Count Basie would occasionally warn young, up-and-coming sidemen not to play in his bebop band, as it was firmly rooted in the rhythmic and harmonic foundations of the swing era. So how could Basie possibly record an album with Dizzy Gillespie, one of the founding fathers of bebop?
With pleasure! Before Gillespie developed bebop, he was a musician of the swing era. He and Basie drew from a shared wellspring of jazz knowledge and wisdom. As masters of the blues, they had no trouble connecting with each other. This 1977 album is built on the blues. The boundless possibilities inherent in this musical form challenged the inventiveness, flexibility, and enthusiasm of all the musicians. Bass and drums are provided by Ray Brown and Mickey Roker, two musicians undoubtedly qualified to play with two of the most important figures in jazz.
This 180-gram reissue from Analogue Productions was mastered by Kevin Gray and pressed at Quality Record Pressings to ensure optimal sound quality – an exceptional audiophile album.
