A longtime friend of jazz legend Count Basie is facing possible jail time for allegedly stealing $70,000 from the late bandleaders disabled daughter. The funeral service will be at noon on Monday at the Abyssinian Baptist Church, [24] During a stay in Chicago, Basie recorded with the band. His Family After a decade long courtship, Basie married dancer Catherine Morgan, his second wife, on his birthday in 1942. ***** All concert dates after Count Basie's death are for The Count Basie Orchestra ***** Discography. William Basie was born in Red Bank, New Jersey, on August 21, 1904. A year later, Basie joinedBennie_Motens band, and played with them until Motens death in 1935. 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. Your email address will not be published. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. 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. 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. Basie studied music with his mother and was later influenced by the Harlem pianists James P. Johnson and Fats Waller, receiving informal tutelage on the organ from the latter. How Did Count Basie Die? - FAQS Clear 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. See, Basie couldnt read music, so it was Eddie Durham who orchestrated his ideas for the Moten band and then later for the Basie band in New York for those Decca recordings. Count was 79 years old at the time of death. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. hired him. traveled to by bus). He was a fine pianist and leader of one of the greatest jazz bands in history. [42] The band's first appearance at the Apollo Theater followed, with the vocalists Holiday and Jimmy Rushing getting the most attention. 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. big city hotel ballrooms. In 1976, Mr. Basie suffered a heart attack. 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. Their only child, Diane, was born February 6, 1944. Who taught Count Basie how do you play the piano? Their daughter, Iska, died at the age of 14 after a series . parents, Harvey and Lillian (Childs) Basie, were both musicians. Received an honorary doctorate from Berklee College of Music in 1974. In 1942, they moved to Queens. Diane died peacefully on October 15 after suffering a heart attack a few days before. He quickly made a name for himself playing the piano at local venues and parties around town until he moved to New York City in search of greater opportunities. William "Count" Basie was an American jazz pianist, organist, bandleader and composer. [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. For the next two years he led small bands between six and nine pieces. Well, that was the last time I was ever introduced as Bill Basie. Within less than six months, however, Mr. Basie was back at the keyboard. Basie had Holiday, and Webb countered with the singer Ella Fitzgerald. Count Basie | Official Site for one of the greatest bandleaders of all [76] In 1968, Basie and his Band recorded an album with Jackie Wilson titled Manufacturers of Soul. Basie decided to form a medium-sized [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". When Bennie Moten died in 1935, the band disintegrated and Mr. Basie organized a small band to play at the Reno Club in Kansas City that became the nucleus of the band with which he gained his initial Count Basie and his Friends, myspace.com. [34], By then, Basie's sound was characterized by a "jumping" beat and the contrapuntal accents of his own piano. Count Basie | YourDictionary Fletcher Henderson's band was playing at the Grand Terrace just before the Basie band arrived there. At thirty-four, he was dead from years of drug and alcohol use. in the death of the big-band era. recordings, the 1943 musicians' strike, the strain of 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. Basie occasionally lost some key soloists. Basie now called Kansas City home. After a decade long courtship, Basie married dancer Catherine Morgan, his second wife, on his birthday in 1942. since many of Mr. Basie's musicians were blowing patched-up horns and saxophones held together by rubber bands). saxophonist Lester Young. When Basie took his orchestra to New York in 1937, they made the Woodside Hotel in Harlem their base (they often rehearsed in its basement). 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. 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. (Basie later played organ at the Eblon Theater in Kansas City). Your email address will not be published. or complete the Report Accessibility Barrier or He got some jobs in Asbury Park at the Jersey Shore, and played at the Hong Kong Inn until a better player took his place.[10]. Provide Feedback Form. Mr. Hammond spread the word about the Basie band, "[64] In 1957, Basie sued the jazz venue Ball and Chain in Miami over outstanding fees, causing the closure of the venue. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. [52] Daughter | The Legendary Count Basie Orchestra with disabilities are encouraged to direct suggestions, comments, or complaints concerning any Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. Count Basie. 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 . Throughout his tours, Basie met many jazz musicians, including Louis Armstrong. Jazz icon, Count Basie, was born William James Basie August 21, 1904 in Red Bank, New Jersey. The swing era band years ago when a number of musicians, including Mr. Basie, were scheduled to perform in a variety of combinations. "He was the only leader in the business who ever went out of his way to help me," Mr. Basie said later. I thought he was kidding, shrugged my shoulders and replied, 'O.K.' Their albums together included In Person and Strike Up the Band. After a decade long courtship, Basie married dancer Catherine Morgan, his second wife, on his birthday in 1942. 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 morning at Doctors Hospital in Hollywood, Fla. [29] Right from the start, Basie's band was known for its rhythm section. In 1935, Bennie Moten died and it was left to Basie to take some of the musicians from that orchestra and form his own, The Count Basie Orchestra, which is still alive and well today some 78 years later. era he also shared the less appealing one-nighters (a series of single This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. As a young boy, Basie hated to see his parents working so hard, and vowed to help them get ahead. Soon after, Benny Goodman recorded their signature "One O'Clock Jump" with his band. Rutgers is an equal access/equal opportunity institution. He played along with The Flairs, Christine Kittrell, Lamp Lighters, Louis Jordan and His Tympany Five, Ruth Brown, and Perez Prado and his Orchestra.[59]. During the 1940's, many of the great jazz musicians of the decade passed through the band, among them Illinois Jacquet, Don Byas, Wardell Gray, Paul Quinichette, Lucky Thompson, J. J. Johnson, Paul The place catered to "uptown celebrities", and typically the band winged every number without sheet music using "head arrangements". [49] Adding to their play book, Basie received arrangements from Jimmy Mundy (who had also worked with Benny Goodman and Earl Hines), particularly for "Cherokee", "Easy Does It", and "Super Chief". "flagwavers," Basie was often recognized for his understated yet captivating style of piano playing and his precise, impeccable musical leadership. 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. 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. On February 19, 1940, Count Basie and his Orchestra opened a four-week engagement at Southland in Boston, and they broadcast over the radio on February 20. [5] Greer and Basie played together in venues until Greer set out on his professional career. 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. With Billy Eckstine on the album Basie/Eckstine Incorporated, in 1959. One of Basie's biggest regrets was never recording with Louis Armstrong, though they shared the same bill several times. Hollywood, Florida, on April 26, 1984. dealing with the egos of his musicians. Press ESC to cancel. silent movie theater, he joined Walter Page's Blue Devils in Wayne Shorter obituary | Jazz | The Guardian "Lester Leaps In," were created as features for She took in laundry and baked cakes for sale for a living. She was 67 years old. He was a big force in music. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". band in America. Where did Count Basie do most of his touring? 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. 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Ellington was a composer who played piano, but he really used the band as his expressive instrument. When William James Count Basie died of cancer in 1984, he left his $1.5 million fortune in a trust to provide for his only child. Some argue Basie made some of his best work during the 1960s and 70sShiny Stocking, Lil Darlin, Corner Pocket,and even a hit single,Everyday I Have the Blues, with Joe Williams. After Moten died in 1935, Basie took what was left of the band, expanded When the band left for Chicago it had only 12 written arrangements in its book. Count Basie, 79, Band Leader and Master of Swing, Dead 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 [17], In 1928, Basie was in Tulsa and heard Walter Page and his Famous Blue Devils, one of the first big bands, which featured Jimmy Rushing on vocals. How did the bands of Count Basie and Duke Ellington differ? She was born with cerebral palsy and the doctors claimed she would never walk. 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' [43] Durham returned to help with arranging and composing, but for the most part, the orchestra worked out its numbers in rehearsal, with Basie guiding the proceedings. 