Straight Ahead

Count Basie | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 19, 1998)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Verve
• ASIN: B000006R85
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #11,053 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #47 in Music > Jazz > Swing Jazz > Classic Big Band
  • #51 in Music > Jazz > Swing Jazz > Contemporary Big Band
  • #89 in Music > Jazz > Swing Jazz > General AAS

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Basie at His Best!!!, September 5, 2005

By 

Clarence Acox "Swingster" (Seattle,WA. USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Straight Ahead (Audio CD)

When this album was recorded, Basie had just finished about seven years of collaborations with singers, vocal groups, and rock stars, all with varying degrees of success. His orchestra even recorded two albums of Beatle tunes. However, this album put Basie right smack dab in the middle of where he belonged, in the world of straight ahead swing (as the title so aptly discribes). All soloists are high level and very much in the style and tradition. The drumming of Harold Jones is impeccable, and sparkling. This album has become a classic, for all of the before mentioned reasons. It is stongly recommended for all Basie fans and especially jazz ensemble directors around the world. We should all be indebted to Grover Mitchell, the lead trombone player in the band, for introducing Basie to Sammy Nestico, the composer and arranger for the date and for many others to follow. Their collaborations become the most important and significant since Basie worked with Neal Hefti from the mid-fifties to early sixties. Nestico's compositions are very substantive and his arrangements have never been better. Check out how he developes the arrangement of "It's Oh So Nice" from a four note melody. GREAT, GREAT ALBUM!! FIVE STARS!!!!!

-Clarence Acox, Seattle WA.-

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of CB's best ever. A benchmark., May 9, 2000

By 

James T. McLaughlin (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Straight Ahead (Audio CD)

Finally this album has been released on CD. Harold Jones is the subtle star. Magic Flea is a tour de force, with the drummer driving hard, but staying out of the way. Harold Jones was arguably Basie's best drummer (he is currently touring with Natalie Cole and playing better than ever). All of the soloists on this CD were legends of the Basie bands and are caught here playing at career bests. The ensemble playing is so perfect it can only be marvled. This CD proves that a tune doesn't have to be fast to swing so hard it pulls you out of the chair. This CD covers all of the tempos from slow to fast and lot's of that favorite Basie tempo of 'right in the middle'. This CD features the very prolific Sammy Nesitco's earlier writing for the Basie band and the first of many albums featuring only Sammy's arrangements. It remains some of his best. This is an absolute "gotta have" CD of the Basie library.

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A GREAT BAND!!, May 12, 2001

By 

Jimmy "jimbo71" (YELM, WA. United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Straight Ahead (Audio CD)

This is probably Basie's best band and Nestico the best writer/arranger he ever had. Harold Jones does some fine drumming along with some great musicians like Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, Charles Fowlkes, and Freddie Green just to name a few. The Count even playes the organ on "That Warm Feeling". What you hear on this cd is just plain good music played by the best.....Count Basie. Well worth owning!