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A telling moment in this terrific Jazz Casual program occurs very early on, when host Ralph J. Gleason asks Count Basie the name of the first piece that the pianist-bandleader and his small group played. "I don't know," says Basie with a laugh. He's not being flip; "I Don't Know," as it eventually became known, is, like most of the other music Basie and company play here, nothing more or less than a blues jam, improvised on the spot. The "casual" label has never been more appropriate, as this 1968 performance finds Basie at his most relaxed. He smokes a lot. He talks a lot: about the influence of Duke Ellington and such legendary pianists as Fats Waller, Pete Johnson, and Meade Lux Lewis; about the genesis of "One O'Clock Jump," the Basie band's signature tune; and about his own playing style, which he self-effacingly calls "dated." And, best of all, he plays a lot, accompanied by the superb rhythm section of Sonny Payne on drums, Norman Keenan on bass, and the redoubtable Freddie Green on guitar. "I never get tired of playing the blues," Basie tells Gleason, and in the hands of these pros, you'll never get tired of listening to it. Basie's blues are inimitable: effortlessly swinging, completely cool, at once laconic and driving, danceable, humorous, just unmistakably right, with the rhythm players always on the beat and Basie himself the master of what not to play. This is great stuff, and highly recommended. --Sam Graham
| ACTORS: | Count Basie |
| CATEGORY: | Video |
| THEATRICAL RELEASE DATE: | 01 January, 1968 |
| MANUFACTURER: | Wea/Rhino |
| MPAA RATING: | NR (Not Rated) |
| FEATURES: | Black & White, NTSC |
| TYPE: | Music Video - Jazz |
| MEDIA: | VHS Tape |
| # OF MEDIA: | 1 |
| UPC: | 081227258238 |
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Customer Reviews of Jazz Casual - Count Basie
An Important Piece of Jazz History I really love the way Count Basie played piano and one didn't get to hear much of it in the big band setting. This VCR/DVD gives one a chance to let the Count stretch out and also gives the viewer an opportunity to watch him and his group play and listen to the Count talk. Recommended for the jazz fan and any piano student. I play it often and learn something every time. It features the Count, Sonny Payne, Freddie Greene and Norman Keenan on bass.
I was, however, disappointed with the sound quality. One can hear some of Freddie Green but the bass is lost.
Finally, I was amazed at the naivete and incompetence of the host, Ralph J. Gleason. The VCR opens with Basie and the boys playing a simple generic 32 bar AABA tune, probably derived as so many are, from the basic "I Got Rythmn" structure. As the Basie finishes, Ralph slides in on the piano bench beside Basie and says, first, "Well, Count what do you call that?". Clearly it has no name and Basie mumbles something to that effect and then Raph says, "Is that the way you used to play the blues in Kansas City?". I nearly fell of my chair the first time I saw this (for the non fan, the blues has a 12 bar structure) and even Basie is nonplused for a few moments but he recovers nicely without telling Ralph what a fool he is. I guess the musicians tolerated Ralph because he does come across as a nice guy.
Finally, for the listener interested in hearing Basie stretch out more, see the "Basie and Zoot" cd.