''The Original American Decca Recordings'' (also released as ''The Complete Decca Recordings'') is a 1992 compilation 3-CD set of sessions led by

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...

bandleader

Count Basie William James "Count" Basie (; August 21, 1904 – April 26, 1984) was an American jazz pianist, organist, bandleader, and composer. In 1935, he formed the Count Basie Orchestra, and in 1936 took them to Chicago for a long engagement and the ...

recorded for the

Decca Decca may refer to: Music * Decca Records or Decca Music Group, a record label * Decca Gold, a classical music record label owned by Universal Music Group * Decca Broadway, a musical theater record label * Decca Studios, a recording facility in W ...

label between 1937 and 1939.

Reception

For

Allmusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

Scott Yanow wrote "This magnificent three-disc set has the first 63 recordings by Count Basie's Orchestra, all of his Deccas. The consistency is remarkable (with not more than two or three turkeys) and the music is the epitome of swing... This is the first Count Basie collection to acquire and should be in every jazz collection".Yanow, S.
Allmusic Review
accessed February 24, 2014 ''

The Penguin Guide to Jazz ''The Penguin Guide to Jazz'' is a reference work containing an encyclopedic directory of jazz recordings on CD which were (at the time of publication) currently available in Europe or the United States. The first nine editions were compiled by ...

'' identified this set as part of their suggested "Core Collection" of essential jazz albums and awarded the compilation a "Crown" signifying a recording that the authors "feel a special admiration or affection for".Penguin Guide to Jazz: Crown Albums List
accessed February 24, 2014

Track listing

All compositions by Count Basie except where noted. Disc one: 1937 # " Honeysuckle Rose" (

Andy Razaf Andy Razaf (born Andriamanantena Paul Razafinkarefo; December 16, 1895 – February 3, 1973) was an American poet, composer and lyricist of such well-known songs as " Ain't Misbehavin'" and " Honeysuckle Rose". Biography Razaf was born in Washi ...

Fats Waller Thomas Wright "Fats" Waller (May 21, 1904 – December 15, 1943) was an American jazz pianist, organist, composer, violinist, singer, and comedic entertainer. His innovations in the Harlem stride style laid much of the basis for modern jazz pi ...

) – 2:58 # " Pennies from Heaven" ( Arthur Johnston, Johnny Burke) – 3:00 # "Swinging at the Daisy Chain" – 2:48 # "Roseland Shuffle" – 2:32 # " Exactly Like You" (

Dorothy Fields Dorothy Fields (July 15, 1904 – March 28, 1974) was an American librettist and lyricist. She wrote over 400 songs for Broadway musicals and films. Her best-known pieces include "The Way You Look Tonight" (1936), "A Fine Romance" (1936), " On t ...

Jimmy McHugh James Francis McHugh (July 10, 1894 – May 23, 1969) was an American composer. One of the most prolific songwriters from the 1920s to the 1950s, he is credited with over 500 songs. His songs were recorded by many artists, including Chet Baker, J ...

) – 2:41 # "Boo Hoo" (

Carmen Lombardo Carmen Lombardo (July 16, 1903 – April 17, 1971) was lead saxophonist and featured vocalist for his brother Guy Lombardo's orchestra. He was also a successful composer. In 1927, Carmen Lombardo was the vocalist of the hit record Charmaine, perf ...

Edward Heyman Edward Heyman (March 14, 1907October 16, 1981) was an American lyricist and producer, best known for his lyrics to " Body and Soul," "When I Fall in Love," and " For Sentimental Reasons." He also contributed to a number of songs for films. Biogr ...

, John Jacob Loeb) – 2:25 # " The Glory of Love" ( Billy Hill) – 2:29 # "Boogie Woogie (I May Be Wrong)" (Count Basie,

Jimmy Rushing James Andrew Rushing (August 26, 1901 – June 8, 1972) was an American singer and pianist from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, U.S., best known as the featured vocalist of Count Basie's Orchestra from 1935 to 1948. Rushing was known as " Mr. Five by ...

