2. Easy money , Count Basie, Benny Carter, Archysax.net

Recorded in October 30 and November 1 & 2, 1961, by Count Basie and his big band, produced by Teddy Reig for Roulette records.
It is the second album written by Benny Carter for Basie, the first one called "The Kansas City suite" had been recorded in September 6, 1960 in Los Angeles, CA, for Roulette records too.
It is a bit different band beside the one a year later:
- Billy Mitchell , tenor sax., has gone (replaced by Budd Johnson)
- Sonny Cohn , third tpt, has gone (replaced by Al Aaron)
- Al Grey has gone (replaced by Quentin Jackson)
- Freddie Green , guitar, is not in the band
- Marshall Royal, lead alto sax. and musical director,sick, is not in that record session, that makes a true diffence in the saxes section's sound, despite the talent of Frank Wess who replaces him, and Benny Carter (himself) who plays the alto 2 part.

Here is a medium sing tempo (120) with very rare small intro piano and bass unis walking bass..
As usual with Benny Carter, the unis played theme is very simple and memodic, played by the whole band (brass and saxes), with muted brass, so softly and (always at Basie's) in perfect tune. On the bridge, the mood changes with a saxes tutti riff which is reminiscent of Duke Ellington's "In a mellow tone".
After the theme, a special note about the soloist, trumpet player Eugene Edward “Snooky" Young, who is the lead trumpet of the band too. A wonderfull skilled musician, very fine and inventive soloist, plunger muted tpt soloist specialist too. At that time, the two tpt soloist stars was Thad Jones (brother of Elvin and Hank, two others Jazz stars) and Joe Newman.
An illustration of the fact that the ideal jazz musician can read the music and improvise, even a lead big band trumpeter.
That solo is followed by relax but brillant saxes tutti, on a half chorus in the subtil writting music of Benny Carter, then a muted trombone solo by (probably) by Henry Coker.
After a modulation , we have a pretty rare thing in big band writing, a harmon muted trumpet tutti, for a half chorus, then piano solo, and for the ending, a powerfull openned brass and saxes orchestral tutti, with piano solo on the bridge.

The full album "The legend" will be soon entirely transcripted.

Transcription by Pascal Thouvenin.

For more details on "Count Basie Jazz Suites", have a visit on Archysax.net.

Видео 2. Easy money , Count Basie, Benny Carter, Archysax.net канала Pascal Thouvenin