| "One O'Clock Jump" | |
|---|---|
| Single by Count Basie | |
| B-side | "John's Idea" |
| Released | 1937 |
| Recorded | July 7, 1937, New York, NY |
| Genre | Jazz |
| Length | 3:02 |
| Label | Decca 1363 |
| Writer(s) | Count Basie Eddie Durham (arr.) Buster Smith (arr.) |
"One O'Clock Jump" is a jazz standard, a 12-bar blues instrumental, written in 1937 by Count Basie, with arrangement from Eddie Durham and Buster Smith. The original recording of the tune by Basie and his band is noted for the saxophone work of Herschel Evans and Lester Young; trumpeting by Buck Clayton, Walter Page on bass, and Basie himself on piano.[1] "One O'Clock Jump" was the theme song of the Count Basie Orchestra; they used it to close each of their concerts for the next half century. It was reportedly titled "Blue Ball" at first, but a radio announcer feared that title was too risqué.[2] It was listed in the Songs of the Century.
The song is typical of Basie's early riff style. The instrumentation is based on "head arrangements" where each section makes up their part based on what the other sections are playing. Individuals take turns improvising over the top of the entire sound. Basie later released "Jumpin' at the Woodside" in a similar style. Basie recorded "One O'Clock Jump" several times after the original performance for Decca in 1937, f.i. for Columbia in 1942 and 1950 and on a number of occasions in the fifties. "Two O'Clock Jump" was a performance by Harry James and his big band in 1939, slightly based on "One O'Clock Jump", but using triplets. Several versions of the original by Harry James and Benny Goodman feature the "Two O'Clock Jump" ending. Lionel Hampton used the song as his theme song for a while as well.
A popular jazz standard for virtually all top swing bands and their fans and jitterbuggers, it was part of the concert bill for Benny Goodman's 1938 concert at Carnegie Hall.
Rush drummer Neil Peart used this standard to conclude his drum solos in live concerts from 2002-2004. On Rush's 2007-08 Snakes & Arrows Tour, he used an excerpt of Duke Ellington's "Cotton Tail".