Basie,Count Count Basie Collection 1937-39 CD

William "Count" Basie was one of the most important, innovative and influential personalities in jazz during the middle decades of the 20th century, both as pianist, composer and bandleader, his music transcending the worlds of small group jazz, big band music, swing and R&B, and with many future stars of the genre coming to prominence playing with his orchestra. Having honed his skills with Bennie Moten's band in Kansas City, he formed his own orchestra in 1936 after Moten's death and after a lengthy engagement in Chicago signed to Decca, recording for them until almost the end of the decade. This 63-track 3-CD set comprises his releases for Decca during those years, which laid down a marker as to the talent and style of his bands, and constitute a significant and satisfying body of work. The collection features many of his well-known compositions like "One O'Clock Jump", "Blue And Sentimental", Blues In The Dark", along with some of the classic standards of the era. A number of the tracks feature vocals by the great singers Jimmy Rushing and Helen Humes, and among the predominantly big band recordings are some by Basie with a trio comprising Fred Green, Walter Page and Jo Jones. Among the other musicians in his line-up were Buck Clayton, Lester Young, Harry Edison and Dickie Wells. It's a substantial, entertaining and enlightening overview of this key era of Basie's career.

1. Pennies from Heaven 2. Swinging at the Daisy Chain 3. Honeysuckle Rose 4. Roseland Shuffle 5. Boo Hoo 6. The Glory of Love 7. Boogie Woogie (I May Be Wrong) 8. Exactly Like You 9. One O'Clock Jump 10. John's Idea 11. Listen My Children and You Shall Hear 12. (You Know It All) Smarty 13. Good Morning Blues 14. Good Morning Blues (Alt. Take) 15. Our Love Was Meant to Be 16. Let Me Dream 17. Time Out 18. I Keep Remembering (Someone I Should Forget) 19. Out the Window 20. Georgianna 21. Blues in the Dark 22. Every Tub 23. Now Will You Be Good? 24. Don't You Miss Your Baby 25. Topsy 26. Sent for You Yesterday, and Here You Come Today 27. Swinging the Blues 28. Blue and Sentimental 29. Doggin' Around 30. Stop Beatin' Round the Mulberry Bush 31. Stop Beatin' Round the Mulberry Bush (Alt. Take) 32. London Bridge Is Fallin' Down 33. Texas Shuffle 34. Mama Don't Want No Peas An' Rice An' Coconut Oil 35. Jumping at the Woodside 36. Dark Rapture 37. Do You Wanna Jump, Children? 38. Panassie Stomp 39. My Heart Belongs to Daddy 40. Sing for Your Supper 41. Blame It on My Last Affair 42. Blame It on My Last Affair (Alt. Take) 43. The Blues I Like to Hear 44. Thursday 45. Shorty George 46. Boogie Woogie 47. How Long, How Long Blues 48. Cherokee 49. Cherokee (Pt.2) 50. The Dirty Dozens 51. When the Sun Goes Down 52. When the Sun Goes Down (Alt. Take) 53. Oh Lady Be Good 54. You Can Depend on Me 55. Hey Lawdy Mama 56. The Fives 57. Oh Red 58. Fare Thee Honey, Fare Thee Well 59. Fare Thee Honey, Fare Thee Well (Alt. Take) 60. Evil Blues 61. Jive at Five 62. Dupree Blues 63. Red Wagon