April in Paris

Hailed as an instant classic, this is big-band heaven and one of the greatest opening tracks on any album. The album oozes swing and helped reconnect jazz lovers with one of the finest bands of the swing era. Yet there is nothing retrospective in this album; it is alive with vitality, elegance, sophistication and modernity. Tip of the hat to Freddie Green, the man who established the rhythm guitar as an important instrument in jazz and most other genres of music. He rarely took a solo, but added so much to so many recordings during his fifty years with Basie's band. His sense of harmony and his ability to blend with his drummer created something unique and special.