Customer Reviews

Norman Granz Jazz In Montreux Presents Count Basie Jam '75

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

 

 

Basie rhythm section is of course tight, and I would agree that the front line is not always cohesive, but I still think its great fun. For SJ,in your reply to my Oscar review, the "run" you refer to in "NightTime" is not part of the tune. You have the transciption book taken from the "Live At The Blue Note" concert. He just happened to do a run before the tune and it was put into the transcription for some strange reason. I have no less than 6 recordings of the tune and have heard it live twice. In late 1989 and 1998. Not trying to be a smarty pants, but that is the deal

Sorry for the "punishing" title for this review, but I just couldn't resist the urge. I owned the original LP on the Pablo label from the middle 1970s which contained three of these numbers ... Billie's Bounce, Lester Leaps In, and one of the the two Blues Jams. The other Blues Jam was on a compilation LP from the Montreux 1975 Festival (which, unfortunately, I never owned).

The sound quality on this DVD is not as good as the audio recording on LP or CD, but don't let that bother you. This is a very good session, with everyone in fine form. One reason I purchased this video is that the price is right. Another is that, as a (semi-pro) Tenor Sax player myself, I'm a big fan of Johnny Griffin. Griffin is in excellent form for this show. I'd never seen him on film until I watched this DVD. Roy Eldridge was also up for this show. I had seen him live about 9 months previously when he played the opening set for an Ella Fitzgerald concert. Eldridge is in better form here, taking risks and usually achieving the desired results. I've heard better from Milt Jackson on live dates from this period, but Jackson is still good enough here to make a difference. The rhythm section is crisp (although the sound mix is not the greatest on the DVD). Basie seems to be able to play with any combination of musicians. This makes him a good fit for a Norman Granz' produced live jam session.

Growing up, I encountered many critics who complained about the line-ups for the Jam Session section on JATP recordings. For the most part, I never had a problem with the mixed swing and bebop lineups. Willie Smith contrasted well with Bird on the '40s records, while Eldridge and Gillspie did the same on the mid-to-late 50s dates. How does one make enough money to pay the artists what they're worth on a JATP tour? Add an Illinois Jacquet and/or a Flip Philips to the lineup. Besides, if one doesn't like it when they "cook", both these guys play great on the ballads (listen to Jacquet's "Tenderly" and Philips' "All of Me" in the 1955 JATP Box Ballad Medley and you'll see what I mean).

Its the same thing on this Basie Jam date. Eldridge is a swing musician, first and foremost, who happens fit in well with musicians of later styles. He does not sound out of place with Johnny Griffin or Milt Jackson in the lineup. I believe they "jell" very well together. The energy level is as high here as on any of the JATP Jam Sessions in the 1950s box sets. It doesn't have to be labeled JATP to be JATP, and for my money, this is JATP. Etaion Shrdlu could have even written the two Montreux Blues Jams! (smile)

In the end, I debated whether I should rate this DVD with 4 or 5 Stars. Good thing this isn't a fashion video ... it might not have even made 3 stars! In the end, I rounded 4.5 stars up to 5 (despite the protests of my wife)! She doesn't like Jam Sessions.

This is what makes jazz the greatest American art form

this world has ever witnessed. This is music that will

always be appreciated, long after the pop stars and flash

in the pans are forgotten. This crew, with Johnny

Griffin, [very underated], Roy Eldridge, Neils Orsted

Pederson, Milt Jackson, Louis Bellson, and of course,

the Count himself. You actually get to hear the Count

play, not just comp, as is usually the case. Johnny

Griffin is a very dynamic tenor man, and you can see

that here. Everybody solos on this outing, and if you

don't like this one, you don't like the earthy, bluesy

mode of jazz that made this form immortal in the music

world. These guys do this for the sheer love of it,

and you can see this, in this performance.

This series of DVD's is a treasure trove.

This is basically a jam session with NHOP, Johnny Griffin, Roy Eldridge and Milt Jackson. All are excellent.

Billies Bounce and Lester Leaps are the two well known numbers, the other two are just blues jams.

The Count of course is as cool as can be.

Obviously this being 1975 the sound is not up to modern standards.

That said, these guys are giants of Jazz and I am grateful that they have been captured on film at all.

Enjoy!

The only reason I'm not giving this 5 stars is the technological quality of sound and vision: the sound is better on the CD from the same jam, the picture is somewhat better on other DVDs from this series I have experienced... I am anything but techno-freak, but even I noticed the difference...

In other respects, I basicly (Basiecly) agree with brother Hamza's comments; it's a hot session with Roy doing quite well with more modern players (vibes and sax giants Milt Jackson and Johnny Griffin), with a rock-solid rhythm session (Basie! Bellson! Pedersen!)... In spite of hightened tensions (Roy really goes for the broke when he plays, even when he's past his prime, but here he mostly hits it right)...

However, if you don't like JATP (or Basie, or Roy, or Milt Jackson...), skip it.

Outstanding rhythm section really swings, but over-all the "Jam" just did'nt jell... The Count was the Count - always great... But these sessions were just a series of "tried-to-hard" solos with no cohesiveness... 2 Stars...

Fred Schofield, Alexandria, VA