European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 19, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Count Basie orchestra still the Boss of the big bands by Ken franckling United press International technically the count Basie orchestra is on the Long list of so called Quot ghost bands Quot busing their Way Down America s big band Highway Between one night stands. But it is not a ghost band in the True sense of limping along under a departed Leader s name to play traditional arrangements for nostalgic fans. While Basie has been gone since his death at age 79 in april 1984, his orchestra is As vibrant As Ever. It has kept its swinging sound and sense of purpose not to mention its Irres Astabie toe tapping beat. Part of its staying Power is its Veteran players. Part is the attitude of Leader Frank Foster the Veteran Basie saxophonist and Arranger who returned in 1986 to succeed Thad Jones As musical director. A the main idea is to keep the band As it was established in the 30s. High Energy simplicity and swing were the key words and that a still the Case. I have made a lifetime commitment to keep it As it should be Quot Foster said. Quot i try to breathe some Energy and life into musicians by being As visual and Mobile As i can. My philosophy is to go straight ahead clicking on All eight cylinders not half stepping Quot Foster said. Foster agrees that the tenure of the band s veterans is critical to the sustained sound. Each Section of the band has at least one member who played several decades under Basie s Tutelage. Many players have 10 years or More under their belts. Foster s work with the band dates to 1953. Sonny Cohn Dean of the trumpet Section has been aboard since 1960. Quot the veterans Are Well schooled in the sound and impart their knowledge to the younger musicians who come in a not on a teacher Pupil basis but by osmosis Quot the Leader says. Proof of this band s vibrancy comes in its recordings. In 1987, the Basie band kicked Singer Diane Schuur in the musical backside raising her performance level several notches. Diane Schuur and the count Basie orchestra her finest album topped the billboard jazz charts for an unprecedented 33 weeks. Now Warner Bros has released big Boss band a session that May have an even stronger Impact. It is a collaboration Between the Basie band and Singer guitarist George Benson. The album has a Strong swinging sound and gorgeous arrangements throughout. Quot i started writing for it when he was still alive Quot Benson said. A it was a pet project. I did no to know How it was going to come out a and i did no to know if i could convince Warner Bros to put it  he worked for several months with Foster on song selection and arrangements before going into a new York studio last february. Quot the Basie band is one of the greatest bands Ever assembled and it has the greatest personality of any swing band i know. That Reed Section hits you deep in your Chest Quot Benson said. Quot they can do no it was a a dream Quot project for Benson and one that was first suggested by an ailing Basie in 1983. Jazz great count Basie is gone but his orchestra is As vibrant As Ever. Wrong no matter what they play. The cats really put their hearts in it when they  Benson Calls the recording a personal Milestone that must stand on its own Merit. Quot you have to keep what it is and be proud you accomplished it Quot he said. Foster says it is a vivid reminder of the bands strength and also celebrates the jazz Side of Bensons twin talents. Quot we showed another Side of him that his current Public has t seen. Those of us who have known him for years knew what he can do in the straight ahead vein Quot Foster said. Foster said his wife Cecilia suggested the duet tune How do you keep the music because of their fondness for the classic Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett versions. Foster 62, knows How to keep the music playing. He plans to keep this band on the Road for the rest of his life he says it is a musical obligation. Quot i owe a debt of gratitude to the old Man for giving me the right kind of exposure and the Opportunity to do what i do  amp it Vav re  Ryan tax.  Neil Young is Back with crazy horse by Stephen Holden new York times i can t do this with anyone else Quot Neil Young said recently of the fiery electric Folk Rock he creates with the band crazy horse on his newest album ragged glory. Quot i Don t think of my guitar solos As guitar solos Quot he added Quot because when we play we re like a big band jamming and taking Long rides  ragged glory is the first album in More than a decade that Young has made with crazy horse the Trio he met in 1969 and has worked with sporadically Ever since. As in his earlier collaborations with crazy horse the group s bashing garage band style brings out an exhilarating Rock primitivism in both Young s singing and his guitar. The record is full of his Chunky caterwauling electric guitar riffs that extend two of its cuts to More than 10 minutes in length. The secret of the kind of spontaneous combustion he and crazy horse churn up Young said lies in their collective sense of when to Stop polishing the music. Quot i show my songs to the band and we Start rehearsing them using a cassette tape recorder Quot Young said. Quot once we be got a song Down we Only play it once More at the end of the Day. Then we wait until the next Day to record it. And when we record it we Only do one  Frank Sampedro crazy horse s Lead guitarist elaborated. Quot we never sit Down and have what people Call a reproduction meeting Quot he said. Quot Neil comes in and plays a song. Then we Start working on it together often with a group of four or five other songs. Sometimes the lyrics change while we re working the Only things that were added later were a few vocal overdubs. A a the most recurrent theme in the songs on ragged glory is love. Quot it is More of a personal album a Young said when asked to compare ragged glory to his acclaimed 1989 album Freedom. Quot love is in there a both sides of it Quot he said. Quot making it was a huge  the views of love Range from the Domestic Battle scenes in the song love to bum to the philosophical affirmation of love and Only love the album s final statement on the subject. The Only song on the album in which Youngs softer More plaintive Side comes into play is the final number Mother Earth an environmental Anthem whose Melody he said is a composite of two traditional ballads whose titles he could not remember. With its powerful roughshod playing ragged glory  be More different in spirit from Youngs 1983 album trans in which he experimented with electronic rhythms and  a singles 1. Release me a Wilbon Phillips 2. Blaze of glory a Jon Bon Joel 3. Do me a Ball blvd Devoe 4. Love and affection a Nelson 5. Close to you a Maxi or left 6. Thieves in the Temple a Princa 7. Something happened on the Way to heaven a Phil Collins s. Praying for time a George Michael 9. Have you seen her a . Hammer 10. Uns Kinny Bop a Poison top up s 1. Please Hammer Don t Hurt pm a . Hammer 2. Wilson Phillips a Wilson Phillips 3. Blaze of glory Young guns ii a Jon son Joel 4. Mariah Carey a Marlah Carey 5. Poison a Bell blvd Devoe 6. Graffiti Bridge a Prince 7. Flesh and blood a Poison b. Compositions a Anita Baker 9. I la give All my love to you a Keith sweat 10. Soul provider a Michael Bolto country singles 1. Jukebox in my mind a Alabama 2.1 meant every word he said a Ricky Van Shelton 3. Friends in Low places a Garth Brooks 4. Holdin a Good hand a lae Greenwood 5. I fell in love a Carlene Carter 6. Fourteen minutes old a Doug Stone 7. T could be persuaded a the Bellamy Brothers 6. Wanted a Alan Jackson 9. Drinking Champagne a George Strait 10. Nothing s news a Clint Blac Black a singles 1. Crazy a the boys 2. Thieves in the Temple a Prince 3. Lies men Vogue 4. Everybody everybody a Black Box 5. Heaven knows a Lalah Hathaway 8. Giving you the Benefit a pebbles 7. Innocent whispers 8. Feels Good a Tony i toll Tonel 9. I la be Good to you a naive 10. Have you seen her a . Hammer Page 16 a a a the stars and stripes wednesday september 19,1990