Count Basie with the Alan Copeland Singers - Basie Swingin' Voices Singin' (1966)

Apparently Basie was impressed by Alan Copeland's work as choral director of the "Red Skelton Show" and approached him to do this album. He was honoured of course and said 'yes'.
The collaboration was quite successful as expected. Alan conducted and did all the arrangements. For Basie purists this wasn't seen as one of maestro's high points. But even Basie was a businessman and had to make a buck. On some tracks the rhythm section and voices are aided by some of the Basie sidemen. This album, in fact, contains the first fruits of Roy Eldridge's new association with the Count. His muted horn is a heard on "Until I met You", a number written by Freddie Green, whose guitar is a driving force on every track. There are also solos and obbligati by Lockjaw Davis, Al Grey and Roy on "One For My Baby" and "Call Me".

Tracks:

Side 1:
1) Happiness Is
2) I Surrender Dear
3) Oh, Lady Be Good
4) You Are My Sunshine
5) Until I Met You
6) Candy

Side 2:
1) Down By The Old Mill Stream
2) Fantastic, That's You
3) One For My Baby
4) Girl Talk
5) Call Me

Personnel:

Count Basie,piano
Freddie Green,guitar
George Duvivier,bass
Eddie Shaughnessy,drums
Roy Eldridge,trumpet
Al Gey,trombone
Billy Byers,trombone
Eddie"Lockjaw"Davis,sax
Alan Copeland Singers,vocal

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