In addition, he played trombone, in the big bands of Tommy Dorsey, Woody Herman, Gene Krupa, and Charlie Barnet. This three-CD compilation celebrates the band's legendary Decca studio recordings made in New York when it was a hard-driving swing outfit on its way to becoming an American institution. The Basie orchestra had several hit recordings during the late 1930s and early 40s, among them Jumpin at the Woodside, Every Tub, Lester Leaps In, Super Chief, Taxi War Dance, Miss Thing, Shorty George, and One OClock Jump, the bands biggest hit and theme song. The Blue Devils was the first big band I ever had a chance to get close to and really listen to, and it was the greatest thing I had ever heard. ). Best Known For: One of jazz music's all-time greats, bandleader-pianist Count Basie was a primary shaper of the big-band sound that characterized mid-20th century popular music. These performances were generally well attended by other drummers such as Max Roach and Roy Haynes. Red Bank, Monmouth County, New Jersey, USA. Try again later. He eventually relocated the Cherry Blossoms to Chicago, then to New York City. As one critic put it, they ''put wheels on all four bars of the beat,'' creating a smooth rhythmic flow over which Mr. Basie's other instrumentalists rode as though they were on a streamlined cushion. Count Basie, 79, Band Leader and Master of Swing, Dead He worked as an orchestrator and arranger for the film The Color Purple. Whereas other pianists were noted for technical flash and dazzling dexterity, Basie was known for his use of silence and for reducing his solo passages to the minimum amount of notes required for maximum emotional and rhythmic effect. Count Bill Basie . His autobiography, The Gift of Music, was published in 2009. "Ivey-Divey" was one of Lester Young's common eccentric phrases. or don't show this againI am good at figuring things out. His daughter, Diane Basie, now 71 and living in Florida. Mr. Basie's musicians had been playing ''head'' arrangements in Kansas City - treatments of the blues or pop tunes that were worked out on the stand. Live recording of Young and Potts in Washington were issued later. The Sun is about vitality and is the core giver of life. His father, Harvey Lee Basie, was a coachman and caretaker; his mother, Lillian Childs Basie, was a laundress, taking in washing and ironing. While with Basie, Young made small-group recordings for Milt Gabler's Commodore Records, The Kansas City Sessions. This page was last edited on 1 March 2023, at 19:11. Mr. Basie's wife, Catherine, died in April 1983. Failed to delete memorial. Count Basie Birth Name: William James Basie Occupation: Pianist Place Of Birth: Red Bank Date Of Birth: August21, 1904 Date Of Death: April 26, 1984 Cause Of Death: N/A Ethnicity: Black Nationality: American Count Basie was born on the 21st of August, 1904. Beware, the Count is Here. 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 later worked for a few years with a band led by Bennie Moten, who died in 1935. Try again later. Flowers added to the memorial appear on the bottom of the memorial or here on the Flowers tab. United States, 2021 | MMWR - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention He emerged from this treatment improved. His second great band, from the 1950s onwards, relied more on arrangements, typically from Neil Hefti and Ernie Wilkin's. His first marriage was to Beatrice Tolliver, in Albuquerque, on 23 February 1930. To use this feature, use a newer browser. Cholera deaths in Great Britain over the long-term. Once more details are available, we will update this section. Young is a major character in English writer Geoff Dyer's 1991 fictional book about jazz, But Beautiful. Straub was inspired by Young's appearance on the 1957 CBS-TV show The Sound of Jazz, which he watched repeatedly, wondering how such a genius could have ended up "this present shambles, this human wreckage, hardly able to play at all". Count Basie's Death - Cause and Date - The Celebrity Deaths Death rate from Alzheimer's. Death rate from cancer. Your IP: The email does not appear to be a valid email address. 