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. went to Kansas City to hear it and support it and brought it to the attention of booking agents. "Lester Leaps In," were created as features for big city hotel ballrooms. [18] A few months later, he was invited to join the band, which played mostly in Texas and Oklahoma. His personnel around 1937 included: Lester Young and Herschel Evans (tenor sax), Freddie Green (guitar), Jo Jones (drums), Walter Page (bass), Earle Warren (alto sax), Buck Clayton and Harry Edison (trumpet), Benny Morton and Dickie Wells (trombone). He was a big force in music. 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 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. After Motens death in 1935, Basie started his band, the Count Basie Orchestra. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. 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. 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. He became an accompanist to the blues singers Clara Smith and Maggie Jones and he worked 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 . How did the bands of Count Basie and Duke Ellington differ? Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. In 1935, he formed the Count Basie Orchestra, and in 1936 took them to Chicago for a long engagement and their first recording. One of Basie's biggest regrets was never recording with Louis Armstrong, though they shared the same bill several times. During his last years, he had difficulty walking and rode out on the stage 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. His father played the mellophone, and his mother played the piano; in fact, she gave Basie his first piano lessons. 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. Released: 1967 . many other famous artists, including Duke Ellington (18991974), Well, that was the last time I was ever introduced as Bill Basie. 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. Unostentatious as Mr. Basie appeared, his presence was a vital factor in directing his band or any group of musicians with whom he might be playing. Their "Moten Swing", which Basie claimed credit for,[23] was an invaluable contribution to the development of swing music, and at one performance at the Pearl Theatre in Philadelphia in December 1932, the theatre opened its door to allow anybody in who wanted to hear the band perform. Dance hall bookings were down sharply as swing began to fade, the effects of the musicians' strikes of 194244 and 1948 began to be felt, and the public's taste grew for singers. [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". We proudly celebrate Red Bank New Jersey's most famous musical son during . [26] A year later, Basie joined Bennie Moten's band, and played with them until Moten died in 1935 from a failed tonsillectomy. Basie hitched his star to some of the most famous vocalists of the 1950s and 1960s, which helped keep the Big Band sound alive and added greatly to his recording catalog. Date of Death: April 26, 1984. Report Accessibility Barrier or Basie was a member of Omega Psi Phi fraternity. Another boost was provided in the late 1950s by the recording of [16] He met Fats Waller, who was playing organ at the Lincoln Theater accompanying silent movies, and Waller taught him how to play that instrument. Count Basie (1904-1984) The title of one of his bands most famous tunes The Kid from Red Bank is an obvious tip-off, but many jazz historians assume that William J. He played piano with them, with one interruption, for the Basie credited Billy Eckstine, a top male vocalist of the time, for prompting his return to Big Band. What is the formula for calculating solute potential? a shrewd judge of talent and character, and he was extremely patient in Jazz at Santa . Basie was often recognized for his understated yet captivating style of piano playing and his precise, impeccable musical leadership. 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. Count Basie Birthday and Date of Death. [15], Back in Harlem in 1925, Basie gained his first steady job at Leroy's, a place known for its piano players and its "cutting contests". written by Basie himself in 1937. [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. The agent, Willard Alexander, said Mrs. Basie died while her husband was appearing at the Royal York Hotel in Toronto. He occasionally played four-hand piano and dual pianos with Moten, who also conducted. expensive blunder in Basie's history," said Mr. Hammond) that included hit after hit--"Swingin' the Blues," "Jumpin' at the Woodside," "One O'Clock However, throughout the 1940s, he maintained a big band that possessed an infectious rhythmic beat, an enthusiastic team spirit, and a long list of inspired and talented jazz soloists. [76] In 1968, Basie and his Band recorded an album with Jackie Wilson titled Manufacturers of Soul. 