Legendary Count Basie Orchestra visits Beaufort. Examines the musical life of Ralph Ellison as seen through his fictional and non-fictional essays that include profiles of famous musicians. (pianist; born August 21, 1906, Red Bank, NJ; died April 26, 1984) Count Basie rose from humble beginnings playing in Harlem nightclubs to become one of the most exciting piano players and big band leaders of our time. Young Avery replaces Billie Holiday in Count Basie's band. But a Jewish refugee from Nazi Germany changes her life forever. (pianist; born August 21, 1906, Red Bank, NJ; died April 26, 1984) Count Basie rose from humble beginnings playing in Harlem nightclubs to become one of the most exciting piano players and big band leaders of our time. "One O'Clock Jump"—Count Basie and His Orchestra (1937) Added to the National Registry: 2005 Essay by John Wriggle (guest post)* Count Basie The swing big band anthem "One O'Clock Jump" was jazz pianist Count Basie's biggest hit and signature theme song, but also a potent demonstration of the bandleader's musical identity. Almost 60 years later, the Count Basie Orchestra, now under the direction of Scotty Barnhart and still performing all over the world returns to Birdland to once again record a live record. He remained with Moten until his death in 1935. Some of the greatest soloists, composers, arrangers, and vocalists in jazz history such as Lester Young, Billie Holiday, Frank Foster, Thad Jones, Sonny Payne, Freddie Green, Snooky Young, Frank Wess, and Joe Williams, became international stars once they began working with the legendary Count Basie Orchestra. Upcoming Shows. Found insideCount Basie was a member of a band led by Benny Moten for a number of years. It was only in 1935, when Moten died, that Basie took over the band and developed it as his own. Two 'Jumping a unique of Basie's piano at the style, ... captures the current band at its peak, and with its potent mix of seasoned veterans and emerging voices, simultaneously honors the tradition and looks forward. This show will ROCK you! Many former members of the Moten band joined this nine-piece outfit, among them Walter Page (bass), Freddie Green (guitar), Jo Jones (drums), and Lester Young (tenor saxophone). Members of the American big band the Count Basie Orchestra.. Off the Top! Read More. Found insideWhen Moten died in 1935, Basie took over and recruited Henry “Buster” Smith, Lester Young, Leonard Chadwick, Jimmy Rushing, and Walter Page. Ultimately most of the early Blue Devils members became the Count Basie Band, but this was not ... The Count Basie Orchestra can be viewed between 1935 and 1955 as the Old Testament and New Testament bands. Jo Jones. Earle Warren "... an extensive history of one of the most important big bands in modern jazz. With Jason Kravits ». The producer was Creed Taylor; arrangers, Quincy Jones and Ralph Burns. The Count Basie Orchestra retains the typical high level of musicianship we've come to expect over the last 85 years. 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. His orchestra epitomized Kansas City Swing and along with the bands of Fletcher Henderson, Jimmy Lunceford, Duke Ellington and Benny Goodman, Basie’s orchestra would define the big band era. This one is focused on members of the band who besides being excellent musicians, are very prolific as composers: Frank Foster, Frank Wess, Thad Jones and Ernie Wilkins, a former saxaphonist with the band. American jazz pianist and band leader Count Basie rehearsing at the Cafe Anglais, Leicester Square, London. The ultimate swing rhythm section guitarist; Outlived Basie in the Basie band. The author recounts his childhood, education and experiences as a jazz musician, shares his memories of Duke Ellington and other fellow performers, and describes his travels around the world As Basie allowed for a certain measure of change and for a variety of voices to emerge on the platform he created, his orchestra’s repertoire always remained accessible, endlessly interesting, and ultimately perfect for dancing. It’s unmistakable with its deceptive suspension of time and rhythm, but it’s one that is infectious and never loses that all-important dance element. Found insideDrawing upon interviews with hundreds of his collaborators as well as with "The Voice" himself, this book chronicles, critiques, and celebrates his five-decade career. William "Count" Basie (1904-1984) is credited with introducing blues to mainstream audiences through his polished versions of blues rhythms. has been called simply the best live recording of a big band ever. With a US and international tour schedule slated for 2019 and beyond, The Weight Band complements The Band's timeless legacy while pushing the music forward for new audiences. Count Basie. Played with Benny Moten and formed his own band in 1935 