) – 2:49 # "Smarty (You Know It All)" (

Burton Lane Burton Lane ( Levy; February 2, 1912 – January 5, 1997) was an American composer and lyricist primarily known for his theatre and film scores. His most popular and successful works include '' Finian's Rainbow'' in 1947 and ''On a Clear Day You ...

Ralph Freed Ralph Freed (1 May 1907, Vancouver - February 13, 1973) was a Canadian born American lyricist and television producer. Early Life Born May 1, 1907 to Max Freed and Rosie (Rosza) Grossman who met in Charleston, SC. Ralph married Grace H. Berchma ...

) – 2:40 # "

One O'Clock Jump "One O'Clock Jump" is a jazz standard, a 12-bar blues instrumental, written by Count Basie in 1937. Background The melody derived from band members' riffs—Basie rarely wrote down musical ideas, so Eddie Durham and Buster Smith helped him cry ...

" – 3:00 # "Listen My Children and You Shall Hear" (Lane, Freed) – 3:05 # "John's Idea" – 2:53 # "Good Morning Blues" st Take(Count Basie,

Eddie Durham Edward Durham (August 19, 1906 – March 6, 1987) was an American jazz guitarist, trombonist, composer, and arranger. He was one of the pioneers of the electric guitar in jazz. The orchestras of Bennie Moten, Jimmie Lunceford, Count Basie ...

, Jimmy Rushing) – 3:12 # "Good Morning Blues" nd Take(Basie, Durham, Rushing) – 3:03 # "Our Love Was Meant to Be" ( Alex Hill, Fats Waller,

Joe Davis Joseph Davis (15 April 190110 July 1978) was an English professional snooker and English billiards player. He was the dominant figure in snooker from the 1920s to the 1950s, and has been credited with inventing aspects of the way the game i ...

) – 2:45 # "Time Out" (Durham) – 3:01 # " Topsy" (Durham) – 3:12 # "I Keep Remembering" (Charles Newman, Isham Jones) – 2:45 # "Out the Window" (Basie, Durham) – 3:08 # "Don't You Miss Your Baby" (Basie, Durham, Rushing) – 3:08 # "Let Me Dream" (

Henry Jerome Henry Jerome (November 12, 1917 – March 23, 2011) was an American big band leader, trumpeter, arranger, composer, and record company executive. Jerome formed his first dance band in 1932 in Norwich, Connecticut. His bands flourished throughou ...

) – 3:09 Note *Recorded in New York City on January 21 (tracks 1–4), March 26 (tracks 5–8), July 7 (tracks 9–12), August 9 (tracks 13–17) and October 13 (tracks 18–21), 1937 Disc two: 1938 # "Georgianna" (Austen Croom-Johnson, Frank Carle,

Red McKenzie William 'Red' McKenzie (October 14, 1899 – February 7, 1948) was an American jazz vocalist and musician who played a comb as an instrument. He played the comb-and-paper by placing paper, sometimes strips from the ''Evening World'', over the ti ...

) – 2:33 # "Blues in the Dark" – 3:04 # "Sent for You" (Durham, Rushing) – 2:57 # "Every Tub" (Basie, Durham) – 3:14 # "Now Will You Be Good?" (Arthur Terker, Harry Jentes, Harry Pease) – 2:46 # "Swingin' the Blues" (Basie, Durham) – 2:45 # " Mama Don't Want No Peas 'n' Rice 'n' Coconut Oil" (L. Charles,

L. Wolfe Gilbert Louis Wolfe Gilbert (August 31, 1886 – July 12, 1970) was a Russian Empire–born American songwriter of Tin Pan Alley. He is best remembered as the lyricist for "Ramona" (1928), the first movie theme song ever written. Biography Born i ...

) – 2:51 # "

Blue and Sentimental Blue and Sentimental is a song written by Count Basie, Jerry Livingston, and Mack David. It was written in 1938 and recorded by the Count Basie Orchestra on 6 June that year. Other recordings *1947 - Count Basie recorded the song again on October 1 ...

" (Basie,

Jerry Livingston Jerry Livingston (born Jerry Levinson; March 25, 1909 – July 1, 1987) was an American songwriter and dance orchestra pianist. Life and career Born in Denver, Colorado, Livingston studied music at the University of Arizona. While there he com ...

