Count Basie & His Orch. 1938 Randall's Island NYC

[gargan1977tua]

Jo Jones was such an incredible drummer!! So smooth and classy, too.

[TashasLittleChannel]

Amazing :)

[UkuleleSioni]

Okay, I don't think I could recognize Stuff Smith. Can you tell me at what points he and Teddy Bunn show up in the clip. The band is really cookin' on this piece, and so's the audience.

[wrfreytag]

Big news.............apparently Bill Savory, a recording engineer of the 1930s and 1940s DID record all or part of this concert! One of these days we'll hear what we've only seen for sooooooo many decades. See the Jazz Museum of Harlem's web site, and the NY Times for additional info.

[songanddanceman100]

Audio recordings made at the event have just surfaced!

Google Randall's Island Bill Savory New York Times

[rossmarting]

mr jazman i dont think your going to the right places

[CaseyMacB4T]

This is what heaven looks like and who's playing! Later that day Ellington & Lunceford also did sets! Amazing...

[margotdarby]

People should be able to enjoy this without pushing leftist political agenda or making gratuitous remarks about race. But maybe that's asking too much. I don't think anyone ever asked Count Basie his party affiliation.

[jemery367]

@margotdarby There's something leftist about people enjoying themselves??

[mikeao54]

How could ask for anything more, Lester looking as cool as he was, Jo Jones sitting high behind the drums, and the quick shot of Jimmy Rushing taking it all in. The editing is great.

[perryjthomas]

Gee whiz,it's a REAL shame you didn't have the entire song ,but a little rare Prez,

is better'n nothing at all!

[WindyCityJazz]

@perryjthomas I just uploaded the whole song on here a month or two ago. Just type in Count Basie I Got Rhythm and you should see a video that says "Count Basie Orchestra - I Got Rhythm feat. Lester Young".

[feedboi]

Love Prez's shades..Probably the earliest he ever got up...

[drumstyx6464]

I always wondered why lester held his sax that way, i can't bear to have my sax anything but adjusted to me

[316StSt]

I read somewhere that he held his sax at an angle because he got so used to practising sitting up in bed, that he became comfortable holding the sax this way all the time. Don't know how true that is, but I'd love it to be true!

[gcrav]

Lester at his best. Basie at his best. America at its best.

[88esquire]

Sorry, I meant "I Got Rhythm".

[88esquire]

I believe previous viewers have pointed out that this soundless video of the Randall's Island performance uses Lester's studio-recorded solo on "Every Tub" .

[88esquire]

To all you Lesterpeople: Can you dig it? It's Lester's centennial birthday next week, August 27. Ivey-divey. My President is Lester Young.

[ChiTown7721]

Lester Young is my main man! Lester is the one that inspired me to pick up the tenor sax a few years ago, and I'm only in my mid-20s. Prez, you were the best!

[ner1971]

Great! That's so cool to hear a young guy inspired by Lester enough to start playing the tenor these days. Good luck to you,

[coopdaloop07]

gotta love anything count basie touches

[jazmaan]

Makes me wish I lived in a time when white and black people shared such joy together in rhythm.

[jeangophile]

Unfortunately, I think this was an isolated affair back in the day. I think we have a better chance of coming together now:)

[jazmaan]

Actually a close inspection shows pretty clearly that the black and white revelers were mostly in their own separate sections. But the shared love of black rhythm permeates throughout. I just wish white and black people today had that JOY for good jazz.

[mattr91897]

@jazmaan wow dude

[TheEmaciatedArtist]

@jazmaan If Im not mistaken, it seems the crowd is segregated. It is more than likely though that jazz helped forge a commonality between races.

The swing will bring us together.

[jazmaan]

@TheEmaciatedArtist NYC in 1938 had no official segregation. Anyway, you can see a few white people in the black crowd scenes - but not vice-versa!

[dookykins]

OMG

[swangonce]

FWIW - This is all newsreel footage and there is quite a bit more - all shot silent as far as any has seen to date.

This event was held on a Sunday morning 5/29/1938 and ran until early afternoon. About 25 bands and 25K people there.

[songanddanceman100]

@swangonce

And it was also Labor Day weekend.

[KerreyTheBitterSugar]

wow

[DrummaJ]

What?!?! No booty poppin?????

[mmilovan]

Anyone heard that glissando on 1:25-1:30 played by Pres, you are invited to hear what this genius wants to tell you - it is one of the most amazing thing, he was COOL but not in the way most of the tenors later played... he was something else!!!

[nanogirl]

wish I could find "amazing love"

[burdinus]

Lester Young is just ridiculous...how can anyone be THIS cool?

[Cherokee6194159]

stubs, you say well.

[AgamemnonPadar]

What i wonder how it actually sounded in 1938 as them had not these outdoor amplifiers as today. But seems the people had their fun.

[stubs13]

you do not need to be "old" to enjoy this music. It's the personal preference of the viewer or listener. I personally like listening to this music because it has soul, basically a fine definition of the human spirit even times of great economic failure. Even then ... the music swings! And contemporary music can't replace that feeling. Also, this music is real! No altering of the singers voice, actual instruments that aren't synths and original melodies. Good Day, sir.

[yonimiller]

Yep, I like this music too man, or i woulden't be on this page.

[54spiritedwill54]

If I had a time machine, I think I would go to that concert. Everyone - audience and band alike - are having such a good time.

[centrifuge1]

back when music was good. damn.

[JazzMan600]

Gotta love he sound of the saxes!

My tenor sounds like what seems to be the first alto.

[jensenbell]

What year is the sound track from? Sounds like war era or just after. Sounds post Glen Miller. Forgive my ignorance!

[stubs13]

I am pretty sure the recording it actually from the Carnival itself, 1938.

[bminorscales]

I can't comment on the source of the recording other than to say it was positively not recorded live, outdoors. For one, it has the audible sound of an indoor venue and they absolutely did not have the technology at that time to get sound that clean outdoors. Still, the film of the Basie band in concert is wonderful to have.

[swingyoucats]

I assume that this was newsreel footage at one point -- or is it someone's home movies of the Carnival of Swing? What a pity that there is no accompanying soundtrack, even though the glimpses of Lester, Buck, Jo, Walter Page, Rushing, and the others are priceless.

[CDSJAZZ]

I've read that this concert was broadcast, but sadly no aural evidence has surfaced.

[ibsen25]

je me plonge avec delice et bonheur dans ces video

[STILLAVRIL1]

Thank you for posting this. So little film of this type made.

As for time machine it would be October 8th 1936. The first recording Lester made with Basie........Oh! Lady be good.

Sublime.

[Jeaneathean]

Superb. Prez in sunspex!

[elbuzz]

I am struck by the shared experience between white and black patrons in this film--man, how I wish i could time travel-! What a grand piece of film. Thanks.

[Corrie121]

Corrie 121.

mosaicproductions.

If you did have a time machine, I'd hope you would have room for two, as I would join you!

[mosaicproductions]

If I had a time machine, I think I would go to that concert. Everyone - audience and band alike - are having such a good time.

[wontonton]

Holy cow, I hate crowds, and usually outdoor concerts, but that is one show I would pay anything to go to. Go Prez!

[hmengland41]

Too bad the music doesn't come from the film. And how well dressed everyone is -- and ENJOYING themselves and the music. No riots, nothing to prove, just having fun, black and white alike.

[damnjap]

YeaH !!!

[kpjjazz]

A fine historic clip of the wonderful Count Basie Band and stuff & Teddy! many thanks. Jim