# CD  review: Basie All Stars – Live at Fabrik Hamburg 1981 Vol. 1 – 2023: Video, CD cover

- Link: https://jazzblues.eu/2023/03/30/cd-review-basie-all-stars-live-at-fabrik-hamburg-1981-vol-1-2023-video-cd-cover/
- Published: 2023-03-30T00:04:59+01:00
- Author: https://JazzBlues.EU

**Another gem! Classic mainstream in the true Basie formula. “Four bars to the bar
and no cheatin” as the Count was famously quoted as saying when asked to define 
swing.**

There certainly wasn’t any cheatin’ going on, at least not on stage, at Hamburg’s
Fabrik on May 5, 1981 when eight Basie alumni ancient and modern teamed up with 
Nat Pierce who had Basie’s distinctive piano style off to a tee.

Joe Newman came to the Corner House with attitude just a year later and didn’t win
any fans. That attitude is noticeably absent here and he is in scintillating form.
Edison and Tate had no problems on their visits to the Heaton hostelry and the audience
loved them as did the enthusiastic crowd in Hamburg. Both have fiery solos as well
as emotive ballad performances. Tate on Everything Happens to me and Edison on I’m
Confessin’ That I Love You. Pierce too has a solo on this one that is perhaps more
modern than Basie would have done but, none the worse for that. The fade out ending
with just Sweets and bassist Heard literally (well not literally) brought the house
down and received the longest and loudest applause of the set so far.

Marshall Royal is in Hodges-like mode on Gordon Jenkins’ This is All I Ask and Benny
Powell makes the emotional plea, Please Send me Someone to Love.

https://jazzblues.eu/2023/03/12/useujba/

The closing Little Pony, originally recorded by the great Wardell Gray has, like
the opener Bluebird Blues, everyone going for broke. The number finished but the
crowd weren’t having it. They stamped their feet and refused to let them leave the
stage for a shot of Hamburg hootch and it was left to Billy Mitchell to cut loose
and keep the hordes at bay. And this was just the first set! The second volume, 
I’m told, features Joe Williams. Joe will have to be at the top of his game to follow
this – I can’t wait! Lance.

1 Bluesbird Blues (Live) 09:33
 2 Please Send Me Someone To Love (Live) 06:02 3 
Shiny Stockings (Live) 09:09 4 Everything Happens To Me (Live) 06:25 5 This Is All
I Ask (Live) 06:37 6 I’m Confessin’ That I Love You (Live) 08:32

**Harry ‘Sweets’ Edison, Joe Newman (trumpet); Benny Powell (trombone); Marshall
Royal (alto sax); Buddy Tate, Billy Mitchell (tenor sax); Nat Pierce (piano); John
Heard (bass); Gus Johnson (drums).**

![Live at Fabrik Hamburg 1981, Vol. 1 (Live)". Album of Count Basie buy or  stream.
| HIGHRESAUDIO](https://i0.wp.com/storage.highresaudio.com/2023/03/21/botk86-liveatfabr-
preview-m3.jpg?w=640&ssl=1)

### _Related_