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]. One day he asked me whether I played the organ. 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. [1] As he did with Duke Ellington, Willie "the Lion" Smith helped Basie out during the lean times by arranging gigs at "house-rent parties", introducing him to other leading musicians, and teaching him some piano technique. [53] Other minor movie spots followed, including Choo Choo Swing, Crazy House, Top Man, Stage Door Canteen, and Hit Parade of 1943. [54] They also continued to record for OKeh Records and Columbia Records. Teaches Jazz. Best Answer Copy William "Count" Basie and his wife Catherine had a daughter, Diane, who lived in Freeport, Bahamas at the time of Basie's death in 1984. 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. Mr. Basie's wife, Catherine, died in April 1983. 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 the reworking of a standard tune"I Got or complete the Report Accessibility Barrier or Dance, Stanley. Within a year William Basie was born in Red Bank, New Jersey, on August 21, 1904. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. 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.She was 67 years old. Jimmy Rushing sang with Basie in the late 1930s. [32] He invited them to record, in performances which were Lester Young's earliest recordings. After a decade long courtship, Basie married dancer Catherine Morgan, his second wife, on his birthday in 1942. 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. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. 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. When his own band folded, he rejoined Moten with a newly re-organized band. On July 21, 1930, Basie married Vivian Lee Winn, in Kansas City, Missouri. Credit: GettyImages/Global Images of Ukraine. the band developed its own variation of the Kansas City swing the personnel, and formed the first Count Basie Orchestra. Count Basie and his Orchestra played at the tenth Cavalcade of Jazz concert also at Wrigley Field on June 20, 1954. It is with a heavy heart that we share the news of the passing of Diane Lillian Basie (1944-2022), the beloved only child of the legendary jazz musician, William James Count Basie and his wife, Catherine Morgan Basie. Basie's band was sharing Birdland with such bebop musicians as Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, and Miles Davis. Mr. Basie was born in Red Bank, N.J., on Aug. 21, 1904, an only child who was christened William. parents, Harvey and Lillian (Childs) Basie, were both musicians. traveled to by bus). [55] The war years caused a lot of members turn over, and the band worked many play dates with lower pay. William Basie was born to Lillian and Harvey Lee Basie in Red Bank, New Jersey. Basie After working briefly as house organist in a What was the greatest era of the Basie band? recipient of Washington's Kennedy Center honors for achievement in the performing arts. Rhythm," "Dinah," or "Lady, Be Good." time!". "He certainly made a notch in musical history," said Benny Goodman, 75 years old, the jazz clarinetist and bandleader. next five years. 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. 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. He had an incredible ear, and could repeat any tune he heard. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. 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. (Basie later played organ at the Eblon Theater in Kansas City). He started out to be a drummer. on the stand. In 1957, Basie the live album Count Basie at Newport. Those four sides were released on Vocalion Records under the band name of Jones-Smith Incorporated; the sides were "Shoe Shine Boy", "Evening", "Boogie Woogie", and "Oh Lady Be Good". The Count Basie Orchestra had a slew of hits that helped to define the big-band sound of the 1930s and 40s. Page, a bassist--Jimmy Rushing, the blues signer, both of whom would be key members of Mr. Basie's band. His mother, a piano player who gave Basie his first piano lessons, took in laundry and baked cakes for sale and paid 25 cents a lesson for piano instruction for him. [21] In addition to playing piano, Basie was co-arranger with Eddie Durham, who notated the music. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Neal Hefti began to provide arrangements, including "Lil Darlin'". Then he said, 'Bill, I think I'll call you Count Basie from now on. Behind the occasional bebop solos, he always kept his strict rhythmic pulse, "so it doesn't matter what they do up front; the audience gets the beat". As a young boy, Basie hated to see his parents working so hard, and vowed to help them get ahead. 