All About That Basie

Reviewed: 2018-09-26
Genre: Jazz
FCCs: none
Review: One can easily argue that the Basie band, from the moment of its emergence, did a great deal to set the course of American popular music as a whole. And now the band continues as a legacy institution, full of good vibes and a solid professional ethic. Their latest disc mixes it up between older Basie staples & fairly surprising, at times hard-to-recognize arrangements of more modern pop and R&B. The guests bring tons of personality to the affair, as well.
If You Like: Manhattan Transfer, Joe Williams, Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Nelson Riddle
Track Review (favorites denoted by *):
**1/ Everyday I Have The Blues (4:43) – piano starts> midtempo swinging jam leads into uptempo song with male vocal & backing vocals> crescendo end
2/ Can’t Hide Looneysucle Rose (3:37) ve (4:25) – drums start> midtempo jam builds to uptempo> quick fade
3/ My Cherie Amour (3:37) – piano starts> slow tempo builds to midtempo with harmonica> crescendo end
*4/ Don’t Worry ‘Bout Me (3:22) – male vocal starts> slow song> horns swing out> slow song> fade
*5/ Tequila (4:25) – percussion starts> fast tempo with Latin vibe> guitar solo> trumpet solo> percussion/ piano duet> uptempo jam> quick stop
6/ Hallelujah (4:50) – piano starts> midtempo jam> fabulous muted trumpet solo> midtempo jam> muted trumpet solo> slow fade
*7/ April In Paris (3;550 – organ starts> midtempo jam featuring trumpet> organ solo swings uptempo> sax solo> uptempo jam> crescendo> uptempo jam> crescendo end
**8/ Honeysuckle Rose (3:07) – full band swings out uptempo> uptempo song with female vocal> scat solo> band swings> uptempo Jam> crescendo end
9/ Hello (4:34) – piano starts> midtempo jam> piano solo> trumpet solo> piano solo> midtempo jam> slow fade & crescendo end
*10/ Sent For You Yesterday (4:57) – bass starts> midtempo jam> midtempo song with male vocal> trumpet solo swings high & wild> midtempo song> slow fade
11/ From One To Another (6:07) – piano starts> midtempo jam> horns swing> trumpet solo> piano solo> midtempo jam> crescendo & fade