Gee
has a 25-year career in the music business and currently the Chinese-American
leads his 17-piece band in the New York area, even playing at Birdland.
This album realized a dream of his in working with not only the arrangements
and originals of Frank Foster for the Count Basie Band but having Foster
- one of the main leaders of that band following Basie’s passing
- lead Gee’s own big band. He also retained vocalist Carla Cook
for three of the dozen numbers here. Only one of them is not by Foster.
In his liner notes Foster talks about the “happy swing” promulgated
by Gee and his band and how well that fits in with the whole Basie feeling.
Gee is certainly smiling up a storm in his three photos in the notes.
Many of Foster’s tunes and arrangements had never been recorded
before, so this is more than just a Basie revival band session. It’s
a complete gas, and anyone who loves Basie (which has to be just about
everyone) would dig this CD the most! If you have trouble finding in the
shops, try www.GeorgeGee.com
Gee
has a 25-year career in the music business and currently the Chinese-American
leads his 17-piece band in the New York area, even playing at Birdland.
This album realized a dream of his in working with not only the arrangements
and originals of Frank Foster for the Count Basie Band but having Foster
- one of the main leaders of that band following Basie’s passing
- lead Gee’s own big band. He also retained vocalist Carla Cook
for three of the dozen numbers here. Only one of them is not by Foster.
In his liner notes Foster talks about the “happy swing” promulgated
by Gee and his band and how well that fits in with the whole Basie feeling.
Gee is certainly smiling up a storm in his three photos in the notes.
Many of Foster’s tunes and arrangements had never been recorded
before, so this is more than just a Basie revival band session. It’s
a complete gas, and anyone who loves Basie (which has to be just about
everyone) would dig this CD the most! If you have trouble finding in the
shops, try