THE COUNT BASIE ORCHESTRAHigh Voltage

MPS Records (LC00979) Distribution: UK: absolute, USA: Naxos, France: Harmonia Mundi

Vinyl EAN/UPC: 4029759115458 Vinyl Cat.-No.: 0211545MSWVinyl Release Date: Nov 11th, 2016

CD EAN/UPC: 4029759115601CD Cat.-No.: 0211560MSW CD Release Date: Nov 11th, 2016

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Keywords: MPS Records, 1970, Count Basie, Chico O'Farrill, 17 Big-Band musicians,audiophile 180g Vinyl, CD

When in January, 1970 Count Basie entered the studio with his 17-piece big band to recordHigh Voltage, he ushered in the last full decade as bandleader of his Orchestra. TheOrchestra had left its imprint on the sixties by recording with the likes of Frank Sinatra andElla Fitzgerald. There would be more great albums with star vocalists in the seventies, butthe bands purely instrumental works, which had begun in 1965, would also continue. Backthen Basie had engaged acclaimed Cuban composer/arranger Chico OFarrill to arrange themusic for such concept albums as Basie Meets Bond and Basies Beatle Bag, transformingthem into crossover gems. On High Voltage OFarrill demonstrates his affinity to Basies bigband sound, this time with a repertoire of standards. For this album, Basie specifically chosepieces the band had never recorded in their more than 30-year existence. This is sayingsomething, since the band covers such an impressive span of jazz history, from the beginningof the swing era to the bop-influenced bands of the 50s on through to the present album. TheCounts new drummer Harold Jones propels Fred Fishers Chicago with a tremendousdrive. The Rogers and Hart classic Have You Met Miss Jones features beguilingly densedeep-register horn lines and an almost languorous piano, and Eric Dixons tasty flute solospices up The Lady Is A Tramp. With its smoky sophistication, Eddie Lockjaw Davis Tenordominates Bewitched, whereas guest trumpeter Joe Newmans muted tongue-in-cheek solohighlights Day In Day Out. Of course, Basie himself also steps forward: for instance, on theFats Waller-like intro to Im Getting Sentimental Over You, and with the playful grace noteson If I Were A Bell. Reminiscent of the Las Vegas shows the band performed with FrankSinatra, Get Me To The Church On Time is also a masterful dialogue between the hornsections.

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