Joe Newman Quintet at Count Basie's (Reis) [Original recording remastered]

Joe Newman | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (April 12, 2005)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Original recording remastered
• Label: Verve
• ASIN: B0007KVAKM
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #143,316 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Japanese Limited Edition in an LP-STYLE Slipcase. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Live Club Session, June 12, 2006

By 

Steven Crichley (Pittsburgh, PA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Joe Newman Quintet at Count Basie's (Reis) (Audio CD)

Count Basie trumpeter, Joe Newman, steps out front to lead his own quintet on this 4.5 star great live session. This is a much welcomed reissue from Verve (Mercury) since the wonderful Newman released so few albums as a headliner.

This cd features four standards and two fine Newman originals. The playing is consistent and cohesive throughout. There's a definite joyfulness in Newman's playing, from his muted musings on 'Love Is Here To Stay' to his fiery open blowing on 'Midgets', he was just glad to be there. His tone is not as brassy as with Basie and is adjusted perfectly for this setting.

Oliver Nelson is in fine form on tenor. An underappreciated player, Nelson's future reputation as a composer and arranger seems to have overshadowed his playing skills which more than held their own with his contempories. He especially shines on a short, bluesy solo on Newman's own 'Wednesday's Blues'.

Drummer Ed Shaughnessy, probably best known for his 29 years with Johnny Carson and The Tonight Show Band, stands out as he opens the set with his driving rhythms on 'Caravan' to his subtle brushwork on 'Please Send Me Someone To Love'. Many of us who grew up with Carson probably didn't appreciated at the time just how great this house band was. If you ever have the chance, check out Shaughnessy, Doc Severinson and Tommy Newsome playing 'Here's That Rainy Day' in tribute to Johnny, his favorite tune, on Late Night with David Letterman. A truly moving, unself-conscious musical moment in television history.

And let's not forget the solid playing throughout from Lloyd Mayers on piano and Art Davis on bass. Kudos.

The ambient chatter and clinking of glassware heard on some cuts can either be distracting or accepted as the authentic feel of a live, intimate club atmosphere. It's the listener's perspective. I'll take the latter as the era of seeing this many great musicians playing at this caliber in a small club may be just about gone forever. But you'll always be able to savor this fantastic 1961 session. It's not to be missed.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Where has this album been hiding!!!, May 14, 2009

By 

Under the Influence (Illinois) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Joe Newman Quintet at Count Basie's (Reis) (Audio CD)

How is it that I have been devoted to Jazz listening for the past 10 years, but missed out on Joe Newman??? Is it because of his few recordings as the front man - a career built upon his background performances with Basie, Lionel Hampton, and others? I am sure that it has nothing to do with the outstanding musicianship of Newman's Quintet which recorded at Basie's in 1961.

This is a Bop album that leans heavily on the Blues and captured live. The musicianship is of such high quality that the buzzing of the audience betrays what otherwise might sound like a well-executed studio rendering. When Newman's trumpet isn't bright and sizzling, Oliver Nelson's sax pulls us smoothly down its melodic path and rythym changes are punctuated by healthy kicks and rolls from the drum. In addition to the horn solos, which are never pretentious or overbearing, bassist, Art Davis, offers refreshing front stage performances. Sadly, but not detrimental, we don't hear any healthy solos by drummer, Ed Shaugnessy, or pianist, Lloyd Mayers. However, Shaugnessy's kit is very active, slipping in and out of the forefront.

Not only is every number played with the precision and harmony, indicative of veteran pros, but the Verve recording is offered in high bit rate format (96kHz 24bit). Included on the cardboard CD jacket are notes about each musician and Mercuries use of microphones for recording, as well as recommended use of turntable stylus and speaker arrangement for playback of the original vinyl recording.

This is a "MUST HAVE" album that falls in with trumpet greats such as those offered by Miles Davis, Donald Byrd, Lee Morgan, Clifford Brown, etc, etc... For those that enjoy 1940-1960's Bop/Blues, you won't be disappointed.