In 1981, Mr. Basie was honored along with Cary Grant, Helen Hayes and other stars as a Another Basie innovation was the use of two tenor saxophone players; at the time, most bands had just one. recipient of Washington's Kennedy Center honors for achievement in the performing arts. 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. with disabilities are encouraged to direct suggestions, comments, or complaints concerning any Image of Wayne King, Count Basie, Duke Ellington and Bill Elliot at Big Band Festival at Disneyland, Anaheim, 1964. [45] In early 1938, the Savoy was the meeting ground for a "battle of the bands" with Chick Webb's group. In 1935, he formed the Count Basie Orchestra, and in 1936 took them to Chicago for a long engagement and their first recording. From then on, it was Count Basie.". Basie occasionally lost some key soloists. In the early 1970s, the Basies moved to the warmer climate of Freeport, Bahamas. The couple had an only daughter, Diane Basie, who's now a 74-year-old disabled woman. But the obvious talents of another young Red Bank drummer, Sonny Greer, the personnel, and formed the first Count Basie Orchestra. . Provide Feedback Form. With many of the other big bands of the swing [29] Right from the start, Basie's band was known for its rhythm section. Count Basie, 79, Band Leader and Master of Swing, Dead At a theatre in Newark he was able to hear regular performances by the bands of Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Stan Kenton and others. "And that's when the whole fire started," said Mr. Alexander. Jazz icon, Count Basie, was born William JamesBasie August 21, 1904in Red Bank, New Jersey. [5][6], The best student in school, Basie dreamed of a traveling life, inspired by touring carnivals which came to town. Some time in or before 1935, the now single Basie returned to New York City, renting a house at 111 West 138th Street, Manhattan, as evidenced by the 1940 census. In 1935, he formed the Count Basie Orchestra, and in 1936 took them to Chicago for a long engagement and their first recording. The NY Post reported a few years ago that Woodward was facing possible jail for stealing $70,000 from Diane. This second-generation big band differed from the early one in that it depended on arrangers for its basic style, a smooth, rolling, highly polished swing style for which Neal Hefti ("Li'l Soon after, Benny Goodman recorded their signature "One O'Clock Jump" with his band. In 2009, Edgecombe Avenue and 160th Street in, "Blues in Hoss' Flat," composed by Basie band member, Since 1963 "The Kid From Red Bank" has been the theme and. After Motens death in 1935, Basie started his band, the Count Basie Orchestra. Their albums together included In Person and Strike Up the Band. 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). Basie is remembered by many who worked for him as being considerate of musicians and their opinions, modest, relaxed, fun-loving, dryly witty, and always enthusiastic about his music. 2022-06-30; wreck on 1942 crosby, tx today They were divorced sometime before 1935. Count Basie | Official Site for one of the greatest bandleaders of all [48] When Eddie Durham left for Glenn Miller's orchestra, he was replaced by Dicky Wells. Basie heard Bennie Motens band, and longed to play with them. Dropping out of junior high school, Basie learned to operate lights for vaudeville and to improvise piano accompaniment for silent films at the local movie theater in his hometown that would eventually become the Count Basie Theatre. 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). Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. What Is The Origin Of Springerle Cookies? The new band included: Paul Campbell, Tommy Turrentine, Johnny Letman, Idrees Sulieman, and Joe Newman (trumpet); Jimmy Wilkins, Benny Powell, Matthew Gee (trombone); Paul Quinichette and Floyd "Candy" Johnson (tenor sax); Marshal Royal and Ernie Wilkins (alto sax); and Charlie Fowlkes (baritone sax). Report Accessibility Barrier or [60] The jukebox era had begun, and Basie shared the exposure along with early rock'n'roll and rhythm and blues artists. Ella Fitzgerald made some memorable recordings with Basie, including the 1963 album Ella and Basie!. [26] A year later, Basie joined Bennie Moten's band, and played with them until Moten died in 1935 from a failed tonsillectomy. During a broadcast the announcer wanted to give Basie's name some style, so he called him "Count". big city hotel ballrooms. Another boost was provided in the late 1950s by the recording of When the band voted Moten out, Basie took over for several months, calling the group Count Basie and his Cherry Blossoms. However, the man ended up betraying Basies trust, and he stole from Diane. After a decade long courtship, Basie married dancer Catherine Morgan, his second wife, on his birthday in 1942. 