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 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. give my right arm to learn. Basie liked the results and named the piece "One O'Clock Jump". His Mr. Alexander agreed to lend the club $2,500 to install an air-conditioner if it would book We are currently enrolling students for on-campus classes and scheduling in-person campus tours. 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. We set the thing up front in D-flat, and then we just went on playing in F." It became his signature tune. This page was last edited on 3 February 2023, at 01:33. there were a couple of well-known bandleaders named Earl Hines and Duke Ellington. [22] "He was a wonderful man. with trumpeter Thad Jones directing until his own death in 1986. Even in Harlem, it puzzled the aware audiences at the Savoy Ballroom. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". Basie now called Kansas City home. 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. His wife, Catherine, had died in 1983. Basie died April 26, 1984 in Hollywood, FL but his legacy is still swinging strong. groups' recordings were of the highest quality, but in 1951 Basie 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. Young, Hershel Evans, Buddy Tate, Buck Clayton, Harry Edison, Dickie Wells, Vic Dickenson and, primarily, Mr. Basie himself. Early years William Basie was born in Red Bank, New Jersey, on August 21, 1904. He married Catherine Morgan on July 13, 1940, in the King County courthouse in Seattle, Washington. 6 Who was Count Basies adopted son on Long Island? These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. He went out on tour with on the vaudeville and TOBA circuits again until his performance group disbanded in the mid-1920s, leaving him stuck in Kansas City. [75], Basie also recorded with Tony Bennett in the late 1950s. In 1976, Mr. Basie suffered a heart attack. At thirty-four, he was dead from years of drug and alcohol use. "April in Paris," which became the trademark of the band I thought he was kidding, shrugged my shoulders and replied, 'O.K.' These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Mechanic Street, where he grew up with his family, has the honorary title of Count Basie Way. Basie toured in several acts between 1925 and 1927, including Katie Krippen and Her Kiddies (featuring singer Katie Crippen) as part of the Hippity Hop show; on the Keith, the Columbia Burlesque, and the Theater Owners Bookers Association (T.O.B.A.) Count Basie. They had one daughter. in the death of the big-band era. [47], A few months later, Holiday left for Artie Shaw's band. Basie is a part of the Big Band Leaders issue, which, is in turn, part of the Legends of American Music series. Everything We Know about the Music Legends Love Life, Rich Man Leaves Older Son $2.8 Million, Younger Son Gets Only $1 Story of the Day, Hank Williams Jr Lost 'Drop-Dead Gorgeous' Wife of 31 Years in March Inside Their Marriage, Loretta Lynn Fought for Her Beloved Husband Though He Called Other Women into Their Bed. His father was a student of the mellophone, and his mother was a pianist. On May 23, 1985, William "Count" Basie was presented, posthumously, with the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Ronald Reagan. It was during this time that he was given the nickname 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). [25] The band improved with several personnel changes, including the addition of tenor saxophonist Ben Webster. Copyright 2023, Rutgers, The State University of [35] Lester Young, known as "Prez" by the band, came up with nicknames for all the other band members. Advertisement 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. 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 so rode out on stage in a motorized wheelchair. Basie had Holiday, and Webb countered with the singer Ella Fitzgerald. She was born with cerebral palsy and the doctors claimed she would never walk. Basie. accessibility issues with Rutgers web sites to accessibility@rutgers.edu [42] The band's first appearance at the Apollo Theater followed, with the vocalists Holiday and Jimmy Rushing getting the most attention. They had one daughter, Diane, in 1944. From 1929 to 1932, Basie was part of Bennie Moten's Kansas City Orchestra: In 1958, Basie became the first African-American to win a Grammy Award. Provide Feedback Form, Rutgers, The State University of Services will be private. When the band left for Chicago it had only 12 written arrangements in its book. 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. Fletcher Henderson's band was playing at the Grand Terrace just before the Basie band arrived there. . In 2009, Basie was inducted into the New Jersey Hall of Fame.[88]. 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. Joy S. Rosenthal, Trustee, William J. Basie Trust and Guardian for Diane L. Basie, At Institute of Jazz Studies, an Intimate Look at Count Basie, Grammy Nominated for Live At Birdland .