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 O'Clock Jump" and "Blue Skies." Recordings made during this and subsequent periods suggest Young was beginning to make much greater use of a plastic reed, which tended to give his playing a somewhat heavier, breathier tone (although still quite smooth compared to that of many other players). I decided that I would be one of the biggest new names; and I actually had some little fancy business cards printed up to announce it, Count Basie. Oops, we were unable to send the email. Throughout the 1940s and 50s, Young occasionally played as a featured guest with the Count Basie Orchestra. They had two children: Lester W. Young Jr. (born 1947) and Yvette Young (born 1957). Born in Chicago, Illinois, United States,[1] Jones moved to Alabama, where he learned to play several instruments, including saxophone, piano, and drums. Basie benefited greatly from his association with Granz and made several recordings during the 70s that rank among his best work. While he never abandoned the cane reed, he used the plastic reed a significant share of the time from 1943 until the end of his life. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. Counts education details are not available at this time. Count Basie was born in 1900s. A group that included some Basie sidemen was on stage, playing in a ragged, desultory fashion, when Mr. Basie arrived. A few of his songs were inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame as well, including "April in Paris" and "Everyday I Have the Blues.". Remove advertising from a memorial by sponsoring it for just $5. Death rate from chronic respiratory diseases. Continuing with this request will add an alert to the cemetery page and any new volunteers will have the opportunity to fulfill your request. Becoming a Find a Grave member is fast, easy and FREE. One of jazz music's all-time greats, bandleader-pianist Count Basie was a primary shaper of the big-band sound that characterized mid-20th century popular music. Basie was born William James Basie (with some sources listing his middle name as "Allen") on August 21, 1904, in Red Bank, New Jersey. He started out to be a drummer. [4][5][6][7] After leaving the military, he completed a degree in music education at Duquesne University. The family always owned a piano, and Lilly Ann paid twenty-five cents per lesson to . On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Count Basie Orchestra - Discography of American Historical Recordings During 1950 and 51, economy forced Basie to front an octet, the only period in his career in which he did not lead a big band. The Basie band kept working into the 1970s, with the Count in his yachting cap that he had adopted in the 1960s, but his age and changing fashion eventually caught up with him. There is a problem with your email/password. One day he asked me whether I played the organ. *How USAFacts measures death. Click to reveal So he called the pianist "Count," with Basie not realizing just how much the name would catch on as a form of recognition and respect in the music world. Please reset your password. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate, or jump to a slide with the slide dots. Young played clarinet as well as tenor in these sessions. Add to your scrapbook. Young's career after World War II was far more prolific and lucrative than in the pre-war years in terms of recordings made, live performances, and annual income. The impact Basie had can be seen across the country. You never got tired of that business at the end.'' Arrangers Neal Hefti, Buster Harding, and Ernie Wilkins defined the new bands sound on recordings such as Lil Darlin, The Kid from Red Bank, Cute, and April in Paris and on celebrated albums such as The Atomic Mr. Basie (1957). All photos uploaded successfully, click on the Done button to see the photos in the gallery. His alma mater later awarded him with an honorary Doctor of Music degree and the Distinguished Alumni award. Your new password must contain one or more uppercase and lowercase letters, and one or more numbers or special characters. Please check back soon for updates. Holiday always insisted their relationship was strictly platonic. He's not limited to anything. ''Can you imagine a man who kind of romps around the piano,'' Mr. Shearing said, ''and those tiny tinkling things. 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 of the band. When we played pop tunes, and naturally we had to, I wanted those pops to kick! You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Sorry! The key 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' time! He earned the nickname, "Count," because of his stylish way of playing the piano. