Although it appeared at a time when
Count Basie was enjoying respect from all quarters (as evidenced by the pop acclaim of several Grammy awards and the jazz faithful's enthusiasm for his concert at Newport),
Chairman of the Board was, comparatively, a low-profile session. The record was surrounded in
Basie's discography by several prize-winners and a parade of studio collaborations -- with vocalists
Tony Bennett,
Lambert, Hendricks & Ross, and
Billy Eckstine, plus arranger
Neal Hefti. This 1958 date for Roulette was a rare chance for the orchestra to perform on its own, and listeners to hear how powerful the band could be when its concentration was undiverted. Of course,
Basie's band already possessed three fine arrangers (
Frank Foster,
Thad Jones, and
Frank Wess) and at least a dozen solo voices. Each of the ten songs on
Chairman of the Board were originals by
Foster,
Jones,
Wess, or
Ernie Wilkins, all of them arranged by the composer. The record is admittedly heavy on the blues, but it's a brassy, powerful vision of the blues;
Foster's "Blues in Hoss' Flat" and
Wilkins' "Kansas City Shout" take the band back to its hometown, beginning with a subtle swing but ending with a raucous display of power from each section. The contributions by
Jones and
Wess provide a necessary complement to that forceful swing.
Jones' "Speaking of Sounds" employs the woodwinds to provide color and texture, while
Wess' "Segue in C" relies on bassist
Eddie Jones and
Basie's piano to lead the band while
Wess himself takes several choruses on alto sax. A dynamic date, it shows the "new testament" edition of
Basie's orchestra in top form. ~ John Bush