O.T. Basie or N.T. Basie?

Stormcrow · September-29th-2003, 07:26 PM

Do you prefer the Old Testament Basie band, or the New Testament Basie band?

I prefer the New, its luxe and burnished sound, like silk, is absolutely beautiful, but it swings.

stonemonkts · September-29th-2003, 08:27 PM

Old, hands down. I'll take pre-war Lester, Herschel Evans, Buck Clayton, Sweets Edison and co. over any other Basie band.

I like 50's Basie too, but the stuff they recorded for Decca and Live at the Famous Door was some of the best big band music I've ever heard. During the late thirties they were probably the hottest working band in ANY town.

Basie was the king of swing, in my book.

Sergio Zamora · September-30th-2003, 12:08 AM

The 50's and later stuff are great, of course, but the old school joints with Lester et al - man! That's some wild, energetic, madly swinging music. It's totally punk.

September-30th-2003, 02:25 AM

For me, it's not close. There is no other big band that I like nearly as much as the OT Basie. There are quite a few that I like better than NT Basie.

frankpop1 · September-30th-2003, 06:52 AM

i was always partial to the 'atomic' basie

great audience

EKE BBB · September-30th-2003, 07:59 AM

The OT is (IMHO) THE swingingest band ever! And what a list of superb musicians!

The NT is (IMHO again) ONE OF THE swingingest band ever!

graypencil · September-30th-2003, 12:18 PM

It's really a semi-moot choice ..

Basie consistently set the standard for big band swing for over 50 years..IMO

Tanager · September-30th-2003, 09:58 PM

New Legacy set of the Basie Columbia (OT) sides just out, I have it on order...

(Just in case anyone's interested.)