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. 2022-06-30; wreck on 1942 crosby, tx today Performers of bebop left the traditional musical melody and played a song freely, with the music and rhythm that was felt at the time. [12][13] His touring took him to Kansas City, St. Louis, New Orleans, and Chicago. His piano style, which often seemed bare and simple, was an exquisitely realized condensation of the florid "stride" style of Fats Waller and James P. Johnson with whom Mr. Basie started. "When they let you in the door," Ralph Gleason, the jazz critic, reported, "it was like jumping into the center of a whirlwind. Count Basie | Official Site for one of the greatest bandleaders of all 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. They paced themselves to save their hottest numbers for later in the show, to give the audience a chance to warm up. Through Mr. Waller, Mr. Basie got a job as an accompanist with a vaudeville act called Katie Crippen and Her Kids. She paid 25 cents a lesson for Count Basie's piano instruction. The couple had an only daughter, Diane Basie, whos now a 74-year-old disabled woman. He was the arbiter of the big-band swing sound and his unique style of fusing blues and jazz established swing as a predominant music style. It was at this time that he began to be known as "Count" Basie (see Jazz royalty).[19]. Among his band's best-known numbers were "One O'Clock Jump," "Jumpin' at the Woodside," "Li'l Darlin'" and "April in Paris.". 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. Okla., a band that included--in addition to Mr. After working briefly as house organist in a Friend 'stole' $70K from jazz legend's disabled daughter Basie's new band played at the Reno Club and sometimes were broadcast on local radio. In 1957, Basie the live album Count Basie at Newport. Page, a bassist--Jimmy Rushing, the blues signer, both of whom would be key members of Mr. Basie's band. "Can you imagine a man who kind of romps around the piano," Mr. Shearing said, The band survived Basies death, with trumpeter Thad Jones directing until his own death in 1986. During his last years he had difficulty walking and [69] That summer, Basie and Duke Ellington combined forces for the recording First Time! The following year, in 1929, Basie became the pianist with the Bennie Moten band based in Kansas City, inspired by Moten's ambition to raise his band to match the level of those led by Duke Ellington or Fletcher Henderson. favorites, "Jumpin' at the Woodside" and The Black Music Association honored Mr. Basie in 1982 with a gala at Radio City Music Hall. next five years. [45] In early 1938, the Savoy was the meeting ground for a "battle of the bands" with Chick Webb's group. Once the musicians found what they liked, they usually were able to repeat it using their "head arrangements" and collective memory.[44]. onto every note, sitting behind him all the time. "heads"arrangements worked out without planning in The couple kept her and cared deeply for her, and especially through her mother's tutelage, Diane learned not only to walk but to swim. Basie made a few more movie appearances, such as in the Jerry Lewis film Cinderfella (1960) and the Mel Brooks movie Blazing Saddles (1974), playing a revised arrangement of "April in Paris". Did count basie have kids? - Answers time!". He is credited for creating the use of the two split tenor saxophone, emphasizing the rhythm section, riffing with a big band, using arrangers to broaden their sound, and beautifully layering masterful vocalists. Count Basie Death Fact Check, Birthday & Date of Death Swing-era bandleader noted for his theme songs One O'Clock Jump from 1937 and April in Paris from 1932. the personnel, and formed the first Count Basie Orchestra. [31] Hammond first heard Basie's band on the radio and went to Kansas City to check them out. Count Basie is considered one of the greatest bandleaders of all times. The How old was Catherine Basie when she died? [33] When he made the Vocalion recordings, Basie had already signed with Decca Records, but did not have his first recording session with them until January 1937. