so rode out on stage in a motorized wheelchair. His personnel around 1937 included: Lester Young and Herschel Evans (tenor sax), Freddie Green (guitar), Jo Jones (drums), Walter Page (bass), Earle Warren (alto sax), Buck Clayton and Harry Edison (trumpet), Benny Morton and Dickie Wells (trombone). William (Count) Basie, who produced more music with two fingers than most pianists get out of 10, died Thursday in a hospital in Hollywood, Fla., where he had been admitted . Gonsalves and Clark Terry. In 1959, Basie's band recorded a "greatest hits" double album The Count Basie Story (Frank Foster, arranger), and Basie/Eckstine Incorporated, an album featuring Billy Eckstine, Quincy Jones (as arranger) and the Count Basie Orchestra. The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. He also recorded with Sammy Davis Jr., Bing Crosby, and Sarah Vaughan. non-soloing brass and reeds). showcase the band's brilliant soloists. Lena Horne, Stevie Wonder, Joe Williams, Oscar Peterson and Quincy Jones were among the stars to pay tribute. 'No,' I said, 'but I'd [72] The Basies bought a home in the new whites-only neighborhood of Addisleigh Park in 1946 on Adelaide Road and 175th Street, St. Albans, Queens. onenighters, and the bebop revolution of the mid-1940s all played a role I thought he was kidding, shrugged my shoulders and replied, 'O.K.' [38] Compared to the reigning band of Fletcher Henderson, Basie's band lacked polish and presentation. Age at Death: 79. "April in Paris," which became the trademark of the band band a permanent place in jazz history. His second great band, from the 1950s onwards, relied more on arrangements, typically from Neil Hefti and Ernie Wilkin's. As a pianist Basie. in a 14th Street dance hall. [26] A year later, Basie joined Bennie Moten's band, and played with them until Moten died in 1935 from a failed tonsillectomy. [48] When Eddie Durham left for Glenn Miller's orchestra, he was replaced by Dicky Wells. The sound was almost frightening. Though stories abound at the genesis of his nickname, Basie later recalled it as a tribute to his penchant for slipping off during arranging sessions with Moten. vaudeville circuits; and as a soloist and accompanist to blues singer Gonzelle White as well as Crippen. Basie changed the jazz landscape and shaped mid-20th century popular music, duly earning the title King of Swing because he made the world want to dance. What Is The Origin Of Springerle Cookies? Many of the band's arrangements were When Basie died of pancreatic cancer in 1984 at the age of 79, he left his $1.5 million fortune in a trust to provide for Diane. "Of course, I wanted to play real jazz. They had one daughter, Diane, in 1944. "I had dropped into the old Lincoln Theater in Harlem," Mr. Basie once recalled, "and I heard a young fellow beating it out on an organ. At a White House reception, President Reagan said that Mr. Basie was "among the handful of musicians that helped change the path of American music in the 30's and the 40's" and that he had "revolutionized jazz.". We believe that every person's story is important as it provides our community with an opportunity to feel a sense of belonging, share their hopes and dreams. Born: August 21, 1904 half a year later. Basie then formed his own nine-piece band, Barons of Rhythm, with many former Moten members including Walter Page (bass), Freddie Green (guitar), Jo Jones (drums),Lester Young (tenor saxophone) and Jimmy Rushing(vocals). The agent, Willard Alexander, said Mrs. Is the Count Basie Orchestra still alive? In 1935, he formed the Count Basie Orchestra, and in 1936 took them to Chicago for a long engagement and their first recording. New Jersey, Report Accessibility Barrier or The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". Hollywood, Florida His touring took him to Kansas City, St. Louis, New Orleans, and Chicago. From 1929 to 1932, Basie was part of Bennie Moten's Kansas City Orchestra: In 1958, Basie became the first African-American to win a Grammy Award. As a young boy, Basie hated to see his parents working so hard, and vowed to help them get ahead. The agent, Willard Alexander, said Mrs. His daughter, Diane Basie, now 71 and living in Florida. 3 What pianist lead the most successful band in Kansas City? Everything We Know about the Music Legends Love Life, Rich Man Leaves Older Son $2.8 Million, Younger Son Gets Only $1 Story of the Day, Hank Williams Jr Lost 'Drop-Dead Gorgeous' Wife of 31 Years in March Inside Their Marriage, Loretta Lynn Fought for Her Beloved Husband Though He Called Other Women into Their Bed. Jones also arranged and conducted 1966's live Sinatra at the Sands which featured Sinatra with Count Basie and his orchestra at the Sands Hotel in Las Vegas. Basie heard Bennie Motens band, and longed to play with them. band's theme song, "One O'Clock Jump," [45] In early 1938, the Savoy was the meeting ground for a "battle of the bands" with Chick Webb's group. Not loud and fast, understand, but smoothly and with a definite punch.". The band flopped at a Pittsburgh hotel that had never booked a jazz band before. 