April in Paris (album)

1957 studio album by Count Basie and His Orchestra

April in Paris

Studio album by

Count Basie and His Orchestra

Released| 1957
Recorded| July 26, 1955 and January 4 & 5, 1956
Fine Sound, New York City
Genre| Jazz
Length| 73:45 CD reissue with bonus tracks
Label| Verve
MGV 8012
Producer| Norman Granz
Count Basie chronology
| Count Basie Swings, Joe Williams Sings
(1955)  | April in Paris
(1957)  | The Greatest!! Count Basie Plays, Joe Williams Sings Standards
(1956)

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April in Paris is an album by pianist/bandleader Count Basie and His Orchestra, his first released on the Verve label, recorded in 1955 and 1956.[1][2][3][4]

The title track was included in the soundtrack of the 2008 video game release Grand Theft Auto IV on the fictitious in-game jazz music radio station "JNR 108.5 (Jazz Nation Radio)".

## Reception

[edit]

Professional ratingsReview scores

Source| Rating
AllMusic| [5]
The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide| [6]
Penguin Guide to Jazz| [7]
Encyclopedia of Popular Music| [8]

AllMusic awarded the album 5 stars calling it "one of those rare albums that makes its mark as an almost instant classic in the jazz pantheon" and noting "April in Paris proved Count Basie's ability to grow through modern jazz changes while keeping the traditional jazz orchestra vital and alive".[5] The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide said it was "a commercial high point for this outfit".[6] The Penguin Guide to Jazz awarded the album 3 stars stating "April in Paris is typical Basie fare of the period: bustling charts, leathery solos and pinpoint timing".[7]

## Track listing

[edit]

### Original 1957 release

[edit]

1. "April in Paris" (Vernon Duke, E.Y. "Yip" Harburg) – 3:47
2. "Corner Pocket" (Freddie Green) – 5:15
3. "Didn't You?" (Frank Foster) – 4:43
4. "Sweetie Cakes" (Ernest Brooks "Ernie" Wilkins) – 3:58
5. "Magic" (Frank Wess) – 3:06
6. "Shiny Stockings" (Frank Foster)  – 5:14
7. "What Am I Here For" (Duke Ellington, Frankie Laine)  – 3:19
8. "Midgets" (Joe Newman) – 3:13
9. "Mambo Inn" (Mario Bauzá, Edgar Melvin Sampson, Bobby Woodlen) – 3:23
10. "Dinner with Friends" (Neal Hefti) – 3:05

### Bonus tracks on 1997 CD reissue

[edit]

1.   2. "April In Paris" [2nd Take] (Duke, Harburg) - 3:45
3. "Corner Pocket" [2nd Take] (Green) - 4:59
4. "Didn't You?" [3rd Take] (Foster) - 4:50
5. "Magic" [1st Take] (Wess) - 3:42
6. "Magic" [2nd Take] (Wess) - 3:50
7. "What Am I Here For?" [1st Take] (Ellington) - 4:06
8. "Midgets" [4th Take] (Newman) - 3:11

* Recorded at Fine Sound in New York City on July 26, 1955 (tracks 1-4 and 11–13), January 4, 1956 (track 5-8 and 14–17) and January 5, 1956 (tracks 9 and 10)

## Personnel

[edit]

* Count Basie \- piano
* Wendell Culley (tracks 1-7 & 9–16), Reunald Jones (tracks 1-7 & 9–16), Thad Jones (tracks 1-7 & 9–16), Joe Newman \- trumpet
* Henry Coker, Bill Hughes, Benny Powell \- trombone (tracks 1-7 & 9–16)
* Marshall Royal \- alto saxophone, clarinet (tracks 1-7 & 9–16)
* Bill Graham \- alto saxophone (tracks 1-7 & 9–16)
* Frank Wess \- alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, flute, clarinet
* Frank Foster - tenor saxophone, clarinet (tracks 1-7 & 9–16)
* Charlie Fowlkes \- baritone saxophone, bass clarinet (tracks 1-7 & 9–16)
* Freddie Green \- guitar
* Eddie Jones \- bass
* Sonny Payne \- drums
* José Mangual, Sr., Ubaldo Nieto - percussion (track 9)
* William "Wild Bill" Davis (tracks 1 & 11), Neal Hefti (track 10), Frank Foster (tracks 3, 6, 7, 9, 13 & 16), Joe Newman (tracks 8 & 17), Ernie Wilkins (track 2, 4, 12) - arranger

