April In Paris was one of the earliest albums to be released on Norman Granz’s new label, Verve Records. Basie plays organ and piano, and the rhythm section of Eddie Jones on bass, Sonny Payne on drums and Freddie Green on rhythm guitar drive the whole album with restrained intensity. The album helped reconnect jazz lovers with one of the finest bands of the swing era, yet there is nothing retrospective about April in Paris; it is alive with vitality, elegance, sophistication, and modernity.