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. Make sure that the file is a photo. In fact, the only reason I enlarged the brass was to get a richer harmonic structure. This relationship is not possible based on lifespan dates. Rock Icon KISS Is Saying Goodbye (For Real), Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads, Name: Count Basie, Birth Year: 1904, Birth date: August 21, 1904, Birth State: New Jersey, Birth City: Red Bank, Birth Country: United States. [21], This list is incomplete. We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. This account already exists, but the email address still needs to be confirmed. Another milestone came with the 1956 album April in Paris, whose title track contained psyche-you-out endings that became a new band signature. Failed to report flower. Are you sure that you want to delete this memorial? "[25], Young made his final studio recordings and live performances in Paris in March 1959 with drummer Kenny Clarke at the tail end of an abbreviated European tour during which he ate next to nothing and drank heavily. Despite a brief disbandment at the beginning of the 1950s, the band survived long past the Big Band era itself and the death of Basie in 1984. You can't have a Count Basie collection without going back to the beginning. The Black Music Association honored Mr. Basie in 1982 with a gala at Radio City Music Hall. Count Basie - The Jazz Band That Swung Big And Bold - uDiscover Music Count Basie, byname of William Basie, (born August 21, 1904, Red Bank, New Jersey, U.S.died April 26, 1984, Hollywood, Florida), American jazz musician noted for his spare, economical piano style and for his leadership of influential and widely heralded big bands. Early "in person" recordings. Chinese Zodiac: Count Basie was born in the Year of the Rabbit. Basie studied music with his mother and was later influenced by the Harlem pianists James P. Johnson and Fats Waller, receiving . For many of the other participants, the photo shoot was the last time they saw him alive; he was the first musician in the famous photo to pass away. With Count Basie For memorials with more than one photo, additional photos will appear here or on the photos tab. and the bebop revolution of the mid-1940s all played a role in the death of the big-band era. You are only allowed to leave one flower per day for any given memorial. He was sometimes known as Papa Jo Jones to distinguish him from younger drummer Philly Joe Jones. Mr. Basie's band, more than any other, was the epitome of swing, of jazz that moved with a built-in flowing intensity. In September 1944, Young and Jo Jones were in Los Angeles with the Basie Band when they were inducted into the U.S. Army. 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.''. The top 10 causes of death - World Health Organization His third wife was Mary Berkeley. Fact Check: We strive for accuracy and fairness. He was also helming one of the biggest, most renowned African American jazz groups of the day. At age 17, Nestico joined the ABC radio station WCAE in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania as a trombonist. [29], Lester Young is said to have popularized use of the term "cool" to mean something fashionable. He also starred in several films, most notably the musical short Jammin' the Blues (1944). Count Basie - Discography of American Historical Recordings Birthday: August 21, 1904 Date of Death: April 26, 1984 Age at Death: 79 Live Live Death Statistics Worldwide and The United States Count Basie - Biography [34], Peter Straub's short story collection Magic Terror (2000) contains a story called "Pork Pie Hat", a fictionalized account of the life of Lester Young. Here is all you want to know, and more! He went on to join Walter Page's Blue Devils in 1928, which he would see as a pivotal moment in his career, being introduced to the big-band sound for the first time. Jones performed regularly in later years at the West End jazz club at 116th and Broadway in New York City. In 1935, he formed the Count Basie Orchestra, and in 1936 took them to Chicago for a long engagement and their first recording. Recorded on a home recorder. Best Count Basie Songs: 20 Jazz Essentials | uDiscover There are no volunteers for this cemetery. Unlike many white musicians, who were placed in band outfits such as the ones led by Glenn Miller and Artie Shaw, Young was assigned to the regular army where he was not allowed to play his saxophone. Photos larger than 8Mb will be reduced. Who are the richest people in the world? Swing-era bandleader noted for his theme songs One OClock Jump from 1937 and April in Paris from 1932. [32] At Minguss request, Joni Mitchell wrote lyrics to Goodbye Pork Pie Hat which incorporated stories Mingus told Mitchell about Young; the song was featured on Mitchells 1979 album release, Mingus, a collaboration instigated by Mingus during the last year of his life as he struggled with the ALS that would kill him. He was 67. A band leader and pioneer in jazz percussion, Jones anchored the Count Basie Orchestra rhythm section from 1934 to 1948. 