Quincy Jones and Count Basie

[fc718]

I'm trying to remember an album that featured Quincy Jones arrangements and, at least on some cuts, the Count Basie Band and Freddie Hubbard. I want to say it came out in the 1970s--real hip arrangements and the Basie Band sounding unlike anywhere else. Does this ring a bell for anyone?

[Teasing the Korean]

Are you thinking of "Afrique" on Flying Dutchman, with arrangements by Oliver Nelson?

[JSngry]

That's what I was thinking, that & the appearance of Freddie on Q's classic Walking In Space album.

[DTMX]

There was an album called Lil' Ol' Groovemaker... Basie! where QJ wrote most of the tunes and did all of the arranging. A good recording with one great song: Nasty Magnus. But probably not the one you're talking about.

I heard Nasty Magnus on a Verve compilation and traveled the world searching for the original album (hoping there would be similar songs). Found it in a Tower Records in the Shibuya district of Tokyo.

[marcello]

Are you thinking of "Afrique" on Flying Dutchman, with arrangements by Oliver Nelson?

Flying Dutchman LP, 1971

1 step right up

2 hobo flats

3 gypsy queen (by gabor szabo)

4 love flower (by albert ayler)

5 afrique

6 kilimanjaro

7 african sunrise

8 japan (by pharoah sanders)

count basie, oliver nelson, freddy green, norman keenan, john b. williams, harold jones, richard pablo landrum, sonny morgan, warren smith, buddy lucas, full horn section incl cecil payne, hubert laws, eddie lockjaw davis, waymon reed

[fc718]

It was "Afrique".....no wonder I couldn't find it in a Quincy Jones discography. Thanks everyone!

[Shawn]

Okay, now I'm interested in hearing this thing....

[JSngry]

It's ok, not great, but good. As a Basie album, it's a curiosity, mostly, & as an Oliver Nelson album, it's....ok.

Don't be fooled by the presence of Ayler, Pharoah, etc. tunes, though. Everything's totally "inside".

[Shawn]

Oh I'm sure it's very inside and mostly a curiosity...but I dig the Basie Meets Bond record so my expectations aren't that high.

[JSngry]

Hey, that's a damn good record.

At least it is when Lockjaw plays.

[Teasing the Korean]

I love this album. The first two tunes, IIRC, are straight ahead Basie and I remember feeling disappointed that it wasn't living up to its title. Then, at track three, it kicks in. Parts of it are in a very modal/groovy Gabor Szabo bag, albeit with big band. Aside from the first two tunes, this is my favorite Basie album.

[gmonahan]

I love this album. The first two tunes, IIRC, are straight ahead Basie and I remember feeling disappointed that it wasn't living up to its title. Then, at track three, it kicks in. Parts of it are in a very modal/groovy Gabor Szabo bag, albeit with big band. Aside from the first two tunes, this is my favorite Basie album.

That's pretty funny. I was thinking that the first two tunes are the only ones I like!! Different strokes.... It is certainly Basie's wildest album, and the most "un-Basie-like"! Nothing at all like "Basie Meets Bond."

Greg Mo.

[Teasing the Korean]

I wasn't meaning to knock the first two tunes; it's just that they don't feel related to the rest of the album to me.

[DMP]

Never thought Basie had much to do with that album. Sort of like a Jackie Gleason record.

[DMP]

Or like a Quincy Jones album.

[Teasing the Korean]

Never thought Basie had much to do with that album.

Who cares? It's the end result that counts, not the name of the primate involved.