Customer Reviews

And the Kansas City Seven

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

 

 

I've had the privilege of hearing a number of the Basie small ensemble C.D.'s. I've loved his big band work for decades. The "jam sessions" and the Kansas City 5, 6, 7 et al are excellent examples of Basie's flexibility. This particular offering is indeed one of his finest. Thad Jones, Frank Weiss, Frank Foster, Eric Dixon, Eddie Jones, Sonny Payne and the incomparable Basie on piano and even organ make for a stellar cast. The numbers sing joyfully throughout the album. The harmonies and rhythms are fresh and uplifting. If you like Basie and and you like good jazz played by some musicians who know how to be at their best with their art their ensemble and their instruments this will be for you.

Although Basie's main claim to fame is his glorious big band, even the big band records often have tracks with smaller groups, equally swinging, but giving more space for individual artists.
The strength of Basie's big band, after all, often comes from treating the band as a small and rhythmically compact unit, with different sections tight as can be, thus combining the intensity of smaller bands with the rich and creamy big band sound.

This cd is simply magnificent, utilizing virtuoso horn of Thad Jones and great saxes, clarinet and flute skills of Eric Dixon, Frank Wess and Frank Foster, with exquisit rhythm section headed by Basie (on organ for subtle "I Want a Little Girl") and irreplacable rhythm guitar of Freddie Green.
This is Basie in the best pre WW-II wain.
However, many song (such as "Shoe Shine Boy" and "What'cha Talkin'") also investigate the possibilites of more modern and cool sound (with emphasis on the sound of flute rather than the mighty sound of the tenor sax), never sacrifising the true sense of swing and the power of Basie's original approach.

Highly recomendable record for all swing and mainstream fans! I wonder what Thad Jones, in his personal musical choises usually more modernist than Basie, thought of this great album?

I received this cd as a gift just yesterday and i can't stop listening to it! The tracks that stand out in my mind as the best are, "Oh, Lady Be Good" and "I Want a Little Girl". If you like jazz like me or are just trying out new music, this cd is the one to buy. Pick this one up today.

Kansas City indeed...a great Basie CD with great sound on this digipak Impulse/GRP release..with booklet and a bonus track..40 minutes of music with extra track..wish it was longer..nice hearing some of the older classics revisited in 1962..not to be missed if you are into Basie, the band is swinging in a sophisticated fashion giving added weight to all the players..all are stellar here.

Count Basie and the Kansas City 7: Basie's love of economic simplicity in playing
pays-off in a big way with this small ensemble. The elegance of this album is inspiring and once you start playing it, it is hard to move on to another.
This is a Five Star album.

The Count playing in a relaxed setting with some really good soloists who are given room to blow. Sophisticated swing and blues. It is dated but in a wonderful way. His big band stuff is tight and superb and this date extends that into something looser and just as delicious.