Mack David Mack David (July 5, 1912 – December 30, 1993) was an American lyricist and songwriter, best known for his work in film and television, with a career spanning the period between the early 1940s and the early 1970s. David was credited with writing ...

) – 3:10 # "Doggin' Around" (

Edgar Battle Edgar "Puddinghead" Battle (October 3, 1907 – February 6, 1977) was an American jazz multi-instrumentalist, composer, and arranger. He performed on trumpet, trombone, saxophone, and keyboard. Early life and education Battle was born into a m ...

Herschel Evans Herschel "Tex" Evans (9 March 1909 – 9 February 1939) was an American tenor saxophonist who was a member of the Count Basie Orchestra. He also worked with Lionel Hampton and Buck Clayton. He is also known for starting his cousin Joe McQueen's ...

) – 3:02 # "Stop Beatin' Round the Mulberry Bush" st Take(Bickley Reichner,

Clay Boland Clay Boland was a dentist and composer of popular songs. He was born October 25, 1903, in Olyphant, Pennsylvania, United States. He studied dentistry at the University of Philadelphia. In 1924, he won a university competition for a prom song with ...

) – 3:01 # "Stop Beatin' Round the Mulberry Bush" nd Take(Reichner, Boland) – 3:04 # "London Bridge Is Falling Down" (Abel Baer,

Ira Schuster Ira Schuster (October 13, 1889 – October 10, 1946) was an American songwriter, who worked as a pianist at various publishing companies on Tin Pan Alley in the early 20th century. He was also known as John Siras. Biography He was born in New ...

, Tot Seymour) 2:55 # "Texas Shuffle" (Evans) – 3:07 # "

Jumpin' at the Woodside "Jumpin' at the Woodside" is a song first recorded in 1938 by the Count Basie Orchestra, and considered one of the band's signature tunes. When first released it reached number 11 on the ''Billboard'' charts and remained on them for four weeks. ...

" – 3:08 # "How Long Blues" (

Leroy Carr Leroy Carr (March 27, 1904 or 1905 – April 29, 1935) was an American blues singer, songwriter and pianist who developed a laid-back, crooning technique and whose popularity and style influenced such artists as Nat King Cole and Ray Charles. Mus ...

) – 2:55 # "The Dirty Dozen" ( Rufus Perryman) – 3:01 # " Hey Lawdy Mama" (Cleve Reed) – 2:44 # "The Fives" (

Hersal Thomas Hersal Thomas (September 9, 1906 – June 2, 1926) was an American blues pianist and composer. He recorded a number of sides for Okeh Records in 1925 and 1926. Thomas was born in Houston, Texas, United States, and displayed an early talen ...

George W. Thomas George Washington Thomas Jr. (March 9, 1883 – March 6, 1937)
Retrieved 4 December 2016

) – 2:45 # "Boogie Woogie" ( Clarence Smith) – 3:01 # "Dark Rapture" (

Benny Goodman Benjamin David Goodman (May 30, 1909 – June 13, 1986) was an American clarinetist and bandleader known as the "King of Swing". From 1936 until the mid-1940s, Goodman led one of the most popular swing big bands in the United States. His co ...

Edgar Sampson Edgar is a commonly used English given name, from an Anglo-Saxon name ''Eadgar'' (composed of '' ead'' "rich, prosperous" and '' gar'' "spear"). Like most Anglo-Saxon names, it fell out of use by the later medieval period; it was, however, r ...

, Manny Kurtz) – 2:38 # "Shorty George" – 2:44 # "The Blues I Like to Hear" (

Buster Smith Henry Franklin "Buster" Smith (August 24, 1904 – August 10, 1991), also known as Professor Smith, was an American jazz alto saxophonist and mentor to Charlie Parker.Handbook of Texas Online, s.v. "," https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/artic ...

, Rushing) – 3:07 # "Do You Wanna Jump, Children?" (

Jimmy Van Heusen James Van Heusen (born Edward Chester Babcock; January 26, 1913 – February 6, 1990) was an American composer. He wrote songs for films, television and theater, and won an Emmy and four Academy Awards for Best Original Song. Life and care ...

