Basie and Beyond

Quincy Jones, Sammy Nestico

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 3, 2000)
• Original Release Date: October 3, 2000
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Warner Bros / Wea
• ASIN: B00004YNDT
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #131,798 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
To those post-baby boomers weaned on Michael Jackson's Thriller, this straight-ahead jazz date by the superproducer Quincy Jones, with Count Basie orchestra arranger Sammy Nestico, may seem out of place--a relic of Jones's distant jazz past. But to Q's old-school fans who grew up hearing him with Ray Charles and Lionel Hampton, and on albums like This is How I Feel About Jazz (1957) and Walkin' in Space, this CD is a long-awaited return to his roots.

Jones arranged and produced a number of Basie LPs in the 1960s, and he also arranged the music when Frank Sinatra and Basie convened on classics like It Might As Well Be Spring, so it should surprise no one how well Basie and Beyond swings. The band is composed of topnotch West Coast session men, featuring flutist Hubert Laws, guitarist Paul Jackson Jr., and tenor saxophonist Ernie Watts. Along with a few no-nonsense tunes by Nestic--including "Ya Gotta Try ... Harder!," "The Joy of Cookin'," and "Out of the Night"--the date features Jones's several rare 1950s and '60s tunes: a midtempo update of "Jelly Roll" highlighted by tenor saxophonist Watts's Coltrane-ish lines. The Tadd Dameron-tinged ballad "Quintessence" and the late-night Kansas City stroll of "The Witching Hour" show Q's still got it. --Eugene Holley Jr.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Not dissapointed, but almost ..., November 20, 2000

By	Antonio Hyder (Alicante, Spain) - See all my reviews

After suspiring on an almost weekly basis for the past 5 years "when will that new QJ studio CD see the light? ;-( " I was so happy to learn that my dream finally became reality. "Back on the Block" was impressive, "Jook Joint" was a heaven, and I was expecting the 3rd one on the line. But B&B is just a superbly recorded and Pro Tool'd CD -that's all-. It didn't make me shiver as Jook Joint did. However this might be what Quincy and Sammy Wanted: A tribute to Count, and that they have done. Perhaps a little less hype on the booklet would have been more realistic. *** Quincy: Will I have to wait another 5 years for you to make me shiver again ?

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This alblum really swings!, October 25, 2000

By	jr (New York, NY USA) - See all my reviews

Great alblum for swing big band lovers. Quincy has returned to the jazz fold and turned out a great big band alblum. Great songs and performances. Highly reccommended.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great choice for swing/bigband fans fans, October 25, 2000

By	jr (New York, NY USA) - See all my reviews

I would never normally choose a Quincy alblum due to the fact that he left the jazz fold many years ago, however this tribute to Basie really swings! Great songs and performances. A great choice for any big band fan.