Count Basie

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Count Basie
Count Basie in Rhythm and Blues Revue.jpg
From the 1955 film Rhythm and Blues Revue
Background information
Birth name William James Basie
Born August 21, 1904
Red Bank, New Jersey, U.S.
Died April 26, 1984 (aged 79)
Hollywood, Florida, U.S.
Genres
Jazz swing big band piano blues
Occupation(s)
Musician bandleader composer
Instruments
Piano organ
Years active 19241984
William James "Count" Basie (August 21, 1904 April 26, 1984)[1] was an American
jazz pianist, organist, bandleader, and composer. His mother taught him to play the
piano and he started performing in his teens. Dropping out of school, he learned to
operate lights for vaudeville and to improvise accompaniment for silent films at a
local movie theater in his home town of Red Bank, New Jersey. By age 16, he
increasingly played jazz piano at parties, resorts and other venues. In 1924, he
went to Harlem, where his performing career expanded; he toured with groups to the
major jazz cities of Chicago, St. Louis and Kansas City. In 1929 he joined Bennie
Moten's band in Kansas City, and played with them until Moten's death in 1935.
In 1935, Basie formed his own jazz orchestra, the Count Basie Orchestra, and in
1936 took them to Chicago for a long engagement and their first recording. He led
the group for almost 50 years, creating innovations like the use of two "split"
tenor saxophones, emphasizing the rhythm section, riffing with a big band, using
arrangers to broaden their sound, and others. Many musicians came to prominence
under his direction, including the tenor saxophonists Lester Young and Herschel
Evans, the guitarist Freddie Green, trumpeters Buck Clayton and Harry "Sweets"
Edison and singers Jimmy Rushing and Joe Williams.
Contents [hide]
1 Biography
1.1 Early life and education
1.2 Early career
1.3 Kansas City years
1.4 John Hammond and first recordings
1.5 New York City and the swing years
1.6 Post-war and later years
2 Marriage and family
3 The singers
4 Legacy and honors
5 Representation in other media
6 Discography
7 Filmography
8 Awards
8.1 Grammy Awards
8.2 Grammy Hall of Fame
8.3 Honors and inductions
8.4 National Recording Registry
9 See also
10 References
11 External links
Biography[edit]
Early life and education[edit]
William Basie was born to Harvey Lee and Lillian Basie in Red Bank, New Jersey.[2]
[3] His father worked as a coachman and caretaker for a wealthy judge. After
automobiles replaced horses, his father became a groundskeeper and handyman for
several wealthy families in the area.[4] Both of his parents had some type of
musical background. His father played the mellophone, and his mother played the
piano; in fact, she gave Basie his first piano lessons. She took in laundry and
baked cakes for sale for a living. She paid 25 cents a lesson for piano instruction
for him.[5][6]
Not much of a student in school, Basie dreamed of a traveling life, inspired by
touring carnivals which came to town. He finished junior high school[7] but spent
much of his time at the Palace Theater in Red Bank, where doing occasional chores
gained him free admission to performances. He quickly learned to improvise music
appropriate to the acts and the silent movies.[8]
Though a natural at the piano, Basie preferred drums. Discouraged by the obvious
talents of Sonny Greer, who also lived in Red Bank and became Duke Ellington's
drummer in 1919, Basie at age 15 switched to piano exclusively.[5] Greer and Basie
played together in venues until Greer set out on his professional career. By then,
Basie was playing with pick-up groups for dances, resorts, and amateur shows,
including Harry Richardson's "Kings of Syncopation".[9] When not playing a gig, he
hung out at the local pool hall with other musici