6 Who was Count Basies adopted son on Long Island? He started out to be a drummer. Their only child, Diane, was born February 6, 1944. [56], Count Basie was the featured artist at the first Cavalcade of Jazz concert held at Wrigley Field on September 23, 1945, which was produced by Leon Hefflin Sr.[57] Al Jarvis was the Emcee and other artists to appear on stage were Joe Liggins and his Honeydrippers, The Peters Sisters, Slim and Bam, Valaida Snow, and Big Joe Turner. A year later, Basie joinedBennie_Motens band, and played with them until Motens death in 1935. [40] His first official recordings for Decca followed, under contract to agent MCA, including "Pennies from Heaven" and "Honeysuckle Rose". I sat on the floor watching his feet and using my hands to imitate him. They had direct lines to presidents, occasionally exchanging personal telegrams giving well wishes. fast-paced tunes designed to excite the audience. Basie added touches of bebop "so long as it made sense", and he required that "it all had to have feeling". Jazz was especially appreciated in France, The Netherlands, and Germany in the 1950s; these countries were the stomping grounds for many expatriate American jazz stars who were either resurrecting their careers or sitting out the years of racial divide in the United States. (Lockjaw) Davis, Frank Wess, Jimmy Forrest and the blues singer Joe Williams. parents, Harvey and Lillian (Childs) Basie, were both musicians. [20] Where the Blue Devils were "snappier" and more "bluesy", the Moten band was more refined and respected, playing in the "Kansas City stomp" style. [9] When not playing a gig, he hung out at the local pool hall with other musicians, where he picked up on upcoming play dates and gossip. Report Accessibility Barrier or During his orchestras peak years in the 1920s and 30s, he helped define the sound of big-band jazz, pioneering musical ideas which today are taken for granted. ***** All concert dates after Count Basie's death are for The Count Basie Orchestra ***** Discography. Basie decided to form a medium-sized 1981 interview cited in "The Lester Young Story" (Properbox 16), pp. Two years later, they were the most famous African American band in the country. The key One of them, Aaron Woodward, a Long Island Baptist pastor and accountant, was considered an informally adopted son by Basie, according to a report by Jet magazine. on the stand. He then traveled from New York to Kansas City just to hear the band and to meet Count Basie. In 1950, when big bands were falling apart, Mr. Basie cut down to an eight-piece group but by 1952 he was leading a big band once again. From that time on, I was a daily customer, hanging A longtime friend of jazz legend Count Basie is facing possible jail time for allegedly stealing $70,000 from the late bandleaders disabled daughter. Bandleader, arranger and pianist Fletcher Henderson is one of the most influential and yet least-known jazz masters. Swing-era bandleader noted for his theme songs One O'Clock Jump from 1937 and April in Paris from 1932. His However, the man ended up betraying Basies trust, and he stole from Diane. Then he said, 'Bill, I think I'll call you Count Basie from now on. April 27, 1984 7 AM PT. The band tried to stay together but failed. century. Catherine Basie, wife of Count Basie, the jazz musician and band leader, died of a heart attack yesterday at the couples home in Freeport, Grand Bahama Island, according to Mr. Basies agent. During a broadcast the announcer wanted to give Basie's name some style, so he called him "Count". Once the musicians found what they liked, they usually were able to repeat it using their "head arrangements" and collective memory.[44]. When Basie died of pancreatic cancer in 1984 at the age of 79, he left his $1.5 million fortune in a trust to provide for Diane. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for contacting us. Neal Hefti began to provide arrangements, including "Lil Darlin'". With the New Testament Basie band in full swing, and arrangements written by a youthful Quincy Jones, this album proved a swinging respite from her Songbook recordings and constant touring she did during this period. The big band era appeared to have ended after the war, and Basie disbanded the group. Before he was 20 years old, he toured extensively on the Keith and TOBA vaudeville circuits as a solo pianist, accompanist, and music director for blues singers, dancers, and comedians. