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. It positioned him with Earl Hines, as well as Duke Ellington. Some time around 1964, Basie adopted his trademark yachting cap.[71]. recordings, the 1943 musicians' strike, the strain of His father was a student of the mellophone, and his mother was a pianist. Home | About | Contact | Copyright | Privacy | Cookie Policy | Terms & Conditions | Sitemap. (Basie later played organ at the Eblon Theater in Kansas City). 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. onenighters, and the bebop revolution of the mid-1940s all played a role He quickly learned to improvise music appropriate to the acts and the silent movies. His Family After a decade long courtship, Basie married dancer Catherine Morgan, his second wife, on his birthday in 1942. He reformed his group as a 16-piece orchestra in 1952. It was here that he was introduced to the big-band sound when he joined Walter Pages Blue Devils in 1928. [18] A few months later, he was invited to join the band, which played mostly in Texas and Oklahoma. How Did Count Basie Die? - FAQS Clear Count Basie, Jr. was a native of Kansas City, Missouri. 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. We believe that every person's story is important as it provides our community with an opportunity to feel a sense of belonging, share their hopes and dreams. I thought he was kidding, shrugged my shoulders and replied, 'O.K.' Basie, Count. Basie was a true innovator leading the band for almost 50 years and recording on over 480 albums. Sometimes a member of the band would come up with an original, written 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 . superior arrangements (reflecting Basie's good taste) and the The World of Count Basie. Provide Feedback Form, Rutgers, The State University of who was Duke Ellington's drummer from 1919 to 1951, discouraged young Basie and he switched to piano. After Motens death in 1935, Basie started his band, the Count Basie Orchestra. ", The jazz pianist George Shearing said that Mr. Basie's greatest trademark was the three sweet, soft notes that ended many of his great swing-era compositions. For a while, he performed in combos, sometimes stretched to an orchestra. CATHERINE BASIE. Some of their notable chart toppers includedJumpin at the Woodside,April in Paris, and Basies own composition,One OClock Jump, which became the orchestras signature piece. What disability did Count Basies daughter have? Did count basie have kids? - Answers Encyclopedia of Jazz. She was 67 years old. Who was Count Basies adopted son on Long Island? He was 79 years old and lived in Freeport, the Bahamas. on a motorized wheelchair which he sometimes drove with joyful abandon. 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. Kliment, Bud. Count Basie's Death - Cause and Date - The Celebrity Deaths . The band survived Basies death, with trumpeter Thad Jones directing until his own death in 1986. 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. [54] They also continued to record for OKeh Records and Columbia Records. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); 2023 FAQS Clear - All Rights Reserved A year later, Basie joinedBennie_Motens band, and played with them until Motens death in 1935. non-soloing brass and reeds). When he came back to Harlem, Fats Waller showed him how to play the organ, and Willie the Lion Smith took him under his wing. Basie's new band played at the Reno Club and sometimes were broadcast on local radio. 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. 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. While Count Basie worked over 300 nights a year, Mrs. Basie was very active in charitable and civil rights organizations, and was recognized for her work by the major leaders of the day. To help it through the Grand Terrace engagement, Fletcher Henderson, who had provided Benny Goodman with He had an incredible ear, and could repeat any tune he heard. On May 23, 1985, William "Count" Basie was presented, posthumously, with the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Ronald Reagan. 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. Their daughter, Iska, died at the age of 14 after a series . at Doctors' Hospital in Hollywood, Fla. They had direct lines to presidents, occasionally exchanging personal telegrams giving well wishes. [68] He was a guest on ABC's The Pat Boone Chevy Showroom, a venue also opened to several other black entertainers. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. He couldnt write music at the time, but his ear was perfect. Count Basie made most of his albums with his big band. The band survived Basie's death, with ex-Basie-ite trumpeter Thad Jones directing until his death in 1986. Their neighbors included Lena Horne, Ella Fitzgerald, Jackie Robinson and Milt Hinton. Basie added touches of bebop "so long as it made sense", and he required that "it all had to have feeling". was the reworking of a standard tune"I Got "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. Around 1920, Basie went to Harlem, a hotbed of jazz, where he lived down the block from the Alhambra Theater. