Count Basie: Complete Roulette Studio Recordings

The Complete Roulette Studio Recordings of Count Basie and His Orchestra

Discography

(Out-of-print)

The Complete Roulette Studio Recordings of Count Basie and His Orchestra

DISCOGRAPHY

After each selection, where known, the arranger is credited with the letter a and his initials. Where the arranger is also the composer, the designation is a/c. The arrangers are Count Basie, Frank Foster, Freddie Green, Neal Hefti, Thad Jones, Billy May, Jimmy Mundy, Joe Newman, Nat Pierce, Edgar Sampson, Lalo Schifrin, Ernie Wilkins, and Frank Wess.
The only two vocalists in this set are Joe Williams and Irene Reid. The selections on which each appears are designated by the letter v and his or her initials.
All New York selections with the possible exception of the July, 1962 dates were recorded at Capitol Studios, usually with Bob Arnold engineering. All Chicago sessions were done at Universal Recording possibly with Bruce Swedien engineering. All Los Angeles dates were done at United Recorders with Wally Heider engineering.
Selections that appear in italics do not appear in this collection because either they are rejected or no source material exists.
For the purposes of this discography, we have included only the issue numbers of Roulette’s 52000 Birdland series. The 4000 series issue numbers are singles, which, at least up to number 4103, were issued on both 45 and 78.

(A) Wendell Culley, Snooky Young, Thad Jones, Joe Newman (tps),
Henry Coker, Bill Hughes, Benny Powell (tbs), Frank Wess (as, fl), Marshall Royal (as), Eddie Lockjaw Davis (ts), Frank Foster (ts), Charles Fowlkes (bari), Count Basie (p), Freddie Green (g), Eddie Jones (b), Sonny Payne (d), Joe Williams (vcl).
NYC, September 19, 1957
12419-6 Gee Baby, Ain’t I Good To You vJW 4039, 52033
12421-1 Love Me Baby a/cJM unissued
12420-5 Confessin’ The Blues vJW unissued
12422-5 J and B a/cJM unissued

(B) Wendell Culley, Snooky Young, Thad Jones, Joe Newman (tps),
Henry Coker, Al Grey, Benny Powell (tbs), Frank Wess (as, fl), Marshall Royal (as), Eddie Lockjaw Davis (ts), Frank Foster (ts), Charles Fowlkes (bari), Count Basie (p), Freddie Green (g), Eddie Jones (b), Sonny Payne (d), Joe Williams (vcl).
NYC, October 21, 1957
12468-4 Flight Of The Foo Birds a/cNH 52003
12469-6 Double-O a/cNH 52003
12470-8 L’il Darlin’ a/cNH 52003, 52050, 52111
12471-2 Whirly-Birds a/cNH 52003, 52111
12472-14 Duet a/cNH 52003
12473-7 The Kid From Red Bank a/cNH 52003, 52111
12474-4 Midnight Blue a/cNH 52003
12475-6 Teddy The Toad a/cNH 52003

(C) same personnel as (B):
NYC, October 22, 1957
12476-10 The Late Late Show vJW unissued
12477-4 Silks And Satins a/cJM unissued
12478-4 Sleepwalker’s Serenade (alt) a/cJM CDP 7-97772-2
12478-6 Sleepwalker’s Serenade a/cJM unissued
12479-4 The Late Late Show 4109
12480-6 Splanky a/cNH 52003
12481-5 Fan Tail a/cNH 52003
12482-6 After Supper a/cNH 52003

(D) Wendell Culley, Snooky Young, Thad Jones, Joe Newman (tps),
Henry Coker, Al Grey, Benny Powell (tbs), Frank Wess (as, fl), Marshall Royal (as), Billy Mitchell (ts), Frank Foster (ts), Charles Fowlkes (bari), Count Basie (p), Freddie Green (g), Eddie Jones (b), Sonny Payne (d), Joe Williams (vcl).
Chicago, March 4, 1958
12792-9 Blues In Hoss’ Flat a/cFF 52032, 52050, 52111
12793-9 H.R.H. (Her Royal Highness) a/cTJ 52032, 52111
12794-11 How Can You Lose vJW 4061
12795-2 Five O’Clock In The Morning vJW 4061