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Basie was a member of Omega Psi Phi fraternity. Basie's 14-man band began playing at the Famous Door, a mid-town nightspot with a CBS network feed and air conditioning, which Hammond was said to have bought the club in return for their booking Basie steadily throughout the summer of 1938. By then, Basie was playing with pick-up groups for dances, resorts, and amateur shows, including Harry Richardson's "Kings of Syncopation". was the reworking of a standard tune"I Got [28], At the end of 1936, Basie and his band, now billed as Count Basie and His Barons of Rhythm, moved from Kansas City to Chicago, where they honed their repertoire at a long engagement at the Grand Terrace Ballroom. She was married to Count Basie since August 21, 1942 until her death in 1983. Even in Harlem, it puzzled the aware audiences at the Savoy Ballroom. They had one daughter, Diane, in 1944. One of them, Aaron Woodward, a Long Island Baptist pastor and accountant, was considered an informally adopted son by Basie, according to a report by Jet magazine. passages, directing his musicians with a glance, a lift of an eyebrow or a note hit gently but positively in passing. Diane died peacefully on October 15 after suffering a heart attack a few days before. His name was Louis Armstrong. Who taught Count Basie how do you play the piano? With Billy Eckstine on the album Basie/Eckstine Incorporated, in 1959. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); 2023 FAQS Clear - All Rights Reserved He also scored a series of Top Ten hits on the pop and R&B charts, includingI Didnt Know About You,Red Bank Blues,Rusty Dusty Blues, Jimmys Blues,andBlue Skies. One of the band's most popular arrangements, "April in Paris," was written in 1955 by Wild Bill Davis, a jazz organist who had originally developed it for his own small group. We've received your submission. The agent, Willard Alexander, said Mrs. Basie died while her husband was appearing at the Royal York Hotel in Toronto. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. Hammond introduced Helen Humes, whom Basie hired; she stayed with Basie for four years. "When they let you in the door," Ralph Gleason, the jazz critic, reported, "it was like jumping into the center of a whirlwind. There will be a viewing at Benta's Funeral Home, 630 St. Nicholas Avenue at 141st Street, on Sunday from 1 to 7 P.M. It is with a heavy heart that we share the news of the passing of Diane Lillian Basie (1944-2022), the beloved only child of the legendary jazz musician, William James Count Basie and his wife, Catherine Morgan Basie. Count Basie made most of his albums with his big band. years ago when a number of musicians, including Mr. Basie, were scheduled to perform in a variety of combinations. encouraged to direct suggestions, comments, or complaints concerning any accessibility issues [79] In his autobiography, he wrote, "I think the band can really swing when it swings easy, when it can just play along like you are cutting butter."[80]. What pianist lead the most successful band in Kansas City? In 1976, Mr. Basie suffered a heart attack. In 1935, Bennie Moten died and it was left to Basie to take some of the musicians from that . Scale for the musicians at the Reno Club, where beer was a nickel and whisky was 15 cents, was $15 a week for playing from 8 P.M. to 4 A.M., except Saturdays when it was 8 P.M. until 8 A.M. And it was a seven-day week. In 1937 Basie took his group, Count Basie and His Barons of Rhythm, to New York to record their first album with Decca Records under their new name, The Count Basie Orchestra. When that band broke up in 1929, he Bennie Moten's band He was a fine pianist and leader of one of the greatest jazz bands in history. New Jersey. Which is correct poinsettia or poinsettia? [25] The band improved with several personnel changes, including the addition of tenor saxophonist Ben Webster. [85], By 2011, four recordings of Count Basie had been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame, a special Grammy award established in 1973 to honor recordings that are at least 25 years old, and that have "qualitative or historical significance.". Basie led his jazz orchestra almost continuously for nearly 50 years. After a decade long courtship, Basie married dancer Catherine Morgan, his second wife, on his birthday in 1942. From the Grand Terrace, it moved on to New York and Roseland Ballroom (playing opposite Woody Herman's new, young band) where listeners complained that it was out of tune (not a surprising reaction While on one tour he became stranded went to Kansas City to hear it and support it and brought it to the attention of booking agents. Finally, Willard Alexander, a booking agent, in an effort to get the band on 52d Street, then the jazz center of New York, made a deal with the Famous Door, a shoebox of a room, 25 feet wide and about He married Catherine Morgan on July 13, 1940, in the King County courthouse in Seattle, Washington. