THE COUNT BASIE ORCHESTRA with DEBORAH SILVER

BASIE ROCKS!

Green Hill Records

The first thing I notice about this very creative album are the Count Basie arrangements.  They are superb, starting with the very first tune. Surprisingly, Deborah Silver has selected a 1966 hit record by The Rolling Stones to open this album. Ms. Silver bursts into the arrangement with all the energy and eagerness of a pony about to compete at the Kentucky Derby. The horn section is flamboyant and introduces the song, pulling the musical gate open for Silver to crash through. The band refreshes the song as a Latin arrangement.  Silver’s voice reminds me of the ones you hear on a James Bond movie score. There is a little bit of Shirley Bassey in her style. The Multi-Grammy winning trumpeter, Arturo Sandoval is featured brilliantly in this arrangement by bass master, John Clayton.

The premise of this album is to blend rock music with big band jazz.  The talents of chart-topping jazz vocalist, Deborah Silver lead the way. She has won widespread acclaim with past album releases soaring up the Billboard Traditional Jazz Albums Chart, many to the number one spot. This is a different path.

On this recent release, the vocalist surrounds herself with some of the top names in the music business.  From the pop/rock world she invited guitarist and composer, Peter Frampton to join her, along with the Basie Band. He adds his soulful guitar solo to their arrangement of his hit record, “Baby, I Love Your Way.”  Frampton was recently inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRSQH8F-HOc&list=RDEMTtxjoDyMBfnxc7rkpOANOg&index=2

Another Grammy winner, jazz vocalist Kurt Elling joins her on “Tainted Love.” John Clayton is on bass, with Steve Jordan on drums. They’ve rearranged this rock song into a jazzy blues swing number, with Clayton taking a mesmerizing bass solo before the Basie band horn section soulfully blasts into the picture.

Deborah Silver joins the treasured list of amazing vocalists who have been featured with the Count Basie Orchestra including names like Joe Williams, Sarah Vaughan, Frank Sinatra, Jimmy Rushing, Tony Bennett, Marlena Shaw, Carmen Bradford, and Dennis Rowland to name just a few.  The difference is that this album transforms rock/pop music into big band beauty. I thoroughly enjoyed Silver’s take on “Old Time Rock & Roll” featuring Wycliffe Gordon. His growling, bluesy voice soulfully compliments Deborah Silver’s sweet vocals, arranged by Scotty Barnhart.

The players in THE COUNT BASIE ORCHESTRA are: Scotty Barnhart, band director/trumpet/arranger/co-producer; David Glasser, Markus Howell & Stantawn Kendrick, alto saxophones/flutes; Doug Lawrence, Patience Higgins, & Doug Miller, Tenor saxophones; Josh Lee, baritone saxophone; Isrea Bulter, lead trombone; Clarence Banks, Ben Williams, & Mark Williams, trombones; Ron Wilkins, bass trombone; Frank Greene, lead trumpet; Shawn Edmonds, Endre Rice & Brandon Lee, trumpets; Glen Pearson, piano; Will Matthews, guitar; Trevor Ware, acoustic bass; Robert Boone, drums. SPECIAL GUESTS: Arturo Sandoval, trumpet; Pedrito Martinez, congas/timbales; Peter Frampton, guitar; Kurt Elling, vocals; Steve Jordan, drums; John Clayton, bass; Monte Croft, vibraphone; Trombone Shorty, vocals; Lisa Fischer & Bernard Fowler, background vocals; Bill Frisell, guitar; George Coleman, tenor saxophone; Wycliffe Gordon, vocals & trombone; Herlin Riley, washboard/tambourine/second line snare drum.

Reviewed by Dee Dee McNeil

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