From Amazon.co.uk
Here's where the revival started! The Basie band of the 1950s became known to collectors as the "New Testament Band". The "Old Testament" one of the 30s had included Lester Young, Buck Clayton and the greatest Basie soloists. The soloists in this later band weren't on the same scale of giants, but the superb band sound made up for that. What was the clincher was the wonderful singing of Joe Williams. The fundamental blues tracks here are the first and best that he recorded with the band. "Every Day I Have The Blues" on its own was such a powerful performance that it ensured full-house audiences for the rest of Basie's career. There have been few spectacles in jazz like the sight of Joe Williams standing immobile before the band, hands clasped formally before him and swinging till the roof came down! All of that colossal impact, probably unique in jazz, is captured in this invigorating music. Good though he remained, Williams never bettered these performances and there are many who feel that the Basie band was never to be more exciting than at this showing. Truly a case of the very best of both worlds.
--Steve Voce
