Count Basie Swings. Joe William Sings + The Greatest! Limited edition

Count Basie Swings, Joe Williams Sings (Clef MG C-678) was the first album

featuring Joe Williams (1918-1999) as the vocalist of the Count Basie orchestra.

Basie and Williams' first real encounter would take place in 1954, and from that year

until 1961, Williams remained the singer for the band, rising to national prominence

with Basie. "Every Day I Have the Blues", taped in 1955, was one of his many

hit sides (it was added to the Grammy Hall of Fame for recordings of particular

historical or qualitative importance in 1992). The complete Basie/Williams LP The

Greatest!! Count Basie Plays, Joe Williams Sings Standards (Verve MG V-2016),

as well as the only existing alternate take from that album and two further rare

collaborations between pianist and singer have been added as a bonus.

Joe Williams, vocals on all tracks

Count Basie & His Orchestra

Wendell Culley, Reunald Jones, Thad Jones, Joe Newman (tp),

Henry Coker, Bill Hughes, Benny Powell (tb), Marshall Royal (as,

cl), Bill Graham (as), Frank Wess (ts, fl), Frank Foster (ts), Charlie

Fowlkes (bar), Count Basie (p), Freddie Green (g), Eddie Jones (b),

Sonny Payne (d). Arrangements by Frank Foster & Ernie Wilkins.

Fine Studios, New York, May 17 & July 26, 1955.

*Bonus album (10-22): The Greatest!! Count Basie Plays,

Joe Williams Sings Standards: Same personnel as above.

Arrangements by Buddy Bregman. Capitol Studios, Los Angeles,

April 28 & May 1, 1956.

**Bonus tracks (23-24): Same personnel as above. Universal

Recordings Group, Chicago, January 23, 1956. Originally issued on the

Verve 7" single MGV-2004.

All original sessions produced by Norman Granz.