Count Basie recommendations?

So my wife heard some Count Basie on the radio, and would like to hear some more. She can't remember what she heard, but she thinks it was "from the 50's" I don't know much about jazz, and I know even less about Count Basie in particular... pretty much all I know is that he did a couple albums with Sinatra in the early 60s. So I'm looking for recommendations. What are the best Basie albums, preferably from his earlier work? What would be a good place to start with him?

 

For his "New Testament" band, you can't go wrong starting with The Complete Atomic Basie, recorded in the 50s.

 

Basie live at Newport 1957 - can also be used as an emergency defibrillator...

 

Kills!

Get the Decca 3-CD anthology, now! If thse songs don't change your life, they're celebrating YOUR birthday on the 25th!

 

Another vote for "Atomic Basie". Try to find the 2001 remaster from Japan.

 

The April In Paris CD is pretty good musically. I have the original CD release, no real complaints there. Given its early 50s sonics, I wouldn't rush to get the SACD version. The title track, "Corner Pocket" and "Shiny Stockings" were staples of the Basie catalog in later years. Musically this is a good album to get, as Steve says, since it put the Basie band back on the map for the decades to follow.

Coincidentally, I've had the Verve CD, Li'l Ol' Groovemaker--Basie in the car for the past two weeks. Of note, Quincy Jones arranges and conducts this date...the same basic lineup as the three Reprise albums Sinatra did with Basie. Quincy gives the band quite a workout! One other CD I have was a more recent recording on a Denon CD after the Count had passed away, but one of the last with Freddie Green in the band; I saw this version of the band in concert and fortunately, got to see them with Green. (He passed away about a year later.)

 

I also vote for the Atom bomb.

 

Here's an old thread on this

http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/showthread.php?t=17612&highlight=count+basie

 

For those who have to have it all, Mosaic Records is scheduling a complete studio Clef/Mercury/Verve 1950s Basie set for next April. 8 discs in all. Includes albums such as The Greatest!, April In Paris, Basie Swings-Joe William sings etc. Time to start saving serious $$$.

 

The album he did on Verve with Sammy Davis Jr is real nice..a humdinging version of Girl From Ipanema on that one.

 

Could have a lot to do with why I like what I know - no plethora of wretched redundant excess

"Basie on the Beatles" is superb, and it plays with the familiar tunes from Beatles-mid era. "Basies' Beatles Bag" is harsher, but features some of the earlier Beatle songs.

I just sold the version of "April in Paris" that has 6-7 alternate versions of the original album content, because that practice irritates me.

"The Roulette Years" goes round and round on my player.

 

Interesting that Universal is letting this out of their vaults. I'd inquired back about 10 years ago about another Verve artist, and basically, no go since it was a Universal title. Maybe there's hope now...

 

Yes that's another one I have. Very nice.

 

The Decca stuff is the best. I hate to say it, but the best sound I ve heard on CD is from that rip-off spanish company Disconforme. I was very pleased with Columbia's "america #1 band' release of last year. Incredible sound, although it does not include all of Basie's recordings for Columbia. I dont think anything they did later, including the April in Paris and Atomic Basie albums, came close to what the band did with Lester Young.

 

The 3CD-set with Basie's great 1930s Decca recordings with Lester Young and the 1950s Atomic Basie CD on Blue Note (originally Roulette) get my vote too.

 

Count Basie also recorded an great fun album of songs from James Bond movies: Basie Meets Bond. It's been reissued on CD, remixed from the original tapes. Unfortunately, the great wide stereo separation that was on the original LP has been narrowed to the point of almost being in mono.

 

While it's not an "important" album for either artist, I really get a kick out of his 1961 collaboration with Duke Ellington.

 

I have an original mono Roulette copy of Atomic Basie and it definitely explodes out of the speakers. If you play vinyl, I believe Classic records has also reissued it, but I can't comment on the mastering or pressing quality.

 

While I like Count Basie on Roulette like the "Count Basie Story" http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=306&item=4058334260&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW I really love just about everything on Pablo label. My favorite on Pablo is "Count Basie Trio - For The Second Time".

 

Thanks for the comments, everyone. It looks like Atomic Basie is where I will start...

 

Any of the Roulette Basie stuff from the 50s is great - and great sound. Mofi did "Basie Plays Hefti" on vinyl which is pretty nice. On CD, I'd recommedn "Chairman of the Board", and "Breakfast Dance and Barbecue". I love Sonny Payne's work with that band - one of the great swing drummers.

 

I agree about his later Pablo output - always fun. Satch and Josh (interplay of styles with Oscar Peterson is excellent) and Basie Big Band Montreux '77 would be two of my top picks. I also have the 2001 Japanese mini-LP CD remaster of Atomic Basie and agree it's a great place to start.

 

Paul has written my exact sentiments.

There's also a new 2 CD "best of" compilation of Basie's Roulette years put out earlier this year by Blue Note/Capitol. It includes 1957-62 studio and live tracks as well as a sampling of guest vocalists (Sarah Vaughn, Tony Bennett, etc.). This would be a good starting point of my favourite Basie era, with Sonny Payne (drums) and Snooky Young (lead trumpet) - the best, most swinging tandem ever...