Customer Reviews

Count Basie Swinging at His Best

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

As much as I do not care for jazz, I did give this also as a gift to a jazz fan, and he was very pleased with it. Even I know Count Basie. He with the other greats were pioneers in this uniquely American music that captured the world. If you do not like jazz,but know someone that does, this is the one for them along with the "Legends of Jazz".

There are flaws with this DVD, primarily having to do with video. Many of the numbers are quite murky, especially the 2 songs featuring Billie Holiday (which are available in pristine video on other DVDs). Nevertheless, NOBODY swings like Basie. You get 17 songs in 37 minutes, some with Big Band (4 trumpets, 4 trombones, 5 saxes, piano, bass and drums) and more with a smaller combo (piano, bass, drums, clarinet, sax, trumpet, guitar). Vocalists include Helen Humes, Ethel Waters and Jimmy Rushing. On bonus tracks, Fats Waller's mugging and playing is shown in 3 numbers: "Your Feets Too Big", "Ain't Misbehavin'" and "Honeysuckle Rose".

Several of the selections have excellent video, especially the Big Band selections. There is a slight discrepancy in the synching of the sound and the video, but it is close enough to not be irritating. Despite the flaws, which would normally drop the star rating to a 3 or 4, Basie's PLAYING is worth a 6 or 7!!!

This DVD appears to have been compiled from very old tapes or films. No effort was made to enhance the video or the audio; as a result, the final product has marginal quality. I would not recommend this DVD to anyone.

J Dalton

I have several Count Basie VCR's and DVD's but I do believe that this is the best one in my collection.