Basie Victors
I hate to rate performances, but I can't help feeling that someone should respond to the review that emusic posted about these RCA Victor sides by Basie. Although he was at a low point in his popularity during the late forties and was often asked by Victor records to record some novelty material that he would have normally avoided, there are some real gems included in this album. The band was a good one featuring Emmett Berry, Sweets Edison and Clark Terry, Dicky Wells, Paul Gonsalves and Jo Jones or Shadow Wilson. The arrangements are by Buck Clayton, Buster Harding and Jimmy Mundy. There are even ten sides by a small contingent from the band. I would single out: Seventh Ave. Express, Guest In A Nest, Money Is Honey, South,Walking Slow behind You, Sugar, I Never Knew, Bill's Mill, Your Red Wagon, Swinging The Blues, Rat Race, Sweets, - actually I don't have time to list all the great stuff here. Decide for yourself.