, Victor Selsman,

Willie Bryant William Stevens Bryant (August 30, 1908 – February 9, 1964) was an American jazz bandleader, vocalist, and disc jockey, known as the "Mayor of Harlem". Biography Born in Chicago, Illinois, United States, while growing up he took trumpet l ...

) – 2:39 # "Panassie Stomp" – 2:47 Note *Recorded in New York City on January 3 (tracks 1 & 2), February 16 (tracks 3–6), June 6 (tracks 7–9), August 12 (tracks 10–14) and November 9 (tracks 15–19) and November 16 (tracks 20–24), 1938 Disc three: 1939 # " My Heart Belongs to Daddy" (

Cole Porter Cole Albert Porter (June 9, 1891 – October 15, 1964) was an American composer and songwriter. Many of his songs became standards noted for their witty, urbane lyrics, and many of his scores found success on Broadway and in film. Born to ...

) – 2:54 # "Sing for Your Supper" (

Lorenz Hart Lorenz Milton Hart (May 2, 1895 – November 22, 1943) was an American lyricist and half of the Broadway songwriting team Rodgers and Hart. Some of his more famous lyrics include " Blue Moon", " The Lady Is a Tramp", "Manhattan", "Bewitched, Both ...

Richard Rodgers Richard Charles Rodgers (June 28, 1902 – December 30, 1979) was an American Musical composition, composer who worked primarily in musical theater. With 43 Broadway musicals and over 900 songs to his credit, Rodgers was one of the most ...

) – 2:42 # "Oh! Red" (

Kansas Joe McCoy Wilbur "Kansas Joe" McCoy (May 11, 1905 – January 28, 1950) was an American Delta blues singer, musician and songwriter. Career McCoy performed under various stage names but is best known as Kansas Joe McCoy. Born in Raymond, Mississippi, he ...

) – 2:53 # "Fare Thee Honey, Fare Thee Well" st Take(

J. Mayo Williams Jay Mayo "Ink" Williams (September 25, 1894 – January 2, 1980) was a pioneering African-American producer of recorded blues music. Some historians have claimed that Ink Williams earned his nickname by his ability to get the signatures of t ...

, John Akers) – 3:04 # "Fare Thee Honey, Fare Thee Well" nd Take(Williams, Akers) – 3:02 # "Dupree Blues" (George White,

Woody Herman Woodrow Charles Herman (May 16, 1913 – October 29, 1987) was an American jazz clarinetist, saxophonist, singer, and big band leader. Leading groups called "The Herd", Herman came to prominence in the late 1930s and was active until his dea ...

) – 3:04 # "When the Sun Goes Down" st Take(Carr) – 2:45 # "When the Sun Goes Down" nd Take(Carr) – 2:54 # "Red Wagon" (

Richard M. Jones Richard M. Jones, born Richard Marigny Jones (sometimes written Richard Mariney Jones), (June 13, 1892 – December 8, 1945) was an American jazz pianist, composer, band leader, and record producer. Numerous songs bear his name as author, includi ...

) – 2:52 # " You Can Depend On Me" (Charlie Carpenter,

Earl Hines Earl Kenneth Hines, also known as Earl "Fatha" Hines (December 28, 1903 – April 22, 1983), was an American jazz pianist and bandleader. He was one of the most influential figures in the development of jazz piano and, according to one source, " ...

, Louis Dunlap) – 3:07 # " Cherokee, Part 1" (

Ray Noble Raymond Stanley Noble (17 December 1903 – 2 April 1978) was an English jazz and big band musician, who was a bandleader, composer and arranger, as well as a radio host, television and film comedian and actor; he also performed in the United ...

) – 3:10 # "Cherokee, Part 2" (Noble) – 3:03 # "Blame It on My Last Affair" st Take(

Henry Nemo Henry Nemo (June 8, 1909 – November 26, 1999) was a musician, songwriter, and actor in Hollywood films who had a reputation as a hipster. Band leading In 1941, Nemo formed his own 19-piece band. The group featured four Chinese women as singers ...