(E) same personnel as (D):
NYC, April 3, 1958
12840 Pensive Miss a/cNH 52011
12481 Bag A’ Bones a/cNH 52011
12842 Has Anyone Here Seen Basie? a/cNH 52011
12043 Scoot a/cNH 52011

(F) same personnel as (D):
NYC, April 4, 1958
12844-7 Sloo-foot a/cNH 52011
12845-6 Pony Tail a/cNH 52011
12846-11 Late Date a/cNH 52011
12847 You’re A Memory vJW aNP unissued
12848-5 Tell Me Your Troubles vJW aNP rejected
12849-3 Hallelujah I Love Her So vJW aNP unissued
12849-4 Hallelujah I Love Her So vJW aNP 4103
note: Master 12847 is You’re A Memory by Joe Williams and the band. No tape exists of this unissued performance or of the master take of 12849. The only source disc we could find was a worn 78 pressed off center! So we’ve substituted the mono master of the preceeding take for the purposes of this set. On these numbers, Nat Pierce replaces Basie on piano.

(G) same personnel as (D):
NYC, April 14, 1958
12897-5 A Little Tempo Please a/cNH 52011
12898-6 Count Down a/cNH 52011
12899 It’s Awf’ly Nice To Be With You a/cNH 52011
12900 Cute a/cNH 52011, 52111

(H) same personnel as (D):
NYC, April 28, 1958
12820-3 Moten Swing aEW unissued
12821-2 Half Moon Street a/cFW 52032
12822-2 Who Me a/cFF 52032
12823-4 Ol’ Man River aJM unissued

(I) same personnel as (D):
NYC, April 29, 1958
12936-9 Kansas City Shout a/cEW 52032
12937-8 Mutt & Jeff a/cTJ 52032, 52111
tk.3 Fair And Warmer a/cEW unissued
12938 Can’t Leave That Woman Alone vJW unissued
12939 Pigalle Love vJW unissued
note: The original Roulette log lists the last two items. However, no tapes of these unissued performances exist.

(J) same personnel as (D):
NYC, September 9, 1958
13068-10 M-Squad Theme a/cBC 4109
note: The rest of this session is devoted to selections with Lambert, Hendricks and Ross.

(K) same personnel as (D):
NYC, October 15, 1958
12848-R8 Tell Me Your Troubles vJW aNP 4103
note: The rest of this session is devoted to selections with Lambert, Hendricks and Ross.

(L) same personnel as (D):
NYC, December 10, 1958
tk. 5 Imagination unissued
13410-4 The Deacon a/cTJ 52032
13411-4 Speaking Of Sounds a/cTJ 52032

(M) same personnel as (D):
NYC, December 12, 1958
13412-4 Segue In C a/cFW 52032, 52111
13413-6 T.V. Time a/cFF 52032

(N) same personnel as (D):
NYC, December 18, 1958
13442-4 Rat Race a/cQJ 52024, 52062, 52111
13443 For Lena and Lennie a/cQJ 52024

(O) same personnel as (D):
NYC, December 19, 1958
13444-8 The Big Walk a/cQJ 52024, 52117
13445-13 The Midnite Sun Never Sets a/cQJ 52024

(P) same personnel as (D):
NYC, December 20, 1958
13446-7 Meet B. B. a/cQJ 52024
13447 A Square At The Roundtable a/cQJ 52024

(Q) same personnel as (D):
Chicago, January 24, 1959
13513-6 Muttnik a/cQJ 52024
13514-14 Jessica’s Day a/cQJ 52024
13515-9 Quince a/cQJ 52024, 52111
13516-5 I Needs To Be Bee’d With a/cQJ 52024

