Artist:Count Basie
Song:Segue In C (Alternate take)
Album:Basie At Birdland
Here's a recently rereleased Count Basie CD that might be overlooked because it's not from his prime. Of course Count Basie is one of the giants of big band music. Bebop had become popular in the 50s but Basie kept recording and he had his ups and downs. He had been recording for Roulette Records and made some of his best music for them in the late 50s. Basie At Birdland was recorded on June 27-28, 1961. Basie had lost a few key soloists and added new ones and it seemed to energize the band. Blue Note released this in August with alternate takes and bonus tracks. Segue In C was written by sax player Frank Wess. Frank Foster, Thad Jones & Budd Johnson are among the other musicians. Soon after this, Basie would sign with the Frank Sinatra owned Reprise Records to try and improve record sales but that wasn't one of his better periods. But Basie At Birdland does swing and it's worth a listen. Here's Count Basie performing Corner Pocket in 1962.
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