Several periods of renewal made the Basie band a fountainhead of orchestral jazz during Count Basie's lifetime and beyond. One such point was 1975, when important new members such as Butch Miles and Danny Turner joined, and the reed section was graced with returning alumni Eric Dixon, Jimmy Forrest, and Charlie Fowlkes. It was also the point at which Sammy Nestico settled in as a composer/arranger who, in classic charts including "Freckle Face" and "The Heat's On," reveals his understanding of the band's myriad strengths. Nestico's well-balanced program demonstrates the mastery of swing, tempo, dynamics, articulation, and blues-based improvising that makes for definitive Basie.

Front Burner, Freckle Face, Orange Sherbert, Soft As Velvet, The Heat's On, Midnight Freight, Give 'M Time, Wind Machine, Tall Cotton

with Sonny Cohn, Eric Dixon, John Duke, Jimmy Forrest, Charlie Fowlkes, Curtis Fuller, Freddie Green, Al Grey, Bill Hughes, Butch Miles, Pete Minger, Bobby Mitchell, Bobby Plater, Dave Stahl, Frank Szabo, Danny Turner, Mel Wanzo