Count Basie
This release contains the complete classic album Louis Armstrong Meets Oscar Peterson which presents Satchmo singing and playing standards that were not part of his usual repertoire. He is masterfully backed here by Peterson, Herb Ellis, Ray Brown and Louis Bellson. As a bonus, we have added two tunes from the same session (“Indiana” and an alternate take of “Let’s Fall in Love”) only previously available on compilations, and the four Armstrong showcase tunes from the Ella & Louis Again session, featuring the same personnel.
“Hearing Louis in the unfrilled, ungimmicked setting of the Oscar Peterson rhythm section will be a treat for those who have often seen him in person and wished for fewer encumbrances. Basically Louis needs nobody but Louis –he could stand all alone in the middle of the Sahara, singing selected excerpts from the Tunis telephone directory, and we suspect he could make it for a week without food and water. But if there must be someone else, let it be the man whose team made this session such a happy occasion for all concerned.” LEONARD FEATHER
COUNT BASIE AND HIS ORCHESTRA:
Thad Jones, Reunald Jones, Joe Newman, Wendell Culley (tp), Henry Coker, Bill Hughes, Benny Powell (tb), Marshal Royal (cl, as), Bill Graham (as), Frank Wess (as, ts, fl, cl), Frank Foster (ts, cl), Charlie Fowlkes (bs, b-cl), Count Basie (p), Freddie Green (g), Eddie Jones (b), Sonny Payne (d).
José Mengual and Ubaldo Nieto (perc on 9·# only). Joe Williams (voc # on 11-19 only).
Midgets features the sextet of Joe Newman (tp), Frank Wess (fl), Count Basie (p), Freddie Green (g), Eddie Jones (b) & Sonny Payne (d).
New York, January 4-5 & July 26, 1956.
““This is still a roaring jazz band, the best for the blues now in existence”. – Nat Hentoff (Down Beat Magazine)
Tracks:
- 1. April In Paris
- 2. Corner Pocket
- 3. Didn’t You?
- 4. Sweetie Cakes
- 5. Magic
- 6. Shiny Stockings
- 7. What Am I Here For?
- 8. Midgets
- 9. Mambo Inn
- 10. Dinner With Friends
- 11. Teach Me Tonight
- 12. Please Send Me Someone To Love
- 13. My Baby Upsets Me
- 14. Ev’ry Day I Fall In Love
- 15. Roll’ Em Pete
- 16. Smack Dab In The Middle
- 17. Amazing Love
- 18. Only Forever
- 19. Stop Pretty Baby, Stop
- 20. Big Red
Total Time: 73:56
[ 11-20] Bonus tracks from the same sessions. Not included on the original LP.