1 And The Angels Sing 3:02
2 If I Didn't Care 2:44
3 Twelfth Street Rag 3:01
4 Miss Thing - Part 1 2:53
5 Miss Thing - Part 2 2:42
6 Lonesome Miss Pretty 2:50
7 Bolero At The Savoy 2:56
8 Nobody Knows 2:44
9 Pound Cake 2:42
10 You Can Count On Me 2:54
11 You And Your Love 2:40
12 How Long Blues 2:56
13 Sub-Deb Blues 2:54
14 Moonlight Serenade 3:11
15 Song Of The Islands 3:00
16 I Can't Believe That You're In Love With Me 2:39
17 Clap Hands, Here Comes Charlie 2:26
18 Dickie's Dream 3:06
19 Lester Leaps In 3:10
20 The Apple Jump 2:55
21 I Left My Baby 3:12
22 Riff Interlude 3:02
23 Volcano 2:48
24 Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea 2:31
Vocals – Helen Humes (tracks: 1, 2, 7, 10, 11, 13, 14, 24), Jimmy Rushing (tracks: 8, 12, 16, 21)
Recorded: Apr 5, 1939-Nov 7, 1939
The Count Basie Orchestra may not have been the number one band popularity-wise in 1939 (Glenn Miller and Artie Shaw were ahead of Basie), but it was certainly the most swinging ensemble. With Buck Clayton, Harry "Sweets" Edison, Dicky Wells, Lester Young, and Buddy Tate as major soloists, Jimmy Rushing and Helen Humes providing vocals, and the Basie rhythm section saying so much with so little, few bands were in Basie's league. This set has a variety of Columbia/Vocalion recordings from 1939, including the two-part "Miss Thing," "You Can Count on Me," "Song of the Islands," "I Left My Baby," and two numbers from a small-group date ("Dickie's Dream" and "Lester Leaps In"); there are plenty of gems to choose from, although one does regret the lack of any alternate takes, as is Classics' custom.
---Scott Yanow, allmusic |
