Heart of Dixie - In Love With Basie (2026)

Dedicated with love to swing dancers all around the world.

The title of this album—“In Love with Basie”—seems to be a bit misleading, as only four of the tunes here are connected with Basie’s band. It does rather look like a tribute, and to some extent it is. A tribute to the most influential swing artists including the aforementioned Count Basie; two by the Duke; one by Benny Goodman, Ray Anthony, and Erroll Garner, and Jeepers Creepers is an original vocal tribute to Frank Sinatra. However, further listening proves that the ever swinging “Basie spirit” is present all over the recording. The arrangements were after all designed to match the brass-heavy sound of the legendary orchestra.

Side one opens with Neil Hefti’s original Sure Thing, first recorded in 1952. Then follow two Ellingtonian takes—Just Squeeze Me featuring the first exclusive guest on this album: the charming Swiss singer Géraldine Schnyder. The latter Caravan is a showcase for all the band’s soloists in top form. The pianist and arranger then takes a turn in the spotlight with his rendition of Erroll Garner’s composition Like It Is. This side is concluded with a 1941 Basie classic 9:20 Special.

Side two kicks off with hard-swinging Vine Street Rumble, taken from Basie’s 1960 album Kansas City Suite. The fourth and last tune connected directly with the Count is laid-back Confessin’ the Blues. Originally sung by the great Joe Williams, the song features the bandleader Jan Čarek. Down South Camp Meeting, a Fletcher Henderson original made famous by Benny Goodman, is a tour de force of the band’s horn section, as the arrangement keeps them busy throughout the piece.

Next piece called Jeepers Creepers marks the historic appearance by “The Dixie Boys”, a vocal group formed by four of the band’s members: Jan Čarek, Petr Chadim, Jan Galia and Čeněk Kraut. The album’s closing track is The Fox, a fresh foot-tapping tune from the repertoire of Ray Anthony.

Jiří Kotača - trumpet
Marek Kotača - alto sax, clarinet
Petr Chadim - tenor saxophone
Jan Galia - trombone
Jan Čarek - guitar, vocals
Čeněk Kraut - piano
Vladimír Micenko - bass
Kristián Kuruc - drums
Géraldine Schnyder - vocals
The Dixie Boys - vocals