Count Basie – Basie Jam (Analogue Productions)

180-gram vinyl

Mastered by Doug Sax at The Mastering Lab from the original analog master tape

Pressed at Quality Record Pressings

Housed in Stoughton Printing tip-on gatefold jacket

“What Acoustic Sounds is doing to these, bringing them to super clean and super clear and super quiet vinyl is absolutely stunning.” — Mike’s Vinyl Experience, YouTube video

Basie Jam is two sides of some of the best swing ever recorded. This record was produced by Norman Granz and Pablo Records. Granz, responsible for one of the greatest jazz labels ever — Verve — knew what he was doing in a studio.

The Big Band sound of Count Basie and the other orchestra leaders dominated dance halls and the airwaves for almost two decades. This late 1973 session features the Count with an eight-piece band. As the title indicates, this recording is like a jam session, so all the tracks are based around the blues. After a classic Basie Piano intro the first track “Doubling Blues” swings like mad, but then you notice there’s something different going on when the solos start. What’s different is that Basie is playing Organ for most of the rest of the track and the difference is amazing. The little Piano phrases that we’re all so used to hearing Basie play aren’t there. Then after six minutes the piano comes back in and we finish track with Basie as we started.

Format : Vinyl Record

1 Lp