Artist: Duke Ellington & Count Basie
Title Of Album: First Time! (The Count Meets The Duke) Remastered
Year Of Release: 2009
Genre: Jazz
Quality: Mp3
Bitrate: ~190 kbps VBR
Total Time: 39:34 min
Total Size: 55 Mb

 

Tracklist:
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1. Duke Ellington & Count Basie - Battle Royal (5:35)
2. Duke Ellington & Count Basie - To You (3:57)
3. Duke Ellington & Count Basie - Take The 'A' Train (3:49)
4. Duke Ellington & Count Basie - Until I Met You (4:57)
5. Duke Ellington & Count Basie - Wild Man (5:45)
6. Duke Ellington & Count Basie - Segue In C (8:25)
7. Duke Ellington & Count Basie - B D B (4:05)
8. Duke Ellington & Count Basie - Jumpin' At The Woodside (3:07)

 

At first glance this collaboration should not have worked. The Duke Ellington and Count Basie Orchestras had already been competitors for 25 years but the leaders' mutual admiration (Ellington was one of Basie's main idols) and some brilliant planning made this a very successful and surprisingly uncrowded encounter. On most selections Ellington and Basie both play piano (their interaction with each other is wonderful) and the arrangements allowed the stars from both bands to take turns soloing. "Segue in C" is the highpoint but versions of "Until I Met You," "Battle Royal" and "Jumpin' at the Woodside" are not far behind.