when Moten died; band had mostly the same members; was discovered by Benny Goodman. The Count Basie Orchestra, today directed by Scotty Barnhart, has won every respected jazz poll in the world at least once, won 18 Grammy Awards, performed for Kings, Queens, and other world Royalty, appeared in several movies, television shows, at every major jazz festival and major concert hall in the world. With the exception of a brief period in the early '50s, he led a big band from 1935 until his death almost 50 years later, and the band continued to perform after he died. Swing is that intangible that makes you pat your foot. In 1927, Basie, then touring with Gonzelle White and the Big Jazz Jamboree, found himself stranded in Kansas City . The Basie orchestra evolved into one of the most venerable and viable enterprises in American music with the highest levels of continued productivity rivaling any musical organization in history. has been called simply the best live recording of a big band ever. 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. Pages in category "Count Basie Orchestra members" The following 61 pages are in this category, out of 61 total. "Chairman of the Board" is one of the most delightful and enjoyable recordings made by the irrepressibly upbeat Count Basie. Bennie Moten dies, Count Basie organizes the Barons of Rhythm soon after Period: Jan 1, 1937 to Jan 1, 1939 The band records "The Complete Decca Recordings" with Decca Records He played blues piano with an easy, economical touch, wrote or revamped an impressive cache of blues and jump . A full length documentary on Mr. Basie and the orchestra was completed by the BBC Television Network and is slated for worldwide release in 2019 or 2020, which will then be the orchestra’s 85th Anniversary. "Everyday I Have The Blues" featuring Joe Williams on vocals, Lin Biviano on lead trumpet, Butch Miles on drums It's all part of the 1974 Mel Brooks comedy's shtick that plays with conventional aspects of Hollywood films, culminating in the sidesplitting climactic sequence that blends movie sets, pie fights and Grauman's Chinese Theatre. As 30-year veteran trumpeter Sonny Cohn once stated, “this is a laid…back…orchestra…a…laid…back…orchestra”. The live recording from two of those nights, Basie at Birdland! Band Members: Gary Mullen, David Brockett, Billy Moffat, Jon Halliwell and Malcolm Gentles. The orchestra also began to become the first choice for the top jazz vocalists of the day including Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Tony Bennett, and of course, Basie’s “Number One Son”, the great Joe Williams. The latest honors are the 2018 Downbeat Readers Poll Award as the #1 Jazz Orchestra in the world, and a Grammy Nomination for their 2018 acclaimed recording, All About That Basie, which features special guests Stevie Wonder, Jon Faddis, Take 6, and Kurt Elling among others. "Sing Along With Basie", "Basie Swings, Bennett Sings" and "Basie And Eckstine Inc.". Count Basie was among the most important bandleaders of the swing era. Eddie Durham, Thad Jones, Ernie Wilkins, Quincy Jones, Neal Hefti, Sammy Nestico, and Frank Foster, to name a few of the more prominent Basie arrangers, have added volumes to the Basie Library. Many notable musicians came to prominence under his direction, including tenor saxophonists Lester Young and Herschel Evans, trumpeters Buck Clayton and Harry "Sweets" Edison and singers Jimmy . Band, Band Members, Basie, Basie Band, C. Basie And His Orch., Cound Basie & His Orchestra, Count Basie & His Orchestra, Count And His Orchestra, Count Baie And His Orchestra, Count Baise And His Orchestra, Count Baisie And His Orchestra, Count Basi & His Orchestra, Count Basie, Count Basie Y Su Orquesta, Count Basie @ hisOrchestra, Count Basie . (This band, the "new testament" lineup, should not be confused with Basie's earlier work in the 30s and 40s, which is also marvelous). Basie also learned from Harlem stride pianists, particularly Fats Waller. After Moten's death the band continued under the leadership of Bennie's brother Buster, but Basie started a group of his own and soon found a steady gig at the Reno Club in . September 17 @ 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm. 