JAZZ REVIEW : The Basie Beat Goes On : His Orchestra, Performing at Disneyland, Is Very Much Alive and Doesn’t Dwell in the Past
ANAHEIM — What’s this? The Count Basie Orchestra opening a performance with “Take the ‘A’ Train,†Billy Strayhorn’s well-known tune that was popularized by the Duke Ellington Orchestra?
That’s the way it happened Sunday at Disneyland’s Carnation Plaza Gardens, with orchestra director Frank Foster explaining that the song provides the “fastest way to Harlem.†Here, in this land of make-believe, Foster and his ensemble, without requiring much imagination, took the assembled uptown in a trip that recreated the dance halls of the 1940s, while paying tribute to Basie’s standing as one of the godfathers of jazz. That there was room for Duke Ellington in such a celebration seems entirely appropriate.
Seven years after Basie’s death, the orchestra that bears his name still carries the trademark Basie sound, right down to pianist George Caldwell’s spare embellishments and three-tone “plink-plink-plink†climaxes. But the band, which has been under Foster’s direction since 1986, also bears his mark, evidenced by his up-to-date arrangements and the addition of new band members whose intense styles contrasted with more traditional blowing from longtime band members. This is no static ghost band content to rehash an ascendant master’s charts, but an orchestra that embraces the future of the music as well as its past.
The dance floor was filled with couples before the “ ‘A’ Train†proceeded beyond a few bars. Tenor saxophonist Kenny King steamed through an upbeat solo over the clickety-clack of drummer Dave Gibson before trumpeter Bob Ojeda injected the piece with bright, polished lines. “Angel Eyes,†featuring a fine, romantic solo from alto saxophonist Manny Boyd, brought the dancers cheek-to-cheek.
“Sweet Georgia Brown†built in the classic Basie style, pianist Caldwell setting things up with only rhythm section accompaniment before handing the theme to the the saxophones while the trombones added sugar. The trumpet section then stated the familiar melody before all 17 pieces jumped in. The tune ended on gentler terms with flutes replacing some of the saxes and the trombones sustaining a nicely caramelized timbre.
Foster put his tenor on display during “Autumn Leaves,†working a rich tone into a wash of blues that brought out the song’s melancholy mood. Trombonist Mel Wanzo brought warmth and melodicism to “Lady Caroline,†while young trumpeters Derrick Gardner and Melton Mustafa brought aggressiveness and a touch of intellect to the proceedings.
Foster added vocalist Carmen Bradford to the group for a number of tunes, which included “Am I Blue,†“You’ve Changed†and “A Foggy Day in London Town.†Bradford’s strong voice and expressive style worked equally well on ballads and uptempo numbers and, best of all, over blues changes. Her bouncy, invigorating ways were especially successful on “Let the Good Times Roll.â€
Despite the nod to Ellington, there were also plenty of pure-Basie moments during the evening. The band pushed through Ernie Wilkin’s arrangement of the late Basie-guitarist Freddie Greene’s “Corner Pocket,†with Chariton Johnson supplying Greene’s insistent pulse. Tenor men Foster, King and Doug Miller battled it out on “Jumpin’ at the Woodside,†challenging each other with the kind of aggressive performances that had dancers pausing in front of the bandstand to see who might crack first.
The Count Basie Orchestra directed by Frank Foster appears tonight, Friday and Saturday in the Carnation Plaza Gardens at Disneyland, 1313 S. Harbor Blvd., Anaheim. Admission: included with park admission, $22.50 to $27.50. Information: (714) 999-4565.
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