(R) John Anderson, Thad Jones, Snooky Young, Joe Newman (tps), Henry Coker, Al Grey, Benny Powell (tbs), Marshall Royal (as), Frank Wess (as, fl), Billy Mitchell (ts), Frank Foster (ts), Charles Fowlkes (bari, fl), Count Basie (p), Freddie Green (g), Eddie Jones (b), Sonny Payne (d), Joe Williams-1 (vcl)
Chicago, September 24, 1959
14369-8 What Did You Win vJW 52033, 52093
14370-3 Cherry Red vJW aFF 52033
14371-5 Baby, Won’t You Please Come Home vJW aBM 52033
14372-5 Everyday I Have The Blues vJW aEW 52033, 52093, 52111

(S) same personnel as (R):
Chicago, September 25, 1959
14373-6 Ain’t No Use vJW 52033, 52093, 52111
14374-8 Shake, Rattle And Roll vJW 52033
14375-1 Good Morning Blues vJW 52033, 52093
14376-3 Just A Dream vJW aFF 52033

(T) same personnel as (D) or (R):
exact date and location unknown
14471 It’s A Low Down Dirty Shame vJW 52033

(U) same personnel as (R):
NYC, December 16, 1959
14679-13 It Had To Be You aTJ 52036
14680-4 Back To The Apple a/cFF unissued

(V) same personnel as (R):
NYC, December 18, 1959
14681-8 Give Me The Simple Life aTJ 52036
14682-18 It’s A Pity To Say Goodnight aTJ 52036

(W) same personnel as (R):
NYC, December 28, 1959
14683-21 Fools Rush In aTJ 52036
14684-5 Makin’ Whoopee aTJ 52036

(X) same personnel as (R):
NYC, December 30, 1959
14685-9 Easy Living aTJ 52036
14686-8 (Once I Had A) Secret Love aFF 52036
14687-9 Can’t We Be Friends? aTJ 52036

(Y) same personnel as (R):
NYC, prob. December 31, 1959
14688-11 Misty aFF 52036
14689-9 How Am I To Know? aTJ 52036

(Z) Sonny Cohn, Thad Jones, Snooky Young, Joe Newman (tps),
Henry Coker, Al Grey, Benny Powell (tbs), Marshall Royal (as, cl), Frank Wess (as, ts, fl), Billy Mitchell (ts, cl), Frank Foster (ts), Charles Fowlkes (bari, bcl, fl), Count Basie (p), Freddie Green (g), Eddie Jones (b), Sonny Payne (d), Joe Williams (vcl).
NYC, June 7, 1960
15060-4 The Daly Jump aCB & FG 52044
15061-4 Out The Window aFF RB-1, 52089, 52111
15062-8 Texas Shuffle aFF RB-1, 52089

(AA) same personnel as (Z):
NYC, June 8, 1960
15063-7 Topsy aFF RB-1, 52089
15064-1 Swingin’ The Blues aFF RB-1, 52081, 52111
15065 Mama’s Talkin’ Soft aTJ rejected

(BB) same personnel as (Z):
NYC, June 9, 1960
15065-11 Mama’s Talkin’ Soft aTJ 52044, 52057
15066-2 Tickle Toe aFF RB-1, 52089
15067-1 Back To The Apple a/cFF 52044, 52053
15068-5 Jumpin’ At The Woodside RB-1, 52081, 52111
15069-6 Lester Leaps In RB-1, 52089

(CC) same personnel as (Z):
NYC, June 14, 1960
15070-8 Shorty George aFF RB-1, 52081
15071-5 Blue And Sentimental aFF RB-1, 52081
15089-4 Doggin’ Around aFF RB-1, 52089

(DD) same personnel as (Z):
NYC, June 15, 1960
15090 Not Now, I’ll Tell You When aTJ rejected
15091-6 Down For Double aFF RB-1, 52081
note: The original working title of 15090 was Cap’n Bill.

