Count Basie ‎– Basie Jam

Heres a late 1973 session that features Count Basie with an eight piece band. After a classic Basie Piano intro the first track “Doubling Blues” swings like mad, but then you notice theres something different going on when the solos start. Whats 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.

For more of Basie’s Organ playing have a listen to ‘One-Nighter’ a lovely medium tempo number on which he plays a restrained introductory solo, before Zoot Sims (I think) plays the opening Tenor Sax solo. Listening to Basie’s Organ comping behind the Sax solo I began to wish he’d played more Organ in his career as it seemed to be as natural as his Piano playing. I assume its a Hammond B3 he’s playing and it makes a beautiful sound.

You will soon realise as you listen to the rest of the tracks on this great album, that as the title indicates, this is like a jam session, so all the tracks are based around the blues. When you have musicians of this standard thats no bad thing. Apart from those I’ve already mentioned there is also Louie Bellson – drums, Bass is Ray Brown, J J Johnson – Trombone, Irving Ashley – Guitar, Eddie ‘Lockjaw’ Davis – Tenor sax, Harry Edison – Trumpet.

The running time is just under 50 minutes, and with only five tracks on the album that tells you that the musicians were given plenty of opportunity to stretch out. They do, and its well worth getting a copy of this album.