Search - Duke Ellington, Count Basie :: First Time: The Count Meets the Duke

Duke Ellington, Count Basie
First Time: The Count Meets the Duke
Genres: Blues, Jazz, Pop

Track Listings (15) - Disc #1
1. Battle Royal
2. To You
3. Take The "A" Train
4. Until I Met You
5. Wild Man
6. Segue In C
7. B D B
8. Jumpin' At The Woodside
9. One More Once - (bonus track)
10. Take The "A" Train - (bonus track, previously unreleased, alternate take, rehearsal)
11. Jumpin' At The Woodside - (bonus track, previously unreleased, alternate take)
12. B D B - (bonus track, previously unreleased, alternate take)
13. Blues In Hoss' Flat (Blues In Frankie's Flat) - (bonus track)
14. Wild Man - (bonus track, previously unreleased, alternate take)
15. Battle Royal - (bonus track, previously unreleased, alternate take, rehearsal)

CD Details

All Artists: Duke Ellington, Count Basie
Title: First Time: The Count Meets the Duke
Members Wishing: 0
Total Copies: 0
Label: Sony
Original Release Date: 1/1/1961
Re-Release Date: 4/27/1999
Album Type: Original recording reissued, Original recording remastered
Genres: Blues, Jazz, Pop
Style: Swing Jazz
Number of Discs: 1
SwapaCD Credits: 1
UPCs: 074646557129, 074646557167

Synopsis

Amazon.com essential recording

The two greatest big bands in jazz history side by side on your headphones: What can be more glorious? If, as Billy Strayhorn said, Duke Ellington's band was his instrument, then this 1961 session finds Ellington and Count Basie "trading fours," as it were. The composer credits and solo space are divided democratically, to say the least--four songs from Duke's camp, four from Basie's. The sparring between soloists of both bands is a pure delight, especially the gentle conversations between the two leaders-pianists, who finish each other's thoughts as if all four hands were attached to one unified torso. Highlights include two engaging new Duke compositions--the blistering opener "Battle Royal" and the impulsive "Wild Man"--and the closing Basie chestnut "Jumpin' at the Woodside," on which the lead tenors Frank Foster and Paul Gonsalves engage in ferocious dueling. Amazingly, there is no toe-stepping amid the rousing interplay. --Marc Greilsamer

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CD Reviews

The Duke and The Count, 'nuff said!

Brian H. Williams | Manteca, CA United States | 09/21/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"In the 60's, the record companies came to a realization that they had better record the Duke with many of the greatest Jazz men around such as Satchmo, The Count and Coltrane, to name but a few. The differences between those later collaborations (after the Count, like the one with Coltrane) is that the producers took away The Duke from his Big Band. The Coltrane album is just the two of them. That's great, but Duke made his claim to fame with his big band, and this album with Count allows two of the greatest big band leaders of all time to go at it. The results are just splendid. What makes this release even more exciting is all the outtakes. You can hear what goes on behind the scenes, then you can marvel at the amazing fact that this recording was made with no rehersals!!!! Yes, buy it and be amazed!"

Basie and Ellington in the same room yields jazz perfection.

Brian H. Williams | 11/20/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This CD reflects two all time great jazz orchestras. Ellington and Basie really know how to cook. The rehearsal tracks of "A Train" and "Battle Royal" are really intresting. Also, the linear notes are very informative. A must have for any Basie or Ellington fan."

Smoking music

Tony Thomas | SUNNY ISLES BEACH, FL USA | 04/19/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Forget the history, the background, the drama, the analysis, this music smokes. It groves, it burns, it makes you want to dance, and it makes you want to listen, it provides heat, light, and electricity too.

The two bands are smoking. This is the hotest straight ahead head arrangement swing either group played in the period. This is what makes the bands which were otherwise overly arranged and precision units by the time this CD was made, smoke. The production values on these tracks must have been quite low: get the two bands in the studio, get a minimum number of tracks going, find some tunes that are blues based with standard progressions, and let the rhythm sections bounce, let the soloists rip.

Rip, rip rip rip away they do, and it takes a long time of listening to figure out who is who what is what, by that time you dont care. You just want the beat to go on, the bands to keep wailing and you don't care whether it is Count Basie and Duke Ellington, or Frosty the Snowman.

I am not much on the New Testament or Ellington in the 1960s but you need this groove!"