Search - Count Basie :: Basie Talks: The New Testament Band

Great Band

Brian Renehan | Melbourne, Australia | 01/04/2006

(3 out of 5 stars)

"The track listing on this CD as quite historical as it was the first time the "New Testament" Basie band recorded. All the tracks were recorded and produced by Norman Granz in New York. I would always consider my self a Basie Old Testament person but I have to say I just love these recordings. I think this Cd really shows the skill that William Basie had to be able to put together a new line up of such high quality. You will also have the pleasure of hearing some of Basies' first Neal Hefti arrangements. This Cd just has loads of great tracks. It also has a nice little computer multi media section that if you pop it into your computer it gives you some nice Count Basie History and Photos.

The problem I have with this Cd is that I found the Mastering quite bad. You can really hear it in the mid highs and it sounds like there is some clipping taking place.

Now I understand this is an early Hi Fi recording and thee is some minor cracks and pops you can hear from the original take and that I don't have an issue with at all.

This is a Cd I would love to recommend, but because of the Mastering issues.

"

Long awaited

Dr. Walter Oberlnder | D 50935 Koeln, Nordrhein- Westfalen Germany | 11/24/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Norman Granz recorded Count Basie in the early fifties. I found those recordings on Japan Vinyls, they sounded great for recordings of this time. Now these digital remasterings sound much better. And the discographical data are complete! You should also buy the other CD: Count Basie: Be my guest. The two CDs contain more than three LPs, the tunes are in chronological order (not the LPs!).I hope, ocium will continue this series,it seems, Verve has forgotten them (with the exception of Basie: Band of Distinction)."