Irving Mills Irving Harold Mills (born Isadore Minsky; January 16, 1894 – April 21, 1985) was an American music publisher, musician, lyricist, and jazz artist promoter. He sometimes used the pseudonyms Goody Goodwin and Joe Primrose. Personal Mills was ...

) – 2:43 # "Blame It on My Last Affair" nd Take(Nemo, Mills) – 2:42 # "Jive at Five" (

Harry Edison Harry "Sweets" Edison (October 10, 1915 – July 27, 1999) was an American jazz trumpeter and a member of the Count Basie Orchestra. His most important contribution was as a Hollywood studio musician, whose muted trumpet can be heard backi ...

) – 2:49 # "Thursday" (Dorothy Sachs, Irvin Graham, Louis Haber) – 3:04 # "Evil Blues" (Basie, Edison, Rushing) – 3:13 # " Oh, Lady Be Good!" (

George Gershwin George Gershwin (; born Jacob Gershwine; September 26, 1898 – July 11, 1937) was an American composer and pianist whose compositions spanned popular, jazz and classical genres. Among his best-known works are the orchestral compositions ' ...

Ira Gershwin Ira Gershwin (born Israel Gershovitz; December 6, 1896 – August 17, 1983) was an American lyricist who collaborated with his younger brother, composer George Gershwin, to create some of the most memorable songs in the English language of the 2 ...

) – 3:10 Note *Recorded in New York City on January 5 (tracks 1–3), January 26 (tracks 4–9), February 2 (track 10), February 3 (tracks 11–14) and February 4 (tracks 15–18), 1939

Personnel

– piano *Bobby Moore (tracks: 1–5 to 1–21),

Buck Clayton Wilbur Dorsey "Buck" Clayton (November 12, 1911 – December 8, 1991) was an American jazz trumpeter who was a member of Count Basie's orchestra. His principal influence was Louis Armstrong, first hearing the record "Confessin' That I Love You" ...

(tracks: 1-1 to 2–14, 2–20 to 3–2, 3–11), Carl "Tatti" Smith (tracks: 1-1 to 1–4), Ed Lewis (tracks: 1–5 to 1–7),

(tracks: 2–3 to 2–14, 2–20 to 3–2, 3–11 to 3–18), Joe Keyes (tracks: 1-1 to 1–4), Karl George (tracks: 2-1, 2–2),

Shad Collins Lester Rallingston "Shad" Collins (June 27, 1910 – June 6, 1978) was an American jazz trumpet player, composer and arranger, who played in several leading bands between the 1930s and 1950s, including those led by Chick Webb, Benny Carter, Count ...

(tracks: 3-1, 3–2, 3–10 to 3–18) – trumpet *

Benny Morton Benny Morton (January 31, 1907 – December 28, 1985) was an American jazz trombonist, most associated with the swing genre. Career He was born in New York, United States. One of his first jobs was working with Clarence Holiday, and he appea ...

(tracks: 1–18 to 2–14, 2–20 to 3–2, 3–11 to 3–14, 3–16 to 3–18),

Dan Minor Dan "Slamfoot" Minor (August 10, 1909 – April 11, 1982) was an American jazz trombonist who featured in the bands of Count Basie, Cab Calloway and many others from the 1920s to the 1940s. Early life He was born in Dallas, Texas, and played ...

(tracks: 1-1 to 2–14, 2–20 to 3–2, 3–11 to 3–14, 3–16 to 3–18),

Dicky Wells William Wells (June 10, 1907 – November 12, 1985), known professionally as Dicky Wells (sometimes Dickie Wells), was an American jazz trombonist. Career Dickie Wells is believed to have been born on June 10, 1907 in Centerville, Tennessee, Uni ...

(tracks: 2–10 to 2–14, 2–20 to 3–2, 3–11 to 3–18), George Hunt (tracks: 1-1 to 1–17) –

trombone The trombone (german: Posaune, Italian, French: ''trombone'') is a musical instrument in the Brass instrument, brass family. As with all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player's vibrating lips cause the Standing wave, air column ...

