Customer Reviews

Basie's Beatle Bag

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A lot of folks think this is pop trash but I love it. It just shows you Basie could take any type of music and make it swing. Snappy, good feeling stuff by a legend performing the songs of other legends. Lighten up naysayers-- this is tremendous fun!

I had this album on LP years ago, since I then bought ANYTHING featuring the songs of The Beatles. In fact, at the time, Basie was to me just a name, little more. Over the years I've come to appreciate the brilliance of this album. The arrangements by that Cuban genius, Chico O'Farrill, are almost without exception fantastic. (Maybe one or two miss the mark slightly.) Basie is on Hammond organ far more than usual, and to good effect. The band is still the one known as "The Atomic Band," which, for my tastes, is the best group Basie ever had. I feel that period between the mid-50s and the mid-60s was the golden age of Count Basie. I was and am disappointed that nothing by George Harrison made it to the album. I could have done without "Kansas City" (recorded by but the only song on this collection not written by The Beatles) and slotted in something by George, who at that point always got short shrift. Nevertheless, this album is one of the highlights of my collection in both the Basie and Beatles categories...and that's saying something! Highly recommended!

Basie and his orchestra have lifted th music of The Beatles to a new level with Count Basie & His Orchestra's Basie's Beatle Bag. I have always loved Beatle music, and Basie makes it sound just as good, if not better!!

I knew if Basie recorded something, it's have to be great... I had no idea it would be THIS awesome. Arrangements by Chico O'Farrell are flawless, the band is flawless, and the recording quality is flawless. I'm a Beatles fan anyway, and had any other band had done a "crossover" recording like this, I'd have passed it..just picture Lawrence Welk doing something like this ? I tremble at the thought!!..but Basie, thats a different story.The's guys swing their @$$es off as usual, and do a fine job. Its also a rare occasion to hear Basie play the organ on a recording.All in all, a great deal no matter the price....I bought this to play in the car when I have the top down !