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. give my right arm to learn. Then when he develops his big band, he reunites with Eddie Durham. [61] Basie also added flute to some numbers, a novelty at the time that became widely copied. [4] Both of his parents had some type of musical background. Count Basie | Official Site for one of the greatest bandleaders of all On Moten's death in 1935, Basie and several other core band members formed their own ensemble, the Barons of Rhythm. The band flopped at a Pittsburgh hotel that had never booked a jazz band before. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. "April in Paris," which became the trademark of the band Basie occasionally lost some key soloists. The band keeps on touring around the country under the direction of trumpeter Scotty Barnhart. 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]. This provided an early training that was to prove significant in his later career. New York: Chelsea House, 1992. It was during this time that he was given the nickname They have one child. There were often no musical notations made. "heads"arrangements worked out without planning in [72] The Basies bought a home in the new whites-only neighborhood of Addisleigh Park in 1946 on Adelaide Road and 175th Street, St. Albans, Queens. His father played the mellophone, and his mother played the piano; in fact, she gave Basie his first piano lessons. But in 2012, Manhattan Surrogates Court Justice Kristin Booth Glen removed Woodward from his guardian role after he failed to account for money that belonged to Diane. Count Basie Biography - parents, death, history, wife, school, mother She was 67 years old. band in America. The Provide Feedback Form. 132 West 138th Street. "Can you imagine a man who kind of romps around the piano," Mr. Shearing said, This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. fame. Basie's band regularly worked some of the better William James " Count " Basie ( / besi /; August 21, 1904 - April 26, 1984) [1] was an American jazz pianist, organist, bandleader, and composer. Later that year, Basie appeared on a television special with Fred Astaire, featuring a dance solo to "Sweet Georgia Brown", followed in January 1961 by Basie performing at one of the five John F. Kennedy Inaugural Balls. He quickly learned to improvise music appropriate to the acts and the silent movies. This page was last edited on 3 February 2023, at 01:33. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. [21] In addition to playing piano, Basie was co-arranger with Eddie Durham, who notated the music. To go on the road, Mr. Basie expanded his nine-piece band to 13 pieces. He soon started booking the band and shopping them to agents and record companies forging their big break. In 1935, Bennie Moten died and it was left to Basie to take some of the musicians from that . In 1950, financial considerations forced Basie to disband the orchestra. 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 AmoMama creates engaging, meaningful content for women. 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. [70], During the balance of the 1960s, the band kept active with tours, recordings, television appearances, festivals, Las Vegas shows, and travel abroad, including cruises. He married Catherine Morgan on July 13, 1940, in the King County courthouse in Seattle, Washington. Basie recalled a review, which said something like, "We caught the great Count Basie band which is supposed to be so hot he was going to come in here and set the Roseland on fire. Once the musicians found what they liked, they usually were able to repeat it using their "head arrangements" and collective memory.[44]. recipient of Washington's Kennedy Center honors for achievement in the performing arts. He began his professional career as an accompanist on the vaudeville circuit. Their only child, Diane, was born February 6, 1944. He was a fine pianist and leader of one of the greatest jazz bands in history. American Ballet Theatre - Count Basie Basie [31] Hammond first heard Basie's band on the radio and went to Kansas City to check them out. However, the man ended up betraying Basies trust, and he stole from Diane. The loss of key personnel (some to military service), the wartime ban on 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 got used to seeing me, as though I were part of the show. (193545) was unquestionably Basie's greatest. 'One More Once' A Centennial Celebration of the Life and Music of Count [24] During a stay in Chicago, Basie recorded with the band. He started out to be a drummer. She was 67 years old. Basie. They took up a regular engagement at Kansas City's Reno Club, and broadcast a nightly radio show. Count Basie | YourDictionary The place catered to "uptown celebrities", and typically the band winged every number without sheet music using "head arrangements". Mr. Basie was born in Red Bank, N.J., on Aug. 21, 1904, an only child who was christened William. Is the Count Basie Orchestra still alive? [55] The war years caused a lot of members turn over, and the band worked many play dates with lower pay. After working briefly as house organist in a ABC World News Tonight feature on death of Count Basie on April 26, 1984 3,211 views Aug 26, 2016 26 Dislike Share Save pianopappy 7.27K subscribers Peter Jennings (who was a jazz an). One of