Tommy, Is that the "Sweden" DVD you're talking about?

TTH!

It is indeed the Sweden performance!, although that isn't in the main title of the DVD. Just unbelievable quality in the filming/recording for the period.. ( 1962 ) .. and so lucky that this performance was shot for broadcast on Swedish TV... and saved! There are some other film/clips of the Basie band with Sonny.. ( pre and post this period ) .. but none that I have seen come close to this in the quality of the filming. ENJOY!!

Tommyp

I have an old musician friend (trumpeter) who is particularly close to the Harry James "community". Obviously, the talk about drummers comes up often: I mean, name me another big band that had, in the 50's, 60s, and 70's, everyone from Sonny Payne, Jake Hanna, Louie Bellson, Buddy Rich, Charli Persip, Jackie Mills and Tony DiNicola at one time or another. James was a drummer himself and coveted the best (Buddy, of course, IMHO). But my friend, who knew James personally, has always claimed that James' first choice for "best" was Sonny. I can argue with him, but I'm not sure I can disagree with him to any great extent. It's a personal thing. Actually, I think Sonny was better in the Basie outfit. And his press rolls were the heart and soul of his craft. He should be viewed in the same context, and with the same respect as Buddy, Louie, Mel, and Jake.

(I remember reading the liner notes on a Basie album from the late 60's, where the reviewer actually had the audacity to be relieved that Sonny had been replaced. What cheek: the guy who replaced him, while respected, wasn't in the same league. So much for critics.)

Hey Rick,

I too heard that Harry James was very close to Sonny, he loved the way he played and how he put everything he had into the songs. He was with Sonny right up to his passing, which was way too early at age 52. I looked up some of Sonny's fathers drumming, Crazy Chris Columbo. He passed away at age 100! He taught Sonny how to flip his sticks the way he did.

Man o man!!! So much comes out if this.

Explosive. 5:30-5:50 is just unbelievable.

I also love just hearing him play time. His feel is phenomenal. Better than ANYBODY!

If you stop and think about it, the Greats were all first-class Showmen! Think Buddy, Krupa, Payne, Papa Joe etc.! Aside from being truly gifted players, all of those cats knew how to grab the audiences attention and put on a real show. They grew up as musicians in front of live audiences. There is a lot of motivation to be entertaining when you're in front of a large paying crowd.

Mach Show!

John

Played the DVD last night. Wow...love Basie, and Sonny!! Too bad whoever was controlling the cameras had no understanding of music...when solos might start and end. The camera shots just seem to wonder around aimlessly. And, of course, not enough focus on Sonny! But anyway, love the DVD. I'll keep it loaded in the player so I can just start it when I need a "Basie fix".

I actually like Sonny's work on this version of Old Man River better than that on the DVD: [ame]www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKiSdTG-WzA&list=PLA1AF4043A635C020&index=8[/ame]

My DVD arrived yesterday and it's been played three times already! Awesome performance. I love the way Sonny quotes/plays Old Man River on the drums and you can hear the tune in your head as he drums it out. Great stuff.

In another month I will have played this thing so many times I'll be able to compete with the Star Wars guys that have seen the movie a thousand times!

John

I got the DVD this past weekend, I play some of it every night. I think Basie's band was the best of all time. There were many great "Big Bands", Harry James (my second favorite), Duke Ellington, Artie Shaw, Lionel Hampton, The Dorseys etc... But, Basie's combination of brass, piano and string sections, coupled with my all-time favorite drummer Sonny Payne, puts Count Basie on the top of my list! I just found six albums featuring Sonny Payne, from the late 40's thru 1978 shortly before his passing.