– trombone, guitar (tracks: 1–13 to 2–9) *

(tracks: 1-1 to 2–14, 2–20 to 3–2),

Lester Young Lester Willis Young (August 27, 1909 – March 15, 1959), nicknamed "Pres" or "Prez", was an American jazz tenor saxophonist and occasional clarinetist. Coming to prominence while a member of Count Basie's orchestra, Young was one of the most i ...

(tracks: 1-1 to 2–14, 2–20 to 3–2, 3–10 to 3–18) –

clarinet The clarinet is a musical instrument in the woodwind family. The instrument has a nearly cylindrical bore and a flared bell, and uses a single reed to produce sound. Clarinets comprise a family of instruments of differing sizes and pitches ...

tenor saxophone The tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the saxophone family, a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s. The tenor and the alto are the two most commonly used saxophones. The tenor is pitched in the key of B (while th ...

Earle Warren Earle Warren (born Earl Ronald Warren; July 1, 1914 – June 4, 1994) was an American saxophonist. He was part of the Count Basie Orchestra from 1937. Early life Warren was born in Springfield, Ohio, on July 1, 1914. "He played piano, banjo, an ...

(tracks: 1–9 to 2–14, 2–20 to 3–2, 3–11 to 3–14, 3–16 to 3–18) –

alto saxophone The alto saxophone is a member of the saxophone family of woodwind instruments. Saxophones were invented by Belgian instrument designer Adolphe Sax in the 1840s and patented in 1846. The alto saxophone is pitched in E, smaller than the B tenor ...

, vocals * Caughey Roberts – alto saxophone (tracks: 1–4 to 1–8), *

Jack Washington Ronald "Jack" Washington (July 17, 1910 – November 28, 1964) was an American jazz saxophonist who was a member of the Count Basie orchestra in the 1930s and 1940s. Life and career Born in Kansas City, Kansas, he started playing soprano saxo ...

(tracks: 1-1 to 2–14, 2–20 to 3–2, 3–11 to 3–18) – alto saxophone,

baritone saxophone The baritone saxophone is a member of the saxophone family of instruments, larger (and lower-pitched) than the tenor saxophone, but smaller (and higher-pitched) than the bass. It is the lowest-pitched saxophone in common use - the bass, contra ...

Chu Berry Leon Brown "Chu" Berry (September 13, 1908 – October 30, 1941) was an American jazz tenor saxophone, tenor saxophonist during the 1930s. According to music critic Gary Giddins, musicians called him "Chu" either because he chewed on the mouthp ...

(tracks: 3–11 to 3–14, 3–16 to 3–18) –

* Claude Williams (tracks: 1-1 to 1–4),

Freddie Green Frederick William Green (March 31, 1911 – March 1, 1987) was an American swing jazz guitarist who played rhythm guitar with the Count Basie Orchestra for almost fifty years. Early life and education Green was born in Charleston, South Ca ...

(tracks: 1–5 to 3–18) – guitar *

Walter Page Walter Sylvester Page (February 9, 1900 – December 20, 1957) was an American jazz multi-instrumentalist and bandleader, best known for his groundbreaking work as a double bass player with Walter Page's Blue Devils and the Count Basie Orchestr ...

– bass *

Jo Jones Jonathan David Samuel Jones (October 7, 1911 – September 3, 1985) was an American jazz drummer. A band leader and pioneer in jazz percussion, Jones anchored the Count Basie Orchestra rhythm section from 1934 to 1948. He was sometimes k ...

– drums *

Helen Humes Helen Humes (June 23, 1913 – September 9, 1981) was an American singer. Humes was a teenage blues singer, a vocalist with Count Basie's band, a saucy R&B diva, and a mature interpreter of the classic popular song. Early life She was born on ...

(tracks: 2–20, 3–1, 3–2, 3–13, 3–14, 3–16),

(tracks: 1-1, 1–5, 1–6, 1–8, 1–11, 1–13, 1–14, 1–18, 1–20, 2–1 to 2–3, 2–5, 2–7, 2–10 to 2–12, 2–22, 2–23, 3–10, 3–17) – vocals

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Original American Decca Recordings 1992 compilation albums Count Basie Orchestra compilation albums GRP Records compilation albums Swing compilation albums