Jumpin' at the Woodside

Rediscovered this gem from the Count Basie Orchestra after reading about the legendary band in Baraka's Blues People. Baraka stresses the use of riffs and the rhythmic innovations of Basie in advancing jazz outside of the confines of the commercialized big band sound of the Swing Era. Basie, in a sense, becomes a reassertion of the Black roots of swing in an era when it was diluted by the mainstream bands. There is an impeccable swing in Basie's music, as well as an obvious nod to the blues, so one can see why Baraka thought the way he did.