The Lang-Worth Transcriptions (2000)

About this title: Count Basie's 1944 radio transcriptions are reissued on this CD. Most interesting is the fact that this was the largely undocumented period (due to the musicians' recording strike) that Lester Young was back with the Basie orchestra. Young, Buddy Tate, Harry Edison, and Dicky Wells are the main soloists in addition to the leader. Thirteen of the songs are mostly heated instrumentals and there are also vocals along the way from Earle Warren (four so-so numbers), Jimmy Rushing, Thelma Carpenter, and Maxine Johnson. Unfortunately, the complete personnel is not listed in the CD liner notes, ... read more

Tracks:

1. Down for Double [Green]
2. Rockin' the Blues [Warren]
3. Wiggle Woogie [Warren]
4. 9:20 Special [Engvick/Warren]
5. Circus in Rhythm [Warren]
6. Tush [Wells]
7. Ain't It the Truth? [Basie/Harding/Palme]
8. I Dream of You [Goetschius/Osser]
9. Red Bank Boogie [Basie/Clayton]
10. Swing Shift Swing [Burke/Spivak]
11. Do Nothin' Till You Hear from Me [Ellington/Russell]
12. Don't Believe Everything You Dream [McHugh/Adamson]
13. Don't Cry Baby [Bernie/Johnson/Unge]
14. Rock-A-Bye Basie [Basie/Collins/Young]
15. I've Had This Feeling Before (But Never Like This) [Stept]
16. I Couldn't Sleep a Wink Last Night [McHugh/Adamson]
17. I've Found a New Baby [Williams/Palmer]
18. Basie Boogie [Basie/Ebbins]
19. I Wish You Were Waiting for Me [Russell]
20. I Didn't Know About You [Ellington/Russell]
21. [Untitled Track]

Note: This is a general synopsis. Each listing is further described below.