During the latter years of WWII and thereafter, the American Forces Radio Service broadcast regular shows to entertain the troops and maintain morale, and many of the top swing and big bands of the day undertook live broadcasts as part of this effort. This collection brings together five performances by Count Basies Orchestra between 1944 and 1946 at popular New York venues, which went out as part of the AFRS One Night Stand series. The line-ups feature some of the top names to pass through Basies band Lester Young, Illinois Jacquet, Walter Page, Harry Sweets Edison, Dicky Wells and Jo Jones among them, and with Jimmy Rushing and Thelma Carpenter among the featured vocalists. The recordings have not been readily available on CD, and so are likely to be of interest to collectors and enthusiasts who enjoy capturing the atmosphere of the live jazz broadcasts, complete with linking announcements, which were very much part of that era. Basies band exhibits all the classic features of his style, with its innovative and highly developed rhythm section, stinging riffs, and flowing solos from players with their own distinctive musical personalities. Its a very enjoyable insight into a top band going about its regular daily work of entertaining its audiences, and a pleasing musical snapshot of its times.