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. Biography. Basie and his Big Band had over 30 recordings in the Top 40 from 1937 to 1968. With the exception of a brief period in the early '50s, he led a big band from 1935 until his death almost 50 years later, and the band continued to perform after he died. Wilson, Butch Ballard), and in the later years (Rufus Jones, Harold. Discography. William James "Count" Basie (August 21, 1904 - April 26, 1984)[1] was an American jazz pianist, organist, bandleader, and composer. Explore the largest collection of jazz recordings @ All About Jazz and the youngest members; 27 year old Robert Boone on drums, 24 year old Joshua Lee on baritone saxophone and 24 year old Markus Howell on alto. Box Office: 732.842.9000. Found inside – Page 349LATE PERIOD ( 1 946- 1 960s ) Ray McKinley Orchestra, The Most Versatile Band in the Land Featuring Compositions & Arrangements by Eddie ... Lester Young & Charlie Christian, 1939-1940. broadcasts with Count Basie Band (Jazz Archives). His instrument was his band, which was considered the epitome of swing and became broadly influential on jazz. On camera, Basie himself is leading a band of Los Angeles sideline musicians; in November 1973 the music was recorded later in the studio by the listed Los Angeles session musicians. Live at Birdland! In the history of Jazz music, there is only one bandleader that has the distinction of having his orchestra still performing sold out concerts all over the world, with members personally chosen by him, for over 30 years after his passing. Count Basie. He began his early playing days by working as a . He started performing in theaters across Red Bank and later moved to New York when he was 20 years. In 1927, Basie, then touring with Gonzelle White and the Big Jazz Jamboree, found himself stranded in Kansas City, Missouri. As the Count and the All . The Count Basie Orchestra is a 16 to 18 piece big band, one of the most . If you like any of the Count's major works in this period (April in Paris, The Atomic Basie, Count Basie Swings: Joe Williams Sings, etc), you're going to love this set. Join us for a week of the Legendary Count Basie Orchestra Directed by Scotty Barnhart with Guest Vocalist Carmen Bradford! Ray Charles played the organ with three vocals ("I've Got News for You," "I'm Gonna Move to the Outskirts of Town" and "One Mint Julep") and band members included members of the Count Basie Orchestra. Intro -- Contents -- Foreword -- Introduction -- 1. Nights With Count Basie — A Birthday Celebration. 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 . He became known as the "jump king" in his early days and went on to excite audiences all over the world for more . « The Birdland Big Band. The Count Basie Orchestra can be viewed between 1935 and 1955 as the Old Testament and New Testament bands. He began his early playing days by working as a silent movie pianist and organist and by eventually working with the Theater Owners Booking Agency (TOBA) circuit. 416 pages, 54 b&w plates, 5 1/2 x 8 1/2, October 2016. - Count Basie. Reviewed in the United States on August 20, 2008. After Moten's death the band continued under the leadership of Bennie's brother Buster, but Basie started a group of his own and soon found a steady gig at the Reno Club in . Count Basie. Every track is a perfectly executed chart. Found insideAt the Jazz Band Ball: Sixty Years on the Jazz Scene is an invaluable archive of not only the musical influence of America’s only indigenous music on the world, but its enormous impact as an engine for social change as well. Matthews honed his guitar skills as a church musician and later in . Basie was not a composer like Duke Ellington or an important soloist like Benny Goodman. Count Basie discography and songs: Music profile for Count Basie, born 21 August 1904. The Jubilee Alternatives (1990, Hep, HEP CD 39 mono, UK) 1990. 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. Several key members ofthe Basie band had strong ties to Cleveland. The Old Testament band's style was a combination of spontaneously developed riff-driven, or "head" arrangements, full of the blues and relaxed, but intense swing that showcased a some of the greatest names in Jazz history in Lester . Who are your favorite Count Basie drummers? Basie died a year later. Preston Love's resume reads like a Who's Who of American music: member of the Count Basie Band during its heyday in the 40s, studio musician in Los Angeles, cohort of Jo Jones, Lester Young, Ray Charles, and Dizzy Gillespie, and back-up ... Basie's orchestra was characterized by a light, swinging rhythm section that he led from the piano, lively ensemble work, and generous soloing. The basic fundamentals of Basie’s orchestra were and still are foot stomping 4/4 swing, an unparalleled use of dynamic contrasts, shouting the blues at any tempo, and just making one want to dance. This great 18-member orchestra is still continuing the excellent history started by Basie of stomping and shouting the blues, as well as refining those musical particulars that allow for the deepest and most moving of swing. Count Basie. He remained with Moten until his death in 1935. Jones, Butch Miles, Duffy Jackson) and also had several great guest. The Count Basie Orchestra can be viewed between 1935 and 1955 as the Old Testament and New Testament bands. In the summer of 1961, Count Basie and his Orchestra