walter Page and drummer Jo Jones) plus pianist Nat Pierce who comes as close as anyone to sounding like Count. On what would be probably Page's last date (the bassist passed away two months later), the sextet jams on five Basie-associated tunes from the 1930's and 40's, none of which are exactly overplayed: "Rock-A-Bye Basie," "Texas Shuffle," "Out The Window," "Jive At Five" and "Diggin' For Dex." Each of the songs serves as a strong vehicle for swing-oriented solos and the musicians (including Collins who rarely recorded this late in his career) sound quite inspired. Recommended."

Scott Yanow -All Music Guide