them, Aaron Woodward, a Long Island Baptist pastor and accountant, was considered an informally adopted son by Basie, according to a report by Jet magazine. Teaches Jazz. silent movie theater, he joined Walter Page's Blue Devils in In 1976 Basie suffered a heart attack, but he returned to the bandstand cushion. Sinatra later said of this concert "I have a funny feeling that those two nights could have been my finest hour, really. Basie favored blues, and he would showcase some of the most notable blues singers of the era after he went to New York: Billie Holiday, Jimmy Rushing, Big Joe Turner, Helen Humes, and Joe Williams. He rose to fame after taking over Bennie Moten's band in 1935. After a decade long courtship, Basie married dancer Catherine Morgan, his second wife, on his birthday in 1942. How did the bands of Count Basie and Duke Ellington differ? 1415. [35] Lester Young, known as "Prez" by the band, came up with nicknames for all the other band members. "He commented that Bill Basie was a rather ordinary name and that His touring took him to Kansas City, St. Louis, New Orleans, and Chicago. 2022-06-30; wreck on 1942 crosby, tx today . With many of the other big bands of the swing was a member of the Basie band in the 1940's. on the stand. His daughter, Diane Basie, now 71 and living in Florida. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. As Metronome magazine proclaimed, "Basie's Brilliant Band Conquers Chick's"; the article described the evening: Throughout the fight, which never let down in its intensity during the whole fray, Chick took the aggressive, with the Count playing along easily and, on the whole, more musically scientifically. traveled to by bus). "and those tiny tinkling things. He was one of the greatest bandleaders of all-time, epitomizing the jazz of south-western America. skilled performers (reflecting Basie's sound management) gave the Even in Harlem, it puzzled the aware audiences at the Savoy Ballroom. By then a series of records by the Basie band had begun appearing (under a contract with Decca Records by which Mr. Basie was paid a total of $750 for 24 sides with no royalties--"probably the most Count Basie (1904-1984) - Find a Grave Memorial Your email address will not be published. Many musicians came to prominence under his direction, including the tenor saxophonists Lester Young and Herschel Evans, the guitarist Freddie Green, trumpeters Buck Clayton and Harry "Sweets" Edison, plunger trombonist Al Grey, and singers Jimmy Rushing, Helen Humes, Thelma Carpenter, and Joe Williams. From that time on, I was a daily customer, hanging 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. 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. When we played pop tunes--and, naturally, we had to--I wanted those pops to kick! What Is The Origin Of Springerle Cookies? William James "Count" Basie (/besi/; August 21, 1904 April 26, 1984)[1] was an American jazz pianist, organist, bandleader, and composer. Then I sat beside him and he taught me.". Next, Basie played at the Savoy, which was noted more for lindy-hopping, while the Roseland was a place for fox-trots and congas. Catherine L. "Katy" Morgan Basie (1914-1983) - Find a Grave 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. in the death of the big-band era. Count Basie is considered one of the greatest bandleaders of all times. [12][13] His touring took him to Kansas City, St. Louis, New Orleans, and Chicago. When the band left for Chicago it had only 12 written arrangements in its book. Biography - Count Basie - Rutgers University Provide Feedback Form. Jazz Musician. One Great Band.Count Basie will always be remembered..Too bad he passed away.. Darlin'"), Ernie Wilkins and Frank Foster ("Shiny Stockings") were among the most notable orchestrators. 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. (Holiday did not record with Basie, as she had her own record contract and preferred working with small combos). Then he said, 'Bill, I think I'll call you Count Basie from now on. Rutgers is an equal access/equal opportunity institution. Charlie Parker forever changed the performance and writing of jazz music. By then, Basie was playing with pick-up groups for dances, resorts, and amateur shows, including Harry Richardson's "Kings of Syncopation". On the West Coast, in 1942 the band did a spot in Reveille With Beverly, a musical film starring Ann Miller, and a "Command Performance" for Armed Forces Radio, with Hollywood stars Clark Gable, Bette Davis, Carmen Miranda, Jerry Colonna, and the singer Dinah Shore. The key [69] That summer, Basie and Duke Ellington combined forces for the recording First Time! Basie is a part of the Big Band Leaders issue, which, is in turn, part of the Legends of American Music series. In 1942, they moved to Queens. Count was 79 years old at the time of death. written by Basie himself in 1937. [76] In 1968, Basie and his Band recorded an album with Jackie Wilson titled Manufacturers of Soul. The Basie band was looser and had a more relaxed swing feeling. Jump" (his theme) and many others now considered jazz classics. Posted by June 11, 2022 cabarrus county sheriff arrests on count basie daughter died June 11, 2022 cabarrus county sheriff arrests on count basie daughter died He was a big force in music. fast-paced tunes designed to excite the audience. Count Basie - Black Heritage Commemorative Society How did the bands of Count Basie and Duke Ellington differ? the arrangements that enabled his band to break through a year earlier, lent Mr. Basie some of his arrangements. Many other bands later adapted the split tenor arrangement. 