Virtually to the end, Count Basie was at the piano in front of the band that was his natural environment for more than half a century, inspiring music that defined the verb "to swing." In this collection recorded a little more than a year before he died, Basie divided the performances between the big band and a small group. In his last couple of decades, Basie went into the Pablo studios frequently with combos ranging in size from two (the pianist and Zoot Sims) to the octet heard here.

In this case, the small group came out of the big band and featured the bright young trumpeter Bob Summers along with veteran trombonist Booty Wood and saxophonists Eric Dixon and Chris Woods. In large group or small, Basie and guitarist Freddie Green were at the heart of the rhythm, lifting the proceedings to a rarified plane of swing never to be duplicated after they were gone.

With Count Basie, Cleanhead Vinson, and Willie Cook all gone, there is cause for gratitude that Norman Granz thought in 1981 to bring them together with a great rhythm section. The result was one of the happiest of Basie's celebrated "Kansas City" sessions for Pablo. Cook and Vinson, marvelous soloists who deserved wider fame, were both great bebop players able to tailor their work to Basie's more elemental requirements without condescending or losing anything essential.

Additionally, as he demonstrates to a fare-thee-well on "Wee Baby," Vinson was a terrific blues shouter. In his small groups, Basie the pianist was on more prominent display than in the big band, and there are plenty of reminders here that his keyboard talent encompassed much more than wryness and subtlety.

The essence of Kansas City wafts from the tracks of this album. How could it not, with Count Basie and Joe Turner in charge? The essence, of course, is the blues, and every man in the band is a master of that most basic and most demanding of forms. Their résumés cover every jazz environ from the 12th Street clubs where

Southwest swing matured to the Harlem hothouses that germinated bebop. The common language of the blues, and Basie's catalytic keyboard, bind them tightly together in support of Big Joe Turner, a shouter, a smooth talker, a testifier to the power, tenderness, despair, and joy of the blues and of life, which are the same.

A beautiful pairing of two legendary pianists — Count Basie and Oscar Peterson — heard late in Basie's career, in a setting that lets both of them open up nicely! Basie also plays a bit of organ. Freddie Green, Basie's longtime guitarist in his band — he stayed 50 years with Basie — cannot be missed on this recording. 10 track stereo LP.

Dizzy Gillespie wrote his classic "A Night in Tunisia" in 1942 when he was working with Benny Carter. Thirty-four years later the two recorded it together for this album and gave it one of its most luminous performances. In this encounter, Carter, at 70, and Gillespie, at 60, were inspired to some of the best playing of what might be described as their later years if it weren’t for the fact that, at this writing, both were going strong into the 1990s.

Among the pieces are two less well-known masterpieces, Gillespie’s "Constantinople" and Carter’s "The Courtship." Gillespie’s superb bassist of the great 1947-48 big band, Al McKibbon, is in the rhythm section with Tommy Flanagan, Joe Pass, and Mickey Roker.

Benny Carter meets Oscar Peterson — two older giants from the Verve jazz scene of the 50s, recording here in loose quintet format three decades later! The album's got a format that's similar to some of the easy-flowing Verve dates from years back — no surprise, given that Norman Granz produced the set — and there's plenty of room for Carter's amazing tone on the alto to stretch out over mellow rhythms from Joe Pass on guitar, Dave Young on bass, and Martin Drew on drums. Titles include "Sweet Lorraine," "Just Friends," "Whispering," "Some Kind Of Blues," and "Baubles Bangles & Beads."

The three Ellington Suites in this release were recorded at different times along Ellington's legendary and prolific arc: "The Queen's Suite" in February and April 1959 (written for and dedicated to Queen Elizabeth II, but not widely released until 1970); "The Goutelas Suite" in April 1971; and "The Uwis Suite" in October 1972.



"Ellington would record his orchestra at his own expense, and then stockpile the recordings," says Nick Phillips, Vice President, Catalog and Jazz A&R at Concord and producer of the Original Jazz Classics Remasters series. "These were recordings that were later sold to Norman Granz, who had the good sense in the '70s to collect these then-unreleased suites on one album."

Step into the world of jazz like never before with Ella Fitzgerald — Fine And Mellow, a timeless masterpiece that captures the unparalleled artistry of Ella Fitzgerald, recorded live in a magic-filled moment. Released during the golden era of jazz in the early 1960s, this album is an audiophile's dream, showcasing not just the vocal brilliance of Ella, but the sonic chemistry of a legendary ensemble of jazz titans.

The story behind Fine And Mellow begins with Ella Fitzgerald, often heralded as the "First Lady of Song," collaborating with a distinguished group of musicians who were at the pinnacle of jazz innovation. Recorded at the famed Los Angeles Philharmonic Auditorium in 1962, this live session presents a rare and authentic glimpse into the improvisational magic of the era. The album is a veritable "who's who" of jazz greats, chosen with a careful and deliberate focus on complementing Ella's vocal style.

