Where Swing is King!
“Oh, Lady Be Good” Composed by George Gershwin; head arrangement. Recorded by Count Basie and His Orchestra for Decca on February 4, 1939 in New York. William J. “Count” Basie, piano, directing: Ed Lewis, first [..]
“Lester Leaps In” Composed by Lester Young; “head” arrangement by Lester Young and Count Basie. Recorded by Count Basie Kansas City Seven for Vocalion on September 3, 1939 in New York. (Session produced by John [..]
“Li’l Darlin’” Composed and arranged by Neal Hefti. Recorded by Count Basie and His Orchestra for Roulette on October 21, 1957 in New York. William J. “Count” Basie, piano, directing: Eugene “Snooky” Young, first trumpet; [..]
“It’s Sand, Man” Composed by Edward A. Lewis; arranged by Wilbur “Buck” Clayton. Recorded by Count Basie and His Orchestra for Columbia on July 27, 1942 in Los Angeles. William J. “Count” Basie, piano, directing: [..]
“Wonderful Thing” Composed by C.Q. Price and Count Basie; arranged by C.Q. Price. Recorded by Count Basie and His Orchestra for RCA Victor on July 22, 1949 in New York. William J. “Count” Basie, piano, [..]
“Jive at Five” Composed and arranged by Harry Edison. Recorded by Count Basie and His Orchestra for Decca on February 4, 1939 in New York. William J. “Count” Basie, piano, directing: Lester “Shad” Collins, [..]
“Flight of the Foo Birds” Composed and arranged by Neal Hefti. Recorded by Count Basie and His Orchestra as a part of the “Stars for Defense” transcription series on July 28, 1959 in New York. [..]
“Lester’s Dream” Composed by Count Basie and Lester Young; informal head arrangement by Benny Goodman and Count Basie. Recorded by Benny Goodman for Columbia on October 28, 1940 in New York.(*) Benny Goodman, clarinet, directing: [..]
“April in Paris” Composed by Vernon Duke; arranged by Bobby Sherwood. Recorded by Artie Shaw and His Orchestra for Victor on May 14, 1940 in Hollywood. Artie Shaw, clarinet, directing: Harry Geller, first trumpet; Mannie [..]
“Taxi War Dance” Composed by Count Basie and Lester Young; head arrangement organized by Count Basie. Recorded by Count Basie and His Orchestra for Columbia-Vocalion on March 19, 1939 in New York. William J. “Count” [..]
“The Blues I Like to Hear” Music composed by Henry “Buster” Smith, lyric by Jimmy Rushing; arranged by Buster Smith. Recorded by Count Basie and His Orchestra for Decca on November 16, 1938 in New [..]
“Every Tub” Composed by Count Basie and Eddie Durham; “Head” arrangement worked out by Count Basie, Eddie Durham and the members of the Basie band. Recorded by Count Basie and His Orchestra for Decca [..]
“9:20 Special” Composed by Earle Warren; arranged by Buster Harding. Recorded by Count Basie and His Orchestra for Okeh/Columbia on April 10, 1941 in Chicago. William J. “Count” Basie, piano, directing: Edward Lewis, first trumpet; [..]
“Plymouth Rock” Composed and arranged (*) by Neal Hefti. Recorded by Count Basie and His Orchestra for Clef on August 13, 1953 in Los Angeles. William J. “Count” Basie, piano, directing: Reunald Jones, Wendell Culley, [..]
“Blue and Sentimental” Composed by Count Basie; arranged by Eddie Durham. Recorded by Count Basie and His Orchestra for Decca on June 6, 1938 in New York. William J. “Count” Basie, directing: Ed Lewis [..]
“Hay Burner” Composed and arranged by Sammy Nestico. Recorded by Count Basie and His Orchestra for Dot on September 3-4, 1968 in Hollywood, California. Sammy Nestico, piano, directing: Gene Coe, first trumpet; George “Sonny” Cohn, [..]
“Easy Does It” Composed by Sy Oliver and James “Trummy” Young; arranged by Jimmy Mundy. Recorded by Count Basie and His Orchestra for Columbia on March 20, 1940 in New York. William J. “Count” Basie, [..]
“Sent for You Yesterday” Composed by Count Basie, Jimmy Rushing and Eddie Durham; arranged by Eddie Durham. Recorded by Count Basie and His Orchestra live on April 2, 1939 from the Columbia Dance Hour – [..]
“With a Little Help From My Friends” Composed by John Lennon and Paul McCartney; arranged by Bob Florence. Recorded by Count Basie and His Orchestra on December 15, 1969 for Happy Tiger Records in New [..]
The Story: Lester Willis Young, one of the most influential musicians in the history of jazz, was born on August 27, 1909, in Woodville, Mississippi. After a lengthy apprenticeship spent in numerous black territory bands [..]
“Blues in Hoss’ Flat” Composed and arranged by Frank Foster. Recorded by Count Basie and His Orchestra for Roulette on April 28, 1958 in New York City. William J. “Count” Basie, piano, directing: Eugene “Snooky” [..]
“Jumpin’ at the Woodside” Composed by Count Basie; “Head” arrangement worked out by members of the Basie band. Recorded by Count Basie and His Orchestra for Decca on August 22, 1938 in New York. [..]