played in the iconic New York jazz club, Birdland, which Basie considered his musical home. Those four nights in January 2020 would prove to be fateful as this country and the entire world would fall prey to a global pandemic shortly thereafter and virtually all live music performances would cease for the next year and a half. Jazz fans may appreciate Count Basie more than the rest of us, but the jazz pianist's cameo in Blazing Saddles is pretty funny even if you don't know much about him. His ... Count Basie/Lester Young - Live at Birdland, Count Basie, Lester Young & the Stars of Birdland, Kansas City Suite: The Music of Benny Carter, Dizzy Gillespie and Count Basie at Newport, Frankly Basie: Count Basie Plays the Hits of Frank Sinatra, Great Concert of Count Basie and His Orchestra, Fun Time: Count Basie Big Band at Montreux '75, Count Basie Jam Session at the Montreux Jazz Festival 1975, Milt Jackson & Count Basie & the Big Band, Vol. In the summer of 1961 The Count Basie Band played Birdland and a live recording from two of those nights, Basie at Birdland! None of these coming challenges were on anyone's mind as the crowds poured into Birdland that week. Almost 60 years later, they would return to Birdland to once again record a live record. After Page's Blue Devils broke up Count Basie and some of the other band members integrated into the Bennie Moten band. The Count Basie Orchestra - Live At Birdland. 'One O'Clock Jump' is a 12-bar blues theme that is typical of the riff-based arrangements that characterised the band's early style. Kansas City native Will Matthews has served in the rhythm section as guitarist for the last quarter of a century. Discography. Count Basie :: Biography. During the 1960s and throughout the 1970s and into the 80s, the orchestra’s sound, swing feel, general articulation and style began to become more laid back and even more relaxed. The notes for the CD argue that this is the finest album of big band jazz made during the LP era. Executive Produced by Scotty Barnhart and Sam Beler, it features legendary artists such as Stevie Wonder, Take 6, Joey DeFrancesco, Kurt Elling, and others. The Basie orchestra evolved into one of the most venerable and viable enterprises in American music with the highest levels of continued productivity rivaling any musical organization in history. Found insideCount Basie was one of America’s pre-eminent and influential jazz pianists, bandleaders, and composers, known for such classics as “Jumpin’ at the Woodside,” “Goin’ to Chicago Blues,” “Sent for You Yesterday and Here You ... A brother, James, died when William was a young boy. The live recording from two of those nights, Basie at Birdland! has been called simply the best live recording of a big band ever. Found inside“Really, as a musician you did it as much for the dancing as you did for the music,” said Count Basie singer Joe Williams in Norma Miller's Swingin' at the Savoy. “All of that was together at one time, it was one great communication ... Box office closes 30 minutes after all show times. "A big juicy wedge of jazz history. Jimmy Rushing became the singer. Biography. Gus Johnson (1950-54) Sonny Payne (1955-66, 1973-74) Basie had several fine drummers during the "heyday" years (Shadow. Basie's orchestra was characterized by a light, swinging . The first theme song of the Count Basie . Found inside – Page 70Among the members of the band were trumpeter Hot Lips Page and his replacement, Buck Clayton; tenor saxophonists Lester ... The Count Basie Orchestra recorded a song called "Swingin' the Blues" for Decca Records in 1938, and that title ... Since Basie’s passing in 1984, Thad Jones, Frank Foster, Grover Mitchell, Bill Hughes, Dennis Mackrel, and now Scotty Barnhart, have led the Count Basie Orchestra and maintained it as one of the elite performing organizations in Jazz. When Moten died in 1935, Basie took over the band and developed it as his own. Found inside – Page 20The guitarist whose name is synonymous with this style is Freddie Green, who performed with the Count Basie band from 1937 ... And on that one missed job, the Basie band members found out how difficult it was to function without him. It was also ground zero for the heady mixture of blues, 4/4 swing rhythms and hot instrumentalists that were to become the standard bearers and precursors for the Swing Era and the underlying rhythm of Modern Jazz. 0. Good Morning Blues: The Autobiography of Count Basie as told to Albert Murray. Special guests include vocalists Johnny Mathis, Ledisi, our own Carmen Bradford and pianist Ellis Marsalis. Found inside – Page 53Many band members performed instrumental improvisations called head arrangements. Jones's arrangements gave the Count Basie band a new voice without losing the essence and integrity of the original Basie style. Mr. Basie