This 1958 session by members of two distinct editions of
Count Basie's band is actually a follow-up to a similar reunion,
For Basie, recorded earlier the same year. With tenor saxophonist
Paul Quinichette as the leader and trumpeters
Shad Collins and
Buck Clayton in the front line,
Jack Washington was lured out of semi-retirement to play baritone sax, though he obviously was having some problems with the instruments, due to the fact he had played alto sax almost exclusively around the time this recording was made.
Nat Pierce fills
Count Basie's economical role on piano, and the rest of the rhythm section includes rhythm guitarist
Freddie Green (who served 50 years with the
Basie organization), bassist
Eddie Jones, and drummer
Jo Jones. The five selections all date from
Basie's repertoire circa 1937-1940, and other than
Washington's numerous reed squeaks, the playing is first-rate. While this session isn't meant to substitute for the original recordings by
Count Basie, the consistently swinging performances make this meeting of mostly
Basie alumni worth purchasing.