Three years after
Frank Foster had become leader of the
Count Basie Orchestra, the group continued to place very well in jazz polls; few big bands were in its class. This fine CD finds
Foster extending the tradition of
Count Basie with new arrangements and features for both veterans (including trumpeter Sonny Cohn, altoist Danny Turner, and the tenors of Kenny Hing and Eric Dixon) and the newer members (such as trumpeter
Byron Stripling and pianist Ace Carter). With
Carmen Bradford proving to be the band's best vocalist since
Joe Williams, Frank Foster had succeeded at not only reviving the
Count Basie Orchestra but restoring it to its prime. The lengthy "Count Basie Remembrance Suite," "Booze Brothers" and a new version of
Neal Hefti's "Whirly Bird" are among this enjoyable CD's highlights. ~ Scott Yanow