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. After a decade-long courtship, Basie married dancer Catherine Morgan, his second wife, on his birthday in 1942. A father of bebop, he influenced generations of musicians, and sparked the fire of one of the most important and successful American artistic movements. One Great Band.Count Basie will always be remembered..Too bad he passed away.. Count Basie is considered one of the greatest bandleaders of all times. [50] In 1939, Basie and his band made a major cross-country tour, including their first West Coast dates. When the Page band broke up in 1929, Mr. [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. Count Basie was a pianist, bandleader, and composer considered as one of the most popular figures in the jazz world. By then, Basie was playing with pick-up groups for dances, resorts, and amateur shows, including Harry Richardson's "Kings of Syncopation". He married Catherine Morgan on July 13, 1940, in the King County courthouse in Seattle, Washington. Mr. Basie, a short, stocky, taciturn but witty man who liked to wear a yachting cap offstage, presided over the band at the piano with apparent utmost casualness. He was the arbiter of the big-band swing sound and his unique style of fusing blues and jazz established swing as a predominant music style. The Count Basie Orchestra had a slew of hits that helped to define the big-band sound of the 1930s and 40s. Count Basie | Official Site for one of the greatest bandleaders of all At 16. Birthday: August 21, 1904. 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. They had one daughter, Diane, in 1944. What pianist lead the most successful band in Kansas City? And it was a seven-day week. He has had an unprecedented four recordings inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame One OClock Jump(1979),April in Paris(1985),Everyday I Have the Blues(1992), andLester Leaps In(2005), along with a slew of other awards and honors not only for his music, but for his humanitarianism and philanthropy around the world. Basie added touches of bebop "so long as it made sense", and he required that "it all had to have feeling". [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.". Jazz Musician. With many of the other big bands of the swing ', "The next day he invited me to sit in the pit and start working the pedals. [47], A few months later, Holiday left for Artie Shaw's band. Charlie Parker forever changed the performance and writing of jazz music. Count Basie was born on August 21, 1904 and died on April 26, 1984. His wife, Catherine, had died in 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. Good Morning Blues: The Autobiography of Count Basie. [67] The Basie band made two tours in the British Isles and on the second, they put on a command performance for Queen Elizabeth II, along with Judy Garland, Vera Lynn, and Mario Lanza. myers park country club lawsuit; turkey hill frozen yogurt discontinued. structure. Image of Wayne King, Count Basie, Duke Ellington and Bill Elliot at Big Band Festival at Disneyland, Anaheim, 1964. Next, Basie played at the Savoy, which was noted more for lindy-hopping, while the Roseland was a place for fox-trots and congas. William James " Count " Basie ( / besi /; August 21, 1904 - April 26, 1984) [1] was an American jazz pianist, organist, bandleader, and composer. 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. According to court papers, Diane is severely retarded and only marginally communicative, so Basie left two co-trustees he considered his close friends in charge of his estate and his daughter. His home for many years was in Freeport, the Bahamas; he died of cancer at Doctors' Hospital in Hollywood, Florida, on April 26, 1984. Count Basie Biography - parents, death, history, wife, school, mother 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. Then he said, 'Bill, I think I'll call you Count Basie from now on. He started out to be a drummer. Basie made his professional debut playing piano with vaudeville acts (traveling variety entertainment). But by 1952 he reorganized the band, and the second Count Basie Orchestra was considered as exciting, vibrant and even more important than the first. [46], The publicity over the big band battle, before and after, gave the Basie band a boost and wider recognition. [35] Lester Young, known as "Prez" by the band, came up with nicknames for all the other band members. "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. count basie daughter died In 1950, he headlined the Universal-International short film "Sugar Chile" Robinson, Billie Holiday, Count Basie and His Sextet. He joined Walter Page's Blue Devils in 1928, and a year later, he started to play with Bennie Moten's band in Kansas City. [63] DownBeat magazine reported: "(Basie) has managed to assemble an ensemble that can thrill both the listener who remembers 1938 and the youngster who has never before heard a big band like this. Report Accessibility Barrier or Today, Charlie Yardbird Parker is considered one of the great musical innovators of the 20th century. On Moten's death in 1935, Basie and several other core band members formed their own ensemble, the Barons of Rhythm. Diane died peacefully on October 15 after suffering a heart attack a few days before. 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 "He certainly made a notch in musical history," said Benny Goodman, 75 years old, the jazz clarinetist and bandleader.
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