(EE) same personnel as (Z):
NYC, June 16, 1960
15092-8 Rare Butterfly a/cFF 52044, 52053
15093-7 Blue On Blue a/cFW 52044
15090-16 Not Now, I’ll Tell You When a/cTJ 52044
15094-12 9:20 Special aFF RB-1, 52089

(FF) same personnel as (Z):
NYC, June 22, 1960
15095-5 Taps Miller aFF RB-1, 52081
15096-6 Avenue C aFF RB-1, 52089
15097-14 Red Bank Boogie aFF RB-1, 52111

(GG) same personnel as (Z) except that Gus Johnson (d) replaces Payne:
NYC, June 23, 1960
15098-9 Boogie Woogie vJW RB-1, 52081
15099-10 Sent For You Yesterday vJW RB-1, 52081
15100-1 Broadway aFF RB-1, 52089, 52111

(HH) same personnel as (Z):
NYC, June 24, 1960
15152-12 Swingin’ At The Waldorf a/cFW 52044
15153-9 Sweet And Purty a/cTJ 52044
15154-1 Ol’ Man River aJM 52044

(II) same personnel as (Z):
NYC, July 12, 1960
15155-5 Dickie’s Dream aFF RB-1, 52089
15156-5 Rock-a-bye Basie aFF RB-1, 52081
15157-10 Every Tub aFF RB-1, 52081

(JJ) same personnel as (Z) except Jimmy Nottingham (tp) and Seldon Powell (ts) replace Thad Jones and Frank Foster:
NYC, July 13, 1960
15158-10 Jive At Five aFF RB-1, 52081
15159-4 Time Out aFF RB-1, 52089

(KK) same personnel as (Z):
Chicago, August 24, 1960
15319-4 Trav’lin’ Light vJW aFF 52054
15320-1 Mean Old World vJW aFF 52054
15321-7 Confessin’ The Blues vJW aFF 52054

(LL) same personnel as (Z):
Chicago, August 25, 1960
15322-4 Night Time Is The Right Time vJW aFF 52054
15323-6 Keep Your Hand On Your Heart-1 vJW aFF 52054, 52093
-1 Basie plays organ

(MM) same personnel as (Z):
Chicago, August 26, 1960
15324-7 Chains Of Love vJW aFF 52054, 52093
15325-1 Mean, Mistreater vJW aFF 52054, 52093
15326 Tomorrow Night vJW aFF rejected

(NN) same personnel as (Z):
Chicago, August 27, 1960
15327-2 Key To The Highway vJW aFF 52054, 52093
15328-5 Lyin’ Woman vJW aFF 52054, 52093
15326-R3 Tomorrow Night (remake) vJW aFF 52054

(OO) same personnel as (Z):
LA, September 6, 1960
15339 The Wiggle Walk a/cBC (15451) 52056, 52075
15340 Katy Do a/cBC 52056
15341 Meetin’ Time a/cBC 52056
15342 Jackson County Jubilee a/cBC 52056
note: Thad Jones plays cornet on 15339

(PP) same personnel as (Z):
LA, September 7, 1960
CAL 001 Vine Street Rumble a/cBC (15445) 52056
CAL 002 Paseo Promenade a/cBC (15448) 52056
CAL 003 Blue Five Jive a/cBC (15449) 52056
CAL 004 Miss Missouri a/cBC (15446) 52056
CAL 005 Rompin’ At The Reno a/cBC (15450) 52056
CAL 006 Sunset Glow (15447) 52056
note: The master numbers in parentheses on these two LA sessions were assigned after the fact and reflect sequencing, not recording order.

(QQ) same personnel as (Z):
NYC, December 13, 1960
15632-14 Miss Lovely a/cFF unissued
15633-15 Loneliness a/cFF 52117

(RR) same personnel as (Z):
NYC, December 14, 1960
15634-7 Blues For Daddy-O a/cFF 52106

(SS) same personnel as (Z):
NYC, December 15, 1960
15635-6 Discommotion a/cFF unissued
15636-9 Unbeknownst a/cFF 52117
15637-10 Easin’ It -1 a/cFF 52106
15638-12 Brotherly Shove a/cFF 52106
15639 Red Hot Mama a/cEW 52113
-1 add Clark Terry (tp), who may also appear in the trumpet section on other titles from this session.