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. Count and Mrs. Basie were true socialites - often gathering with friends including celebrities Frank Sinatra, Jerry Lewis, Sammy Davis, Jr., and Basie protg Quincy Jones. How do I choose between my boyfriend and my best friend? Mr. Basie was born in Red Bank, N.J., on Aug. 21, 1904, an only child who was christened William. The Barons of Rhythm were regulars at the Reno Club and often performed for a live radio broadcast. He was a big force in music. [47], A few months later, Holiday left for Artie Shaw's band. 1415. She was 67 years old. He was already playing jazz piano at parties, clubs and other venues. Soon after, Benny Goodman recorded their signature "One O'Clock Jump" with his band. stylea solid rhythm backing the horn soloists, who were also Individuals with disabilities are In May 1970, Sinatra performed in London's Royal Festival Hall with the Basie orchestra, in a charity benefit for the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children. The Count Basie Orchestra recorded and played live with many iconic artists like Duke Ellington, Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Tonny Benneth and Sarah Vaughan. Provide Feedback Form, Rutgers, The State University of When You Breathe In Your Diaphragm Does What. or complete the Report Accessibility Barrier or Basie was a true innovator leading the band for almost 50 years and recording on over 480 albums. [75], Basie also recorded with Tony Bennett in the late 1950s. skilled performers (reflecting Basie's sound management) gave the On May 23, 1985, William "Count" Basie was presented, posthumously, with the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Ronald Reagan. In 1950, he headlined the Universal-International short film "Sugar Chile" Robinson, Billie Holiday, Count Basie and His Sextet. After Vocalion became a subsidiary of Columbia Records in 1938, "Boogie Woogie" was released in 1941 as part of a four-record compilation album entitled Boogie Woogie (Columbia album C44). Basie made his professional debut playing piano with vaudeville acts (traveling variety entertainment). The place catered to "uptown celebrities", and typically the band winged every number without sheet music using "head arrangements". Both of Basies parents were hard workers. He and his band recorded with They had one daughter, Diane, in 1944. [62] Soon, his band was touring and recording again. When his own band folded, he rejoined Moten with a newly re-organized band. He occasionally played four-hand piano and dual pianos with Moten, who also conducted. Mr. Basie's musicians had been playing "head" arrangements in Kansas City--treatments of the blues or pop tunes that were worked out [73], On April 11, 1983, Catherine Basie died of heart disease at the couple's home in Freeport, Grand Bahama Island. In May 2019, Basie was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame at a ceremony in Memphis, TN, presented by The Blues Foundation. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. [61] Basie also added flute to some numbers, a novelty at the time that became widely copied. The Count Basie Orchestra is a 16 to 18 piece big band, one of the most prominent jazz performing groups of the swing era, founded by Count Basie in 1935 and recording regularly from 1936. A stocky, handsome man with heavy-lidded eyes and a sly smile, Basie was desktop goose android. Basie is a part of the Big Band Leaders issue, which, is in turn, part of the Legends of American Music series. Basie's new band played at the Reno Club and sometimes were broadcast on local radio. [30], In that city in October 1936, the band had a recording session which the producer John Hammond later described as "the only perfect, completely perfect recording session I've ever had anything to do with". Around 1924 Basie moved toHarlem, a hotbed for jazz, where his career started to quickly take off. One day he asked me whether I played the organ. Shortly after he got there, he got a gig replacing Fats Waller with a touring vaudeville act. She even toured with the Basie Orchestra in the mid-1970s, and Fitzgerald and Basie also met on the 1979 albums A Classy Pair, Digital III at Montreux, and A Perfect Match, the last two also recorded live at Montreux. Basie also toured with Bennett, including a date at Carnegie Hall. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. All We Know about the Award-Winning Composer, His Life, and Legacy, Rich Old Man Left More than $10M Estate to 11 Heirs One Keeps Portion Worth Millions for Herself, Who Is Lionel Richie Married To? When we played pop tunes--and, naturally, we had to--I wanted those pops to kick! "April in Paris" (arrangement by Wild Bill Davis) was a best-selling instrumental and the title song for the hit album. This familiar pattern was evident in the In 1935, he formed the Count Basie Orchestra, and in 1936 took them to Chicago for a long engagement and their first recording. The swing era band played drums in his school band and took some piano lessons from his, Basie made his professional debut playing piano with vaudeville acts Another Basie innovation was the use of two tenor saxophone players; at the time, most bands had just one. Individuals Count Basie is considered one of the greatest bandleaders of all times. Basie earned nine Grammy Awardsand made history in 1958 by becoming the first African-American to receive the award. While reports of Woodard being sent to jail never surfaced, one thing is for sure, and that is that Diane is doing