The 18 piece Count Basie Orchestra is the real deal, a who’s who of the best swing players the world has to offer. Directed by veteran trumpeter Scotty Barnhart and featuring special guest vocalist, the remarkable Carmen Bradford, Gill Falson was lucky enough to have both performers pop into Playing Favourites ahead of their Sydney Opera House performance on Thursday the 2nd of August. Enjoy the insights into an ensemble that have topped the upper echelons of the international jazz world for decades.