Recorded in 1955 and 1956, this was Count Basie's first release on Verve Records.
April In Paris was one of the earliest albums to be released on Norman Granz's 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.