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. Death rate by cause. An email has been sent to the person who requested the photo informing them that you have fulfilled their request, There is an open photo request for this memorial. Jonathan David Samuel Jones (October 7, 1911 September 3, 1985)[1] was an American jazz drummer. [1] The two died only a few days apart. ''He commented that Bill Basie was a rather ordinary name and that there were a couple of well-known bandleaders named Earl Hines and Duke Ellington. Thank you for fulfilling this photo request. When the band left for Chicago it had only 12 written arrangements in its book. The strengths of this sign are being creative, passionate, generous, warm-hearted, cheerful, humorous, while weaknesses can be arrogant, stubborn, self-centered, lazy and inflexible. With vocals by Jimmy Rushing, the band set up shop to perform at Kansas City's Reno Club. Resend Activation Email. When we played pop tunesand, naturally, we had toI wanted those pops to kick! Jazz Musician. Young left the Basie band in late 1940. Death Year: 1984, Death date: April 26, 1984, Death State: Florida, Death City: Hollywood, Death Country: United States, Article Title: Count Basie Biography, Author: Biography.com Editors, Website Name: The Biography.com website, Url: https://www.biography.com/musicians/count-basie, Publisher: A&E; Television Networks, Last Updated: April 14, 2021, Original Published Date: April 2, 2014. Basie then formed the Barons of Rhythm with some of his bandmates from Moten's group, including saxophonist Lester Young. [14] Based in Ft. McClellan, Alabama, Young was found with marijuana and alcohol among his possessions. One of Kansas City's own, Ronald McFadden, 66, who together with his brother Lonnie, is well known for entertaining audiences in Kansas City and worldwide, died unexpectedly Monday evening. After leaving the military, Nestico became a freelance arranger. [11] " Police deemed it suicide, Kuehl having supposedly jumped from her hotel room, although there was no proof of this", [3] and her family believes she may have been murdered. Here is all you want to know, and more! You can customize the cemeteries you volunteer for by selecting or deselecting below. Count was 79 years old at the time of death. In 1981 OyamO (Charles F. Gordon) published the book The Resurrection of Lady Lester, subtitled "A Poetic Mood Song Based on the Legend of Lester Young", depicting Young's life. Then he joined a touring show headed by one Gonzel White, playing piano in a four-piece band. cemeteries found within miles of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. Basie began his career as a stride pianist, reflecting the influence of Johnson and Waller, but the style most associated with him was characterized by spareness and precision. A young Charlie Parker was attempting to play an improvised solo, but lost track of the chord changes; as a sign of contempt, Jones threw a cymbal from his drum kit onto the floor near Parker's feet to get him to leave the stage. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. based on information from your browser. Try again later. But the obvious talents of another young Red Bank drummer, Sonny Greer, who was Duke Ellington's drummer from 1919 to 1951, discouraged young Basie and he switched to piano. A brother, James, died when William was a young boy. From 1935 to his death in 1984, pianist and bandleader Count Basie led one of the most important jazz institutions of the 20th century, in the process forging a distinctive sound that changed the . Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. when asking how much a gig was going to pay.[31]. We have set your language to To preserve these articles as they originally appeared, The Times does not alter, edit or update them. [4][12], Nestico published nearly 600 numbers for school groups and many for professional big bands. [21][22] Both hold a PhD in Education, according to drummer Roy Haynes, who was interviewed as part of an attempt to create a film biography of Young. While growing up in the Algiers neighborhood of New Orleans, he worked from the age of five to make money for the family. Count Basie was born on the 21st of August, 1904. Homage to Lester Young (1993), a book of poetry by Vancouver writer Jamie Reid. 