(TT) Al Aarons, Sonny Cohn, Thad Jones, Snooky Young (tps), Henry Coker, Quentin Jackson, Benny Powell (tbs), Benny Carter (as), Frank Wess (as, ts, fl), Budd Johnson (ts), Frank Foster (ts), Charles Fowlkes (bari), Count Basie (p), Sam Herman (g), Eddie Jones (b), Sonny Payne (d), Irene Reid (vcl), O. C. Smith (vcl).
NYC, October 30, 1961
16354-4 Goin’ On a/cBC 52086
16355-6 The Legend a/cBC 52086
16356 The Basie Twist a/cBC rejected
16357-7 The Trot a/cBC 52086

(UU) same personnel as (TT):
NYC, October 31, 1961
16356 The Basie Twist a/cBC 4403, 25176
Rompin’ At The Reno a/cBC unissued
note: No tape exists of this version of Rompin’ at the Reno.

(VV) same personnel as (TT):
NYC, November 1, 1961
16358-14 The Swizzle a/cBC 52086
Don’t Push, Don’t Pull vOCS aEW unissued
Don’t Worry ‘Bout Me vOCS aES unissued
16360-5 Who’s Blue a/cBC 52086
note: No tape exists of these O. C. Smith vocals. Live versions from Sweden appear on MR12/MD8-135.

(WW) same personnel as (TT):
NYC, November 2, 1961
16364-9 Turnabout -1 a/cBC 52086
16365-6 Amoroso -2 a/cBC 52086
16366-4 Easy Money a/cBC 52086
Easy Living vIR aEW unissued
Alexander’s Ragtime Band vIR aEW rejected
-1 Cozy Cole replaces Payne on this tune only
-2 Thad Jones (cymbal), Snooky Young (derby drum), Charles Fowlkes (claves), Basie (cowbell).
note: The Reid vocals and another take of Amoroso with Dizzy Gillespie playing cowbell no longer exist.

(XX) Al Aarons, Sonny Cohn, Thad Jones, Snooky Young (tps), Henry Coker, Quentin Jackson, Benny Powell (tbs), Marshall Royal (as, cl), Frank Wess (as, ts, fl), Eric Dixon (ts, fl), Frank Foster (ts), Charles Fowlkes (bari), Count Basie (p), Freddie Green (g), Eddie Jones (b), Sonny Payne (d), Irene Reid (vcl).
NYC, January 13, 1962
16515-14 Yes Sir, That’s My Baby vIR unissued
16516-7 Untouchable vIR aEW 4411
16517-2 Alexander’s Ragtime Band vIR aEW 4411
16518-4 Backwater Blues vIR unissued

(YY) Al Aarons, Sonny Cohn, Thad Jones, Fip Ricard (tps), Henry Coker, Quentin Jackson, Benny Powell (tbs), Marshall Royal (as, cl), Frank Wess (as, ts, fl), Eric Dixon (ts, fl), Frank Foster, Charles Fowlkes (bcl, bari), Count Basie(p), Freddie Green (g), Art Davis (b), Sonny Payne (d), Irene Reid (vcl).
NYC, July 1, 1962
16825-6 The Elder a/cTJ 52113
16826-3 Four-Five-Six a/cFF 52106
16827-7 Toot Sweet a/cTJ 52117
16828-4 Summer Frost a/cFW 52113
16829 The Song Is You rejected

(ZZ) same pesonnel as (YY) except Gus Johnson (d) replaces Sonny Payne:
NYC, July 3, 1962
16829-8 The Song Is You unissued
16830-4 I Got It Bad 52113
16831-5 Them That’s Got vIR unissued
16832-2 It Won’t Be Long vIR unissued

(AAA) same pesonnel as (YY) except Major Holley (b) replaces Art Davis, and Gus Johnson (d) replaces Sonny Payne:
NYC, July 5, 1962
16849-7 Matte Jersey a/cFF 52113
16850-4 Molasses a/cJN 52117
16851-8 Thanks For The Ride 52113