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. Rhythm," "Dinah," or "Lady, Be Good." American Ballet Theatre - Count Basie at Doctors' Hospital in Hollywood, Fla. Jimmy Rushing sang with Basie in the late 1930s. "I wanted 13 men to think and play the same way. 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. . 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. "I wanted my 13-piece band to work together just like those nine pieces," he explained. 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. Basie made his professional debut playing piano with vaudeville acts (traveling variety entertainment). Count Basie was a pianist, bandleader, and composer considered as one of the most popular figures in the jazz world. They had one daughter, Diane, in 1944. Birthday: August 21, 1904. dealing with the egos of his musicians. Basie earned nine Grammy Awardsand made history in 1958 by becoming the first African-American to receive the award. Count Basie and his Friends, myspace.com. His father played the mellophone, and his mother played the piano; in fact, she gave Basie his first piano lessons. Today, Charlie Yardbird Parker is considered one of the great musical innovators of the 20th century. The couple were true socialites - often gathering with friends including celebrities Frank Sinatra, Jerry Lewis, Sammy Davis, Jr., and Basie protg Quincy Jones. 1415. His mother paid 25 cents per piano lesson for him . AmoMama creates engaging, meaningful content for women. William "Count" Basie was an American jazz pianist, organist, bandleader and composer. They had one daughter. Diane Basie | The Legendary Count Basie Orchestra [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. On September 11, 1996, the U.S. Post Office issued a Count Basie 32 cents postage stamp. The band will continue under the guidance of Aaron Woodward, an adopted son of Mr. Basie who has worked closely with the orchestra leader during the last year. "April in Paris" (arrangement by Wild Bill Davis) was a best-selling instrumental and the title song for the hit album. What happened to Count Basie daughter? - Sage-Advices "flagwavers," Basie, Count. Their only child, Diane, was born February 6, 1944. The swing era band While he recuperated his band continued to fulfill engagements, frequently with Nat Pierce taking Mr. Basie's place at the piano and sometimes with guest conductors such as the trumpeter Clark Terry, who Joe Williams toured with the band and was featured on the 1957 album One O'Clock Jump, and 1956's Count Basie Swings, Joe Williams Sings, with "Every Day (I Have the Blues)" becoming a huge hit. [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". I sat on the floor watching his feet and using my hands to imitate him. 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. Swing-era bandleader noted for his theme songs One O'Clock Jump from 1937 and April in Paris from 1932. Mr. Alexander agreed to lend the club $2,500 to install an air-conditioner if it would book 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. While on one tour he became stranded non-soloing brass and reeds). band's theme song, "One O'Clock Jump," Teaches Jazz. In 1976 Basie suffered a heart attack, but he returned to the bandstand Hammond introduced Helen Humes, whom Basie hired; she stayed with Basie for four years. In 1957, Basie the live album Count Basie at Newport. "heads"arrangements worked out without planning in accessibility issues with Rutgers web sites to accessibility@rutgers.edu But Moten was an expert piano player himself, and Basie fashioned a job for himself as the bands staff arranger. By then, Basie was playing with pick-up groups for dances, resorts, and amateur shows, including Harry Richardson's "Kings of Syncopation". [42] The band's first appearance at the Apollo Theater followed, with the vocalists Holiday and Jimmy Rushing getting the most attention. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. His wife, Catherine, had died in 1983. April 27, 1984 7 AM PT. [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. With Mr. Basie's 13 men in full cry at one end of this elongated closet, the sound ricocheting off the walls and rocketing down from the low ceiling, no listener could escape the exhilarating power Biography - Count Basie - Rutgers University or complete the Report Accessibility Barrier or 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.
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