was, along with Duke Ellington and Benny Goodman, one of the pre-eminent bandleaders of the Big Band era in the 1930's and 40's. Mr. Basie's band, more than any other, was the epitome of . Here is the book jazz lovers have eagerly awaited, the second volume of Gunther Schuller's monumental The History of Jazz. Found inside"The World of the Big Bands presents for the first time the complete story of the big bands which have played such an important part in the evolution of modern music. My boys and I have to have four heavy beats to the bar and no cheating. William "Count" Basie was born in Red Bank, New Jersey in 1904. In the 1920’s and 30’s, Kansas City was headquarters for the territory bands that played the mid and southwest. Listen to 'A Very Swingin' Basie Christmas' Now on Amazon.com:. April in Paris is an album by pianist/bandleader Count Basie and His Orchestra, his first released on the Verve label, recorded in 1955 and 1956.. This can be even witnessed in the major motion picture of 1960, Cinderfella, starring Jerry Lewis. Now Jeffrey Magee offers a fascinating account of Henderson's musical career, throwing new light on the emergence of modern jazz and the world that created it. THE PIANO AND BIG-BAND LEGACY OF COUNT BASIE2 The Piano and Big-band Legacy of Count Basie William "Count" Basie was born on in 1904, and he developed interest and love for music at a very early age. He became known as the "jump king" in his early days and went on to excite audiences all over the world for more . Almost 60 years later . For the biggest scene in the movie, which required the perfect orchestra to dance to at the ball, Lewis chose none other than The Count Basie Orchestra. After Moten's death the band continued under the leadership of Bennie's brother Buster, but Basie started a group of his own and soon found a steady gig at the Reno Club in . Please note that the content of this book primarily consists of articles available from Wikipedia or other free sources online. Basie polished his skills, particularly in drums and piano. Found inside – Page 163Tee Carson was probably one of best substitutes for Count Basie that ever existed. ... At one point in the session, Norman issued a comment on what he thought should be done with the passage and which musician should be playing it. [Count Basie (center) and Count Basie Orchestra members Sonny Payne (left) and Joe Williams (right) wave as they board plane before leaving on European tour] Created / Published 1956. . The Music Of Neal Hefti & Benny Carter (1990, Giants Of Jazz, CD 53040, EEC) 1992. This beautifully illustrated guide highlights the key periods of jazz, its major movements, and greatest musicians. 250 illustrations, 175 in color. Today, the legacy of the big band leader Count Basie (1904-1984) and Green swings on under the direction of Scotty Barnhart as The Legendary Count Basie Orchestra. The Old Testament band’s style was a combination of spontaneously developed riff-driven, or ‘head’ arrangements, full of the blues and relaxed, but intense swing that showcased a some of the greatest names in Jazz history in Lester Young, Hershel Evans, Harry Edison, Buck Clayton, Dicky Wells, Jo Jones, Freddie Green and Jimmy Rushing among others. With the exception of a brief period in the early '50s, he led a big band from 1935 until his death almost 50 years later, and the band continued to perform after he died. However, in 1952, he resurrected the Count Basie Orchestra. Count Basie Center for the Arts 99 Monmouth Street Red Bank, NJ 07701. "One O'Clock Jump" was composed by Count Basie in 1937, in collaboration with saxophonist Buster Smith and arranger Eddie Durham. After hours, please email boxoffice@thebasie.org. Gradually, member by member, the Count Basie Orchestra was born, and almost a century later, the group is still humming along as one of jazz's most prestigious repertory orchestras. Basie also learned from Harlem stride pianists, particularly Fats Waller. Basie's orchestra was characterized by a light, swinging . William James "Count" Basie (August 21, 1904 - April 26, 1984)[1] was an American jazz pianist, organist, bandleader, and composer. 