This recording could be considered a near-sibling to April In Paris, since several of its tracks date from sessions out of the same month. Others overlap with material cut for The Greatest! Count Basie Plays . . . Joe Williams Sings Standards, and it isn't as compelling a record, either as a Joe Williamsvehicle or a Basie showcase, as either of those, though it does have its moments, most notably the original finale, Arranger Ernie Wilkins' "From Coast to Coast," an 8½-minute blow-out; the Ella Fitzgerald-Joe Williams duet on "Too Close For Comfort," and the title track, rearranged by Wilkins but close to the classic rendering, which features lively solos by Frank Wess, Benny Powell, Frank Foster, and (especially)Joe Newman and Henry Coker. Williams is the dominant presence on the album, singing on seven of the original 10 tracks, and his presence is a bit of a drag on some of the proceedings, especially "Only Forever." His work with Basie from this era is better represented onCount Basie Swings, Joe Williams Sings, although he and the band acquit themselves very well here on "Stop, Pretty Baby, Stop," where all hands are firing on all cylinders at once for a change. The bonus tracks include a heavier, punchier outtake of "One O'Clock Jump" featuring the same soloists, plus a Williams-solo version of "Too Close For Comfort." The CD is a good package, with superb sound, though some historical notes would've been nice to put the sessions in perspective. A handy mid-priced reissue.
Track listing
1."Too Close for Comfort" – 3:02
2."Smack Dab in the Middle" – 3:36
3."Amazing Love" – 3:28
4."Only Forever" – 3:34
5."Don't Worry 'Bout Me" – 3:01
6."Stop, Pretty Baby" – 3:04
7."One O'Clock Jump" – 4:29
8."Jamboree" – 4:56
9."I Don't Like You No More" – 2:37
10."From Coast to Coast" – 8:31
11."Too Close for Comfort" – 2:56
12."One O'Clock Jump" – 2:03
13."One O'Clock Jump" – 4:34
Tracks 12, 13 alternate takes, and substitute Ella Fitzgerald on all tracks but the first.
Personnel
Ella Fitzgerald - Vocals
Joe Williams
The Count Basie Orchestra
Count Basie - Piano
Henry Coker - Trombone
Benny Powell
Bill Hughes
Wendell Culley - Trumpet
Reunald Jones
Thad Jones
Joe Newman
Frank Foster - Tenor saxophone
Charlie Fowlkes - Baritone saxophone
Bill Graham - Alto saxophone
Marshall Royal - Clarinet, Alto saxophone
Frank Wess - Flute, Tenor saxophone
Freddie Green - Guitar
Eddie Jones - Double Bass
Sonny Payne - drums
Edgar Sampson - Arranger
Ernie Wilkins
Tracks 1 to 7, 10, 11 and 13 recorded January and June 1956 at Fine Sound, New York City; tracks 2 and 3 recorded January 4; tracks 4 and 6 recorded January 5; track 1 recorded June 25; track 5 recorded June 26; tracks 7, 10, 11 and 13 recorded June 27.
Tracks 8, 9 and 12 probably recorded between April 23 and 30, 1957 in Hollywood.
Tracks 1 to 10 original-LP issue: "One O'Clock Jump" Verve MGV-8288 (Tracks 1 to 10 are in their original-LP sequence).
Track 12 original-EP issue: Verve EPV 5062
Tracks 11 and 13 previously unissued.
℗ & © 1999 PolyGram Records, Inc.
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