Count Basie & His Orchestra 88 Basie Street (Pablo Series)

Analog Planet Rated 10/10 Music, 10/10 Sound!
180g Vinyl LP!
Mastered by Kevin Gray from the Original Analog Master Tape!
Pressed at QRP!
The title "The Blues Machine" can also serve as a description of the big band that Count Basie led for half a century. In the 1983 line-up, Basie brought together veterans and relatively young musicians who created the instantly recognizable Basie sound and spirit.
Sam Nestico's arrangements, which were so important to the band in Basie's last years, can be heard on four tracks. On the other two tracks, Basie conducts a small band with saxophonists Chris Woods and Kenny King, up-and-coming young trumpeter Bob Summers, and guitarist Joe Pass.
One of the pieces on this album is called "The Blues Machine," which could stand as a description of the big band Count Basie operated for half a century. In the 1983 edition, Basie molded the talents of a mixture of veterans and relative youngsters to produce the immediately identifiable Basie sound and spirit.
Sam Nestico's arrangements, so vital to the band in Basie's final years, are featured on four tracks. On the remaining two, Basie heads up a small unit with saxophonists Chris Woods and Kenny King, the rapidly developing young trumpeter Bob Summers, and guitar wizard Joe Pass.
Mastered by Kevin Gray from the original analog master tape, and pressed at Quality Record Pressings for optimal sound quality, this Analogue Productions 180-gram reissue is everything jazz fans expect from an audiophile reissue. Housed in a single pocket Stoughton Printing tip-on jacket.
Now, I don't pretend to be a Basie expert per se, but I was kind of blown away from the opening notes of this album — recorded about a year before his passing in 1984 — as the band launches into arranger/conductor Sammy Nestico's 'Bluesville' (Side 1, Track 1). Those introductory moments feature some of the purist piano sounds I've heard coming off a vinyl record, with an absolutely beautiful sense of the instrument and room, off of a dead-quiet noise floor. This new edition was mastered by Kevin Gray from the original analog master tapes, and it shows. Recorded at Oceanway Studios in Hollywood the sound on 88 Basie Street is nothing short of outstanding. Demo-disc worthy? You bet!" - Mark Smotroff, Analog Planet, Music 10/10, Sound 10/10

Features:

• 180g Vinyl
• Mastered by Kevin Gray from the Original Analog Master Tape
• Pressed at Quality Record Pressings
• Stoughton Tip-On Single Pocket Jacket

Musicians:

• Count Basie, piano
• Cleveland Eaton, bass
• Dennis Mackrel, drums
• Bob Summers, trumpet, flugelhorn
• Dale Carley, trumpet
• Sonny Cohn, trumpet, flugelhorn
• Frank Szabo, trumpet, flugelhorn
• Jim Crawford, trumpet
• Booty Wood, trombone
• Grover Mitchell, trombone
• Dennis Wilson, trombone
• Bill Hughes, trombone
• Eric Dixon, tenor sax, flute
• Eric Schneider, tenor sax, flute
• Danny Turner, alto sax, flute
• Christopher Woods, alto sax, flute
• John Williams, baritone sax
• Joe Pass, guitar
• Kenny Hing, tenor saxophone

Selections:

Side A
1. Bluesville
2. 88 Basie Street
3. Contractor's Blues
Side B
1. The Blues Machine
2. Katy
3. Sunday At The Savoy