2, A Handful of Keys: 13 Great Jazz Pianists, With Respect: Remembering Aretha Franklin. With the exception of a brief period in the early '50s, he led a big band from 1935 until his death almost 50 years later, and the band continued to perform after he died. Walter Page’s Blue Devils and Benny Moten’s Kansas City Orchestra caught Basie’s ear and soon he was playing with both and serving as second pianist and arranger for Mr. Moten. The Weight Band includes Brian Mitchell (The Levon Helm Band), Michael Bram (Jason Mraz), Matt Zeiner (Dickey Betts Band), and Albert Rogers (The Jim Weider Band). With Count Basie, Tony Bennett, George Benson, Count Basie and His Orchestra. It follows their critically acclaimed release in 2015 of A Very Swingin’ Basie Christmas!, the very first holiday album in the 80 year history of the orchestra. Basie was not a composer like Duke Ellington or an important soloist like Benny Goodman. It is also sometimes referred to as the “chitlin’ circuit” that catered primarily to the African-American communities in the South, East, and Mid-West. After his death, his was one of the livelier ghost bands, led in turn by Thad Jones, Frank Foster, and Grover Mitchell. One Night of Queen is a spectacular live concert, recreating the look, sound, pomp and showmanship of arguably the greatest rock band of all time. Praise for Douglas Daniels’s Lester Leaps In: “Douglas Daniels has written a provocative book, presenting Lester Young in a novel, even controversial light while opening new avenues of possible investigation into one of the most ... 5 talking about this. While the media of the period crowned Benny Goodman the “King of Swing”, the real King of Swing was undoubtedly Count Basie. It was here that he would begin to explore his deep love of the Blues, and meet his future band mates including bassist Walter Page. His instrument was his band, which was considered the epitome of swing and became broadly influential on jazz. Found inside – Page 229FROM SPIRITUALS TO SWING : CARNEGIE HALL CONCERTS 1938/39 BANDS : Members of Basie Band ( recording studio ) / Count Basie and His Orchestra / Kansas City Six / Jam Session : Benny Goodman Sextet , Count Basie Band , Meade Lux Lewis ... Jazz icon, Count Basie, was born William James Basie August 21, 1904 in Red Bank, New Jersey. Count Basie is considered one of the greatest bandleaders of all times. With very few personnel changes, the orchestra members were able to blend into one sound and one way of phrasing that is now known as the “Basie way”. His ... American jazz pianist and band leader Count Basie rehearsing at the Cafe Anglais, Leicester Square, London. Marc was a founding member in the popular New Jersey based band Prophet, and has also performed with the band Rock City featuring Tom Fuller. Count Basie at Carnegie Hall: Directed by Dick Carter. Count Basie & His Orchestra, recorded New York, February 16, 1938.Soloists: Benny Morton (tb), Lester Young (ts), Buck Clayton (tp), Herschel Evans (ts), Har. 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.. Basie studied music with his mother and was later influenced by the Harlem pianists James P. Johnson and Fats Waller, receiving . FROM RAGS TO RAGTIME - THEY CREATED THE SOUNDTRACK OF THE 20TH CENTURY! For the first time, here is the stirring story of the Jenkins Orphanage Band and its role in American popular music. —Count Basie (1904-1984) Friday, August 21, Count Basie's birthday, I'm in the kitchen making pesto and listening to the Kid from Red Bank on the Bose Wave player. Count said, "She really knew how to get things done." In 1960, she was active in the political campaign of John Kennedy and took part in one ofthe inaugural balls. Upon Moten's untimely death on April 2, 1935, Basie worked as a soloist before leading a band initially called the Barons of Rhythm. William James "Count" Basie (August 21, 1904 - April 26, 1984) was an American jazz pianist, organist, bandleader, and composer.His mother taught him to play the piano and he started performing in his teens. The Count Basie Orchestra, today directed by Scotty Barnhart, has won every respected jazz poll in the world at least once, won 18 Grammy Awards, performed for Kings, Queens, and other world Royalty, appeared in several movies, television shows, at every major jazz festival and major concert hall in the world. With Hit Me, Fred, sensational sideman Fred Wesley Jr. moves front and center to tell his life story. After Page's Blue Devils broke up Count Basie and some of the other band members integrated into the Bennie Moten band. Cleveland native Catherine Morgan Basie died in . Count Basie enlisted many of the greatest instrumentalists and vocalists in jazz to be a part of his orchestra, including Billie Holiday, Lester Young, Sweets Edison, Joe Jones, Joe Williams, Snooky Young, Frank Foster, Thad Jones, Frank Wess and Clark Terry. Current members include musicians hired by Basie himself: Carmen Bradford (joined in 1983), Clarence Banks . Count Basie at Carnegie Hall: Directed by Dick Carter. Released on Concord Music, it went to #1 on the Jazz charts and sold out on Amazon! Long-time members include Doug Miller (1989, formerly w/Lionel Hampton), and members who have joined in the last 15-25 years; trombonists David Keim (formerly w/Stan Kenton), Alvin Walker and Mark Williams, guitarist Will Matthews, trumpeter Endre Rice, saxophonists Doug Lawrence (formerly w/Benny Goodman, Buck Clayton) and returning on lead alto, David Glasser.