Ella's smooth yet powerful voice effortlessly rides the waves of a setlist filled with timeless classics, most notably the title track, Fine And Mellow. The album features Ella at the height of her vocal prowess, with each note floating in the air with an almost tactile quality.

Even with less than essential bonus material, Ella and Oscar — recorded May 19, 1975 — is a welcome reissue that warrants repeated listening. Bassist Ray Brown, closely associated to both artists, appears on four tracks, but this is a decidedly duo effort that focuses on two close friends who happened to be among jazz's most historic figures.

To call this collection of Great American Songbook standards intimate would be an understatement. Ella and Oscar is a low-key album of small, quiet pleasures. Even during the second half where Brown's bass provides additional rhythmic variety, the focus is squarely on voice and piano. Most of the album's tracks are under five minutes in length. Only on the closing number, "April In Paris," do they really stretch out significantly. Peterson delivers a relaxed but swinging solo. Fitzgerald follows suit with remarkably expressive scatting. Earlier on "When Your Lover Has Gone," she and Peterson trades four bars solos in captivating exchange of melodic ideas.

Portraits of Duke Ellington is a 1975 album by jazz guitarist Joe Pass that pays tribute to the jazz legend Duke Ellington. The album was recorded just a month after Ellington's death and reached No. 37 on the Jazz Albums Chart.

Featuring guitarist Joe Pass (just beginning to become famous), bassist Ray Brown, and drummer Bobby Durham, they are jamming on eight Ellington tunes and "Caravan" (which was penned by one of Duke's key sidemen, Juan Tizol). AllMusic says "The interplay between the three musicians is quite impressive, and Pass' mastery of the guitar is obvious (he didn't really need the other sidemen). Highlights include "In a Mellow Tone," "Don't Get Around Much Anymore," and "I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good)."

Joe Pass observed in his notes for this album that when he was a young man he determined that his ideal tenor saxophone companion would have a rich tone, harmonic wisdom, respect of the melody, and the will to swing. That figures; Pass was describing his own qualities, and in 1982 when the time came for the guitarist and Zoot Sims to record as a duo, it became clear after about six bars that this was a perfect artistic match.



Pass was a supremely natural player whose solos swung from the first note. Sims was also in his later years a master of lyrical expression in ballads. His lyricism here, notably in "Remember," is complemented by his relaxed urgency in the faster pieces. Pass accompanies Sims beautifully and solos with his customary ingenuity.

Here is an album of Duke Ellington compositions arranged and conducted by Benny Carter, with Zoot Sims as principal soloist. Add those names to the list of musicians in the adjoining display and you get a total greater than the sum of its parts. Among the many albums Sims made for Pablo, the Ellington project was particularly close to his heart. The Ellington band of 1940 and '41 was a formative influence on the young tenor man setting out on his career.



The great tenor saxophonist Ben Webster's solos profoundly affected him. It is true that his tone was closer to Lester Young's, but Webster's conception was always a major component of Sims's style, and toward the end of his life Zoot's sound took on more of Webster's heft and darkness. Fittingly, he and Webster's favorite pianist, Jimmy Rowles, do Bojangles to a rare turn, and Sims gives an achingly beautiful reading of Duke's "Your Love Has Faded."

Unlike many musicians who became stars in the Duke Ellington orchestra, Clark Terry became an even more commanding presence in the jazz world following his near-decade with the Duke. His Ellington memories are notable for a quintet that features Jos Pass's eloquent guitar in place of a second horn, and a program including as many uncommon tune choices as familiar warhorses. Among the highlights are "Echoes of Harlem," with Terry growling in the manner of the trumpeter first featured on the piece, Cootie Williams; "Sophisticated Lady," which receives an unlikely Latin-hustle setting; and "Everything But You," with Terry alternating between trumpet and flugelhorn in a patented conversation with himself.

The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings considers Crazy and Mixed Up to be possibly Sarah Vaughan's best album for the Pablo label. Vaughan was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Female at the 26th Annual Grammy Awards for her performance. This release is an essential addition to any serious jazz collection, captivating audiophiles and music lovers alike.



This album blends her impeccable phrasing with inventive, boundary-pushing jazz arrangements, making it a must-have for those who appreciate vocal jazz that transcends the genre. Vaughan's impeccable sense of timing and emotional depth, paired with the intricate instrumental backing, elevate these tracks into an extraordinary listening experience.

Sarah Vaughan and her working trio team with the "no Count" Basie band for this 1981 collection — their first studio meeting in 20 years! They create a magical album that evokes the days when singer and orchestra shared the stage at the original Birdland. The program looks back even further in the Divine One's career, with the inclusion of her early hit "If You Could See Me Now," while also featuring one of her last signature songs in the title track. The entire program, arranged with flair by Sammy Nestico and Allyn Ferguson, is a tour de force that finds Vaughan letting all stops out in a setting that matches her sublime vocals.