Search - Count Basie :: Jazz Round Midnight

Classic Big-Band music.

Mister Hip-Hop | The Land Where Hip-Hop And Jazz Live. | 12/09/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Let me begin this review by stating that the reviewer below me (who trashed this album) has no idea what he or she is talking about. I myself listen to a lot of Basie and this collection of some of the b-sides and hits by Basie is great. The band is strong throughout and the compositions cannot be described in any way other than classic. The organ tracks are also really nice, and with Basie all-stars like Snooky Young, Al Aarons and Freddie Green, this album can't go wrong. Basie's playing on the whole record is him, no more no less, his minimalist style shines brightly. "Straight Life" is a nice allegra swinger with some nice woodwind work on the theme. Classic Basie sound here. "Pleasingly Plump" is a beautiful swing ballad with that classic subtle sound. Snooky Young's trumpet solo is appropriate for this song and the ensemble playing is mesmerizing. "I'll Always Be In Love With You" is one of Basie's organ showcases and might make you feel like you're in a ballpark at first but this track is definitely nice. Basie's playing is the highlight of the song. "Lady In Lace" is an instant classic and the shout chorus is unbelieveable. The whole theme is smooth and really suits the title. The ensemble playing is the highlight of this piece, while Basie keeps the whole thing together with light-hearted chords. "Count Me In" is another favorite of mine, with a great theme. The theme is repeated many times but in a slightly different way each time and it swings beyond belief. "Making Whoopee" is a classic Basie tune and if you don't like this one you probably aren't a fan of his. This trombone showcase is very light and emotional at the same time. There is a string of three nice slower songs in "I Want A Little Girl", "Lullaby For Jolie" and a song by The Beatles "Michelle". These tracks top off the sensitivity of this record, while "Eventide" has more hard ensemble playing and a darker feel that is not quite as familiar with Basie but still comes out nicely. "KC Organ Blues" has Basie on the organ again and it's a nice track that really brings back the feel of Kansas City blues music that was played in the 1940's. "Softly With Feeling" is a nice Neal Hefti composition that ends this Verve collection perfectly, ending this great musical journey through big band swing. A couple of these songs have shown up on Basie's mainstream releases (like "Michelle" and "Makin' Whoppee") but a lot of these pieces became lost on out of print albums (like Basie Land, a long lost album that included "Count Me In"). P.S. Amazon you are currently holding two of my reviews that I posted long ago, one of Eazy-E and another that I cannot currently remember, but please post them. I'm sure you have them."