A flurry of press releases fail to clarify the concept of Late Night Basie. The new 23-minute collection consists of seven remakes of songs associated with or performed at least once by the Count Basie Orchestra. While entirely welcome, the tribute to the Kansas City legend is extremely odd. Here’s a ranking of the tracks.
"Blue & Sentimental": The roots music duo Larkin Poe gives the Basie original a gorgeous makeover.
“Jumpin’ at the Woodside”: A jump blues take on the classic featuring the Count Basie Orchestra with soloists Ray Angry and Jimmy Vivino.
“M-Squad”: Terence Blanchard joins the Count Basie Orchestra on a straight-ahead New Testament-era number.
"St. Thomas": Cimafunk, Soul Rebels and Nicholas Payton add New Orleans zest to the Sonny Rollins melody.
“One O’Clock Jump”: Jubilant swing revivalists Danny Jonokuchi & The Revisionists play the familiar tune with reverence.
“One O’Clock Jump”: Jazzmeia Horn scats on an unusual arrangement of the big band’s signature song. (Two of the seven tracks are interpretations of “One O’Clock Jump.”)
"Didn't You": The funk band Lettuce and the rapper Talib Kweli have both made loads of exceptional music. This effort is less than exceptional.
Traditionalists dismayed by the unconventional Basie initiative can take consolation in Live at Fabrik, Hamburg 1981. The recently issued live set features a lively group of nine Basie sidemen. Saxophonist Buddy Tate sounds particularly vibrant.