"Papa" Jo Jones:
Jones' most significant work was with the Count Basie band of 1934 to 1948. Examples of Jones' stellar playing as a member of "The All American Rhythm Section" (Jones, Basie, Walter Page and Freddie Green) abound. Works include: "The Complete Decca Recordings 1937-1939" (GRP / Decca label), "The Essential Count Basie Volumes One Two and Three" (covering the same years, on the Columbia / Okeh label), "Count Basie 1938 to 1939" (Jazz Chronological Classics label), "Count At The Chatterbox" (1937: Jazz Archive), and the hard-to-find "Golden Years Volumes One to Five" (1941-1945: EPM label).
Jones' fine work as a featured artist in the Jazz At The Philharmonic troupe, including his participation in the original "Perdido," can be heard on many tracks in Verve's boxed set, "The Complete Jazz At The Philharmonic On Verve 1944 to 1949." Jones' two works as a leader are still on the market. They are "The Essential Jo Jones" (1955: Vanguard) and with a group of Count Basie alumni on "The Main Man" (1976: Fantasy / OJC label).
For those who want to "see" classic Jones in action, he participated in two filmed events that have been commercially-issued on video, including "Jazz On A Summer's Day" from the 1958 Newport Jazz Festival where he backs none other than Chuck Berry, and the legendary television show from 1957, "The Sound of Jazz."
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