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Edwards, D. & Callahan, M. Discography of the Verve, Clef, Down Home and Norgran Labels, accessed November 20, 2015
2. ^ Kitora, R., Count Basie Discography, accessed November 20, 2015
3. ^ Verve Records Catalog: 8000 series, accessed November 20, 2015
4. ^ Big Band Paradise, accessed November 20, 2015
5. ^ a b Fielder, Christopher. April in Paris – Review at AllMusic. Retrieved November 20, 2015.
6. ^ a b Swenson, J., ed. (1985). The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide. USA: Random House/Rolling Stone. p. 20\. ISBN 0-394-72643-X.
7. ^ a b Cook, Richard; Brian Morton (2008) [1992]. The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings. The Penguin Guide to Jazz (9th ed.). New York: Penguin. p. 91\. ISBN 978-0-14-103401-0.
8. ^ Larkin, Colin (2007). Encyclopedia of Popular Music (4th ed.). Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0195313734.

* v
* t
* e

Count Basie Orchestra

Count Basie

Members|

* John Duke (Bass)
* Sal Nistico (Tenor Sax)
* Frank Wess (Alto Sax/Flute)
* Joe Williams (Vocals)
* Earle Warren (Alto Sax/Occasional Singer)
* Preston Love (Alto Sax)
* Danny House (Alto Sax)
* Sonny Cohn (trumpet)
* Reunald Jones (Trumpet)
* Neal Hefti (Trumpet)
* Harry Edison (Trumpet)
* Joe Newman (Trumpet)
* Lester Young (Tenor Sax)
* Herschel Evans (Tenor Sax)
* Jo Jones (Drums)
* Walter Page (Bass)
* Bill Hughes (trombone)
* Dennis Wilson  (lead trombone)
* Grover Mitchell (trombone)
* Freddie Green (Guitar)
* Billie Holiday (Vocals)
* Buck Clayton (Trumpet)
* Jimmy Rushing (Vocals)
* Marshal Royal (Alto Sax)
* Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis (Tenor Sax)
* Thad Jones (Trumpet)
* Al Grey (Trombone)
* John Clayton (Bass)
* Cleveland Eaton (Bass)
* Gregg Field (drums)
* Dennis Rowland (Vocals)
* Chris Murrell (vocals)
* Dave Gibson (Drums)
* Jack Washington (Baritone Sax)
* Johnny Williams (Baritone Sax)
* Butch Miles (Drums)
* Sonny Payne (Drums)
* Frank Foster (Tenor Sax)
* George Caldwell (Piano)
* Charlton Johnson (Guitar)
* Tony Suggs (Piano)
* Scotty Barnhart (Trumpet)
* James Leary (Bass)
* Brian Gryce (Drums)
* Will Matthews (guitar)
* Mel Wanzo (trombone)
* Kris Johnson (trumpet)
* Ed Shaughnessy (drums)
* Bobby Floyd (piano/organ)

1951–1960|

* Dance Session (1952–54, Clef)
* Count Basie Swings, Joe Williams Sings (with Joe Williams) (1955, Clef)
* April in Paris (1955–56, Verve)
* The Greatest!! Count Basie Plays, Joe Williams Sings Standards (with Joe Williams) (1956, Verve)
* Basie in London (live) (1956, Verve)
* One O'Clock Jump (with Joe Williams and Ella Fitzgerald) (1957, Verve)
* Count Basie at Newport (live) (1957, Verve)
* E = MC² (1958, Roulette)
* Basie Plays Hefti (1958, Roulette)
* No Count Sarah (with Sarah Vaughan) (1958, EmArcy)
* Breakfast Dance and Barbecue (1959, Roulette)
* Welcome to the Club (Uncredited) (Nat King Cole) (1959, Capitol)
* In Person! (with Tony Bennett) (1959, Columbia)
* Chairman of the Board (1959, Roulette)
* Strike Up the Band (with Tony Bennett) (1959, Roulette)
* Basie/Eckstine Incorporated (with Billy Eckstine) (1959, Roulette)
* Everyday I Have the Blues (with Joe Williams) (1959, Roulette)
* The Count Basie Story (1960, Roulette)
* I Gotta Right to Swing (Uncredited) (Sammy Davis Jr.) (1960, Decca)