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 since many of Mr. Basie's musicians were blowing patched-up horns and saxophones held together by rubber bands). When is Count Basies birthday? This is a digitized version of an article from The Timess print archive, before the start of online publication in 1996. Count Basie was born in Red Bank. Young is described as playing the clarinet in a "liquid, nervous style. Basies autobiography, Good Morning Blues, written with Albert Murray, was published posthumously in 1985. To go on the road, Mr. Basie expanded his nine- piece band to 13 pieces. He made many studio recordings under Granz's supervision as well, including more trio recordings with Nat King Cole. Duffy Jackson, Ebullient Drummer with Lionel Hampton, Count Basie and On December 8, 1957, Young appeared with Billie Holiday, Coleman Hawkins, Ben Webster, Roy Eldridge, and Gerry Mulligan in the CBS television special The Sound of Jazz, performing Holiday's tune "Fine and Mellow." [18] In 1956, he recorded two LPs with his 1930s collaborators Teddy Wilson and Jo Jones. Count Basie - Wikipedia The initials "G.I." Even in Harlem, it puzzled the aware audiences at the Savoy Ballroom. One night, while the band was broadcasting on a shortwave radio station in Kansas City, he was dubbed Count Basie by a radio announcer who wanted to indicate his standing in a class with aristocrats of jazz such as Duke Ellington. Mausoleum, South Forsythia Court, Row 57, Tier D, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/1664/count-basie. He was a fine pianist and leader of one of the greatest jazz bands in history. As manager of this memorial you can add or update the memorial using the Edit button below. 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. The funeral service will be at noon on Monday at the Abyssinian Baptist Church, 132 West 138th Street. The following year, she worked with Artie Shaw and his orchestra. There was an error deleting this problem. COUNT BASIE, 79, BAND LEADER AND MASTER OF SWING, DEAD, https://www.nytimes.com/1984/04/27/arts/count-basie-79-band-leader-and-master-of-swing-dead.html. It is also known as being the most generous and noble of signs. Count Basies mothers name is unknown at this time and his fathers name is under review. The causes of death rooted in complex mental health and substance abuse issues, such as drug overdoses and suicide, comprise a relatively small portion of deaths, but are increasing faster than most other causes. Count Basie, byname of William Basie, (born August 21, 1904, Red Bank, New Jersey, U.S.died April 26, 1984, Hollywood, Florida), American jazz musician noted for his spare, economical piano style and for his leadership of influential and widely heralded big bands. She gave Lester the nickname "Prez" after President Franklin Roosevelt, the "greatest man around" in Billie's mind. His solo albums eventually earned him four Grammy Award nominations, besides the awards he earned with Count Basie: in 2002 for his album This Is The Moment and for the arrangement "Kiji Takes A Ride"; in 2009 for his album Fun Time; and in 2016 for his arrangement "Good 'Swing' Wenceslas". Producer John Hammond heard the band's sound and helped secure further bookings. Holiday broke new ground with Shaw, becoming one of the first female . He rose to fame after taking over Bennie Moten's band in 1935. is military terminology referring to "Government Issue" or "General Issue". He recorded less often with his big band during this era (although when he did, the results were outstanding), concentrating instead on small-group and piano-duet recordings. Young was the subject and inspiration of Prez. Duffy Jackson, with bassist Jim Furgeson, at Rudy's Jazz Room in Nashville. Count Basie Biography - parents, death, history, wife, school, mother He would ask, "How does the bread smell?" Edit a memorial you manage or suggest changes to the memorial manager. [5] He grew up in a musical family. Young did not fight the charges and was convicted. Please enter your email and password to sign in. Astrological Sign: Leo. ''And that's when the whole fire started,'' said Mr. Alexander. Basie ultimately earned nine Grammy Awards over the course of his career, but he made history when he won his first, in 1958, as the first African American man to receive a Grammy. Young joined Norman Granz's Jazz at the Philharmonic troupe in 1946, touring regularly with JATP over the next 12 years. Page, Mr. Basie and Mr. Rushing all joined Bennie Moten's orchestra, the leading big band in the Southwest, which became even stronger with their presence. 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 was a member of the Basie band in the 1940's. To add a flower, click the Leave a Flower button. The broadcast was picked up one night by John Hammond, the jazz enthusiast who had discovered Billie Holiday and helped Benny Goodman start his band.