great under her new caretakers. A pianist, Count Basie played vaudeville before eventually forming his own big band and helping to define the era of swing with hits like One OClock Jump and Blue Skies. In 1958, Basie became the first African American male recipient of a Grammy Award. Released: 1967 . But it was in Harlem, New York City, that he learned the basics of piano, mainly from his sometime organ teacher, the great Fats Waller (19041943). At 16. Good Morning Blues: The Autobiography of Count Basie. Within a year experienced so many changes in musical fashion, especially after the Benjamin Bennie Moten (November 13, 1894 April 2, 1935) was an American jazz pianist and band leader born and raised in Kansas City, Missouri, United States. Discography of American Historical Recordings, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Count_Basie&oldid=1137147837, Best Jazz Instrumental Performance, Big Band, Best Jazz Performance by a Soloist (Instrumental), Best Performance by an Orchestra For Dancing. Who was Count Basies adopted son on Long Island? factor in popularizing it was a series of repetitions of the final few bars when, as the orchestra seemingly came to the end of the piece, Mr. Basie held up a finger and called out, "One mo' After working briefly as house organist in a It does not store any personal data. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The Count Basie Orchestra had a slew of hits that helped to define the big-band sound of the 1930s and 40s. dealing with the egos of his musicians. What was the greatest era of the Basie band? the band developed its own variation of the Kansas City swing Undismayed by Chick's forceful drum beating, which sent the audience into shouts of encouragement and appreciation and casual beads of perspiration to drop from Chick's brow onto the brass cymbals, the Count maintained an attitude of poise and self-assurance. epitome of swing, of jazz that moved with a built-in flowing intensity. Catherine Basie, wife of Count Basie, the jazz musician and band leader, died of a heart attack yesterday at the couple's home in Freeport, Grand Bahama Island, according to Mr. Basie's agent. The NY Post reported a few years ago that Woodward was facing possible jail for stealing $70,000 from Diane. He played piano with them, with one interruption, for the His daughter, Diane Basie, now 71 and living in Florida with full-time caregivers, is severely retarded and only marginally communicative, according to court papers. They had one daughter. New York: Random House, 1985. Nicknamed "Lady Day" by her friend and music partner, Lester Young, Holiday had an innovative influence on jazz music and pop singing.Her vocal style, strongly inspired by jazz instrumentalists, pioneered a new way of manipulating phrasing and tempo. This stemmed primarily from the presence in the rhythm section, from 1937 to the present, of both Mr. Basie on piano and Freddie Green on guitar. They were divorced sometime before 1935. introductory notes, looked up at the drummer, nodded at the rest of the group and, when the combo took off, the musicians were playing as brilliantly and cleanly as they had been disheveled only He was one of the greatest bandleaders of all-time, epitomizing the jazz of south-western America. The band keeps on touring around the country under the direction of trumpeter Scotty Barnhart. Home | About | Contact | Copyright | Privacy | Cookie Policy | Terms & Conditions | Sitemap. Count Basie, the jazz pianist whose spare, economic keyboard style and supple rhythmic drive made his orchestra one of the most influential groups of the Big Band era, died of cancer yesterday. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. "One night the announcer called me to the microphone for those usual few words of introduction," Mr. Basie once recalled. The band survived Basie's death, with ex-Basie-ite trumpeter Thad Jones directing until his death in 1986. He was a fine pianist and leader of one of the greatest jazz At a theatre in Newark he was able to hear regular performances by the bands of Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Stan Kenton and others. Is that all right with you?' Their fame took a huge leap. [2][3] His father worked as a coachman and caretaker for a wealthy judge. and Sarah Vaughan (19241990). Now Joy Rosenthal, a court-appointed lawyer who is Dianes replacement guardian, wants to jail or fine Woodward, 68. Copyright 2023, Rutgers, The State University of with trumpeter Thad Jones directing until his own death in 1986. Kliment, Bud. New York: C. Scribner's Sons, 1980. Is the Count Basie Orchestra still alive? (traveling variety entertainment). Count Basie and his Friends, myspace.com. What is the formula for calculating solute potential? The couple had an only daughter, Diane Basie, who's now a 74-year-old disabled woman. to bite with real guts. Basie was married in two occasions, first to Vivian Lee Winn from 1930 to 1935, and later to Catherine Morgan, from 1940 until her death in 1983.
