Big Boss Band

In his liner notes, Benson writes that in 1983 he made a promise to Count Basie "to do his (Basie's) music justice" on an album such as Big Boss Band. He continues: "The spirit of the Basie Legacy permeated these sessions as I approached each one (song) in the way I believed the Count would have wanted." He thanks to Frank Foster III for his contribution and notes that he "was Basie's only choice" to arrange this album.[1]

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[2]
The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings	[3]

The album was criticized by jazz writers for not being jazzy enough, for the vocal performance and for not being able to grab the opportunity of making a jazz classic.[4][5]

Frank Foster received Grammy Award for his arrangement of George Benson’s composition “Basie’s Bag” (Best Jazz Instrumental Performance, Big Band, 1990).[6]

Musicians:

• George Benson – guitar, vocals (1, 3-9)

Count Basie Orchestra (1-4, 6, 8, 9, 10):

• Carl "Ace" Carter – acoustic piano
• Charlton Johnson – guitar
• Cleveland Eaton – bass
• Duffy Jackson – drums
• David Glasser – alto saxophone, alto sax solo (2)
• Danny Turner – alto saxophone
• Johnny Williams – baritone saxophone
• Frank Foster III – arrangements (1-5, 8, 9, 10), tenor saxophone, tenor sax solo (2)
• Kenneth Hing – tenor saxophone
• Doug Miller – tenor saxophone
• Clarence Banks – trombone
• Melvin Wanzo – trombone
• Tim Williams – trombone
• Bill Hughes – bass trombone
• George Cohn – trumpet
• Bob Ojeda – trumpet, backup trumpet solo (2), arrangements (6)
• Byron Stripling – trumpet, backup trumpet solo (4)
• Mike Williams – trumpet

Additional Musicians:

• Barry J. Eastmond – acoustic piano (3), keyboards (3)
• Terry Burrus – keyboards (5)
• Richard Tee – keyboard bass (5)
• David Witham – keyboards (5)
• Ron Carter – bass (3)
• Bashiri Johnson – percussion (5)
• Ralph MacDonald – percussion (5)
• Carmen Bradford – vocals (3)

New York Horns (5):

• Larry Farrell – trombone
• Paul Faulise – trombone
• Keith O'Quinn – trombone
• James Pugh – trombone
• Randy Brecker – trumpet
• Jon Faddis – trumpet
• Earl Gardner – trumpet
• Lew Soloff – trumpet

Robert Farnon Orchestra (7):

• Robert Farnon – arrangements[1]
• uncredited UK musicians[1]

Production:

• George Benson – producer, liner notes
• Al Schmitt – co-producer (Track 7), recording, mixing
• Russ Defilippis – production assistant for Broadway Productions.
• Peter Darmi – recording
• Elliot Scheiner – recording
• Dave Russell – additional recording
• Jeff Toone – additional recording
• Ed Rak – mixing
• Greg Calbi – mastering at Sterling Sound (New York, NY).
• Emile Charlap – musical contractor
• Aaron Woodward – musical contractor
• Lucrecia Snead – project administrator
• Michon C. Stanco – album package coordinator
• Mary Ann Dibs – art direction
• Lorna Stovall – design
• Robert Hakalski – photography
• Robin Lynch – grooming
• Alexander White – styling
• Ken Fritz Management, L.A. – direction