1961–1970|

* First Time! The Count Meets the Duke (with Duke Ellington) (1961, Columbia)
* The Legend (1961, Roulette)
* Count Basie/Sarah Vaughan (with Sarah Vaughan) (1961, Roulette)
* Basie at Birdland (live) (1961, Roulette)
* Easin' It (1962, Roulette)
* Sinatra–Basie: An Historic Musical First (with Frank Sinatra) (1962, Reprise)
* On My Way & Shoutin' Again! (1963, Verve)
* Li'l Ol' Groovemaker...Basie! (1963, Verve)
* This Time by Basie! (1963, Verve)
* Ella and Basie! (with Ella Fitzgerald) (1963, Verve)
* Basie Land (1964, Verve)
* It Might as Well Be Swing (with Frank Sinatra) (1964, Reprise)
* Basie Picks the Winners (1965, Verve)
* Our Shining Hour (with Sammy Davis Jr.) (1965, Verve)
* Arthur Prysock and Count Basie (with Arthur Prysock) (1965, Verve)
* Basie's Beatle Bag (1965, Verve)
* Broadway Basie's...Way (1966, Command)
* Basie Meets Bond (1966, United Artists)
* Hollywood...Basie's Way (1966, Command)
* Sinatra at the Sands (live, with Frank Sinatra) (1966, Reprise)
* Basie's Beat (1967, Verve)
* Half a Sixpence (1967, Dot)
* The Board of Directors (with The Mills Brothers) (1968, Dot)
* The Board of Directors Annual Report (with The Mills Brothers) (1968, Dot)
* Basie Straight Ahead (1969, Dot)
* Standing Ovation (1969, Dot)
* Afrique (1970, RCA Victor)
* Basie on the Beatles (1970, Happy Tiger)

1971–1980|

* Have A Nice Day (1971, Daybreak)
* Bing 'n' Basie (with Bing Crosby) (1972, Daybreak)
* Jazz at Santa Monica Civic '72  (live) (1972, Pablo)
* The Bosses (with Big Joe Turner) (1973, Pablo)
* Basie Big Band (1975, Pablo)
* Fun Time (1975, Pablo)
* I Told You So (1976, Pablo)
* Prime Time (1977, Pablo)
* Montreux '77 (live) (1977, Pablo)
* Live in Japan '78 (live) (1978, Pablo)
* On the Road (1979, Pablo)
* Digital III at Montreux (live) (1979, Pablo)
* A Classy Pair (with Ella Fitzgerald) (1979, Pablo)
* A Perfect Match (live, with Ella Fitzgerald) (1979, Pablo)
* Kansas City Shout (1980, Pablo)

1981–1990|

* Warm Breeze (1981, Pablo)
* Send in the Clowns (Sarah Vaughan) (1981, Pablo)
* Farmer's Market Barbecue (1982, Pablo)
* 88 Basie Street (1983, Pablo)
* Me and You (1983, Pablo)
* Fancy Pants (final album with Count Basie) (1983, Pablo)
* Long Live the Chief (1987, Denon)
* Diane Schuur & the Count Basie Orchestra (live, with Diane Schuur) (1987, GRP)
* The Legend, the Legacy (1990, Denon)

1991–2000|

* The George Benson Big Boss Band featuring The Count Basie Orchestra (1991, Warner Bros.)
* The Count Basie Orchestra Live at El Morocco (1992, Telarc)
* Joe Williams and the Count Basie Orchestra (1993, Telarc)
* Live at Manchester Craftsmen's Guild: The Count Basie Orchestra (1997, Blue Jackel)
* At Long Last (with Rosemary Clooney) (1998, Concord)
* Count Plays Duke (1998, MAMA)
* Swing Shift (1999, MAMA)

2001–present|

* Ray Sings, Basie Swings (2006, Concord)
* Basie is Back (2007, MAMA)
* Midnight in Manhattan (2007, Aspirion)
* A Swingin' Christmas (Featuring The Count Basie Big Band) (with Tony Bennett) (2008, Columbia)
* A Very Swingin' Basie Christmas! (2015)

Small-group
sessions|

* Basie Jam (1973, Pablo)
* For the First Time (1974, Pablo)
* Basie & Zoot (with Zoot Sims) (1975, Pablo)
* For the Second Time (1975, Pablo)
* Basie Jam 2 (1976, Pablo)
* Basie Jam 3 (1976, Pablo)
* Kansas City 5 (1977, Pablo)
* The Gifted Ones (with Dizzy Gillespie) (1977, Pablo)
* Basie Jam: Montreux '77 (live) (1977, Pablo)
* Satch and Josh...Again (with Oscar Peterson) (1977, Pablo)
* Night Rider (with Oscar Peterson) (1978, Pablo)
* Count Basie Meets Oscar Peterson – The Timekeepers (with Oscar Peterson) (1978, Pablo)
* Yessir, That's My Baby (with Oscar Peterson) (1978, Pablo)
* Kansas City 7 (1980, Pablo)
* Kansas City 6 (1981, Pablo)
* Mostly Blues...and Some Others (1983, Pablo)

Authority control databases |

* MusicBrainz release group

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