(BBB) same personnel as (YY) except Ike Isaacs (b) replaces Art Davis:
NYC, July 13, 1962
16867-9 The Third Stage a/cEW unissued
16868-10 I Gotcha a/cEW unissued

(CCC) same personnel as (YY) except Ike Isaacs (b) replaces Art Davis, and Louis Bellson (d) replaces Sonny Payne:
NYC, July 25, 1962
16881-8 The Touch Of Your Lips 52113
16882-7 Bluish Grey a/cTJ 52113
16883-1 It’s About That Time a/cFF 52106
16884-10 Mama Dev Blues a/cFF 52106

(DDD) same personnel as (CCC):
NYC, July 26, 1962
16895-5 Peppermint Pipes a/cFW 52113
16896-5 One Note Samba aLS 52113
16897-2 Basie’s Jingle Bells 52111
16898-21 Lullaby Of Birdland a/EW -1 52111 (edited)
16899-4 Misunderstood Blues a/cFF 52106
-1 The full version of Lullaby of Birdland is issued here for the first time.
note: Buddy Catlett is listed on bass on Roulette 52113, but he did not join the Basie band until September, 1962 and is not present on any of these July, 1962 sessions.

album index:
52003 E=MC2> (aka The Atomic Mr. Basie)
52011 Basie Plays Hefti
52024 Basie – One More Time
52032 Chairman of the Board
52033 Everyday I Have The Blues (Basie-Williams)
52036 Dance Along With Basie
52044 Not Now, I’ll Tell You When
52050 The Most – Volume One (Various artists)
52053 The Most – Volume Two (Various artists)
52054 Just The Blues (Basie-Williams)
52056 Kansas City Suite
52057 The Most – Volume Three (Various artists)
52062 The Most – Volume Four (Various artists)
52075 The Most – Volume Five (Various artists)
RB-1 (2 LPS) The Count Basie Story
52081 The Best of Basie
52086 The Legend
52089 The Best of Basie – Volume Two
52093 Back to Basie and The Blues (Basie-Williams)
52106 Easin’ It
52111 (3 LPS) The World of Count Basie
52113 Back With Basie
52117 Big Band Scene ’65 (Basie/Ferguson)
CDP 7-97772-2 Roulette Jazz Sampler (British CD)

Original sessions produced by Teddy Reig
Reissue produced by Michael Cuscuna
Executive producer: Charlie Lourie
All transfers and remixes by Malcolm Addey

Special thanks to Dean Pratt, Kenny Washington, Michel Ruppli and William Pauluh

Design direction: Richard Mantel
Design production: InkWell, Inc.

Masters appear courtesy of EMI Records, Ltd., under license from CEMA Special Markets.

Producer’s note:
The first three sessions in this collection were recorded in mono and in an odd kind of stereo where the rhythm section is all on one side and the entire orchestra is on the other. In addition, the engineer was getting his balance and mix for the mono master. As a result, the balance for the horns is out of whack on the “stereo” master. Since the mono masters are beautifully mixed and sound much richer and truer to the arrangements, we have decided to use these.
Sessions D through U were recorded in real stereo and appear here as such with the one exception of Hallelujah I Love Her So (F), for which only a mono tape exists.
Sessions V through XX were recorded in three track, giving us a second chance at getting the best possible sound by today’s standards. For Doggin’ Around (CC), Unbeknownst (SS), and Red Hot Mama (SS), no three track could be found and we had to use the original stereo mixes.
Sessions YY-CCC were recorded directly to stereo and the original masters were used.
Although we’re at the mercy of the original recording engineers with this material, we have tried to place saxophones to the left and brass to the right with the piano to the right or center. There is some variance because of different engineers’ balance and placement.
There are occasional problems due to recording or tape deterioration. The most obvious are some dropouts on Teddy the Toad (B), some electronic ticks on Mutt & Jeff (I), trumpet peak distortion on Swingin’ at the Waldorf (HH) and Discommotion (SS), and tape waiver on the last chord of The Legend (TT).

Michael Cuscuna