Count Basie

Chairman of the board Count Basie Limited edition

Presented here is the complete classic album Chairman of the Board (Roulette SR52032), recorded around the same time the Count made his classic LP Basie Plays Hefti. The Basie band was full of great musicians by that time, such as Thad Jones, Joe Newman, Frank Wess and Frank Foster, plus Basie himself and the evergreen (no pun intended) Freddie Green in the rhythm section. All of the songs from the LP were original compositions by members of the band. Six tracks that complete the music recorded during the Chairman of the Board sessions, as well as live versions of three of the sessions' tunes from the same period have been added as a bonus.

COUNT BASIE & His Orchestra

Collective personnel: Thad Jones, John Anderson, Snooky Young, Wendell Culley, Joe Newman (tp), Henry Coker, Al Grey, Benny Powell (tb), Marshall Royal (cl, as), Frank Wess (as, ts, fl), Billy Mitchell, Frank Foster (ts), Charlie Fowlkes (bar), Count Basie (p), Freddie Green (g), Eddie Jones (b), Sonny Payne (d), Joe Williams (vcl). Chicago & New York, March-December 1958.

** Bonus tracks (17-19): Similar personnel. Live at the Crescendo Club, Los Angeles, circa June 26, 1958.