3 What pianist lead the most successful band in Kansas City? We proudly celebrate Red Bank New Jersey's most famous musical son during . His wife, Catherine, had died in 1983; they had one daughter. She was born with cerebral palsy and the doctors claimed she would never walk. Basie appointed Aaron Woodward, a Long Island Baptist pastor and accountant, to be Dianes guardian. 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. Not loud and fast, understand, but smoothly and with a definite punch.". Late one night with time to fill, the band started improvising. 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. [58] They played to a crowd of 15,000. In May 2019, Basie was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame at a ceremony in Memphis, TN, presented by The Blues Foundation. Basie and his Orchestra appeared in five films, all released within a matter of months in 1943:Hit Parade, Reveille with Beverly, Stage Door Canteen, Top Man, andCrazy House. The "book" of this early Basie band was based on blues and riffs developed on a blues structure. He also hired arrangers who knew how to maximize the band's abilities, such as Eddie Durham and Jimmy Mundy. In 2021s Elvis, a Count Basie poster is seen about 20 minutes into the movie. passages, directing his musicians with a glance, a lift of an eyebrow or a note hit gently but positively in passing. parents, Harvey and Lillian (Childs) Basie, were both musicians. band a permanent place in jazz history. Hes survived by his disabled daughter, Diane, who was allegedly the victim of a robbery at the hands of her late father's friend. New Jersey, Report Accessibility Barrier or [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. half a year later. Count Basie was born on August 21, 1904 and died on April 26, 1984. next five years. Friend 'stole' $70K from jazz legend's disabled daughter Report Accessibility Barrier or His name was Louis Armstrong. "[64] In 1957, Basie sued the jazz venue Ball and Chain in Miami over outstanding fees, causing the closure of the venue. The Black Music Association honored Mr. Basie in 1982 with a gala at Radio City Music Hall. Who Can Benefit From Diaphragmatic Breathing? It was released by Roulette Records, then later reissued by Capitol Records. 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. with a particular soloist or two in mind. accessibility issues with Rutgers web sites to accessibility@rutgers.edu Your email address will not be published. "And that's when the whole fire started," said Mr. Alexander. Swing-era bandleader noted for his theme songs One O'Clock Jump from 1937 and April in Paris from 1932. [2][3] His father worked as a coachman and caretaker for a wealthy judge. Diane died peacefully on October 15 after suffering a heart attack a few days before. One of them, Aaron Woodward, a Long Island Baptist pastor and accountant, was considered an informally adopted son by Basie, according to a report by Jet magazine. Hollywood, Florida They had one daughter. While on one tour he became stranded for the next quarter of a century. During this period he also recorded with music greats, Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., Jackie Wilson, Dizzy Gillespie and Oscar Peterson. She even toured with the Basie Orchestra in the mid-1970s, and Fitzgerald and Basie also met on the 1979 albums A Classy Pair, Digital III at Montreux, and A Perfect Match, the last two also recorded live at Montreux. Billie Holiday (born Eleanora Fagan; April 7, 1915 - July 17, 1959) was an American jazz and swing music singer. Basie gave up her career to care for their daughter, who was mentally retarded, and their two adopted sons. For a year he played piano accompaniment to silent moves and then joined Walter Page's Blue Devils in Tulsa, [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. Mr. Basie's band, more than any other, was the Perhaps the most startling of the Mr. Basie's wife, Catherine, died in April 1983. Gonsalves and Clark Terry. What is the formula for calculating solute potential? During a broadcast the announcer wanted to give Basies name some style, so he called him Count. Little did Basie know this touch of royalty would give him proper status and position him with the likes of Duke Ellington and Earl Hines. 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 [34], By then, Basie's sound was characterized by a "jumping" beat and the contrapuntal accents of his own piano. 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 broadcast was picked up one night by John Hammond, the jazz enthusiast who had discovered Billie Holiday and helped Benny Goodman start his band. Two years later, they were the most famous African American band in the country. [56], Count Basie was the featured artist at the first Cavalcade of Jazz concert held at Wrigley Field on September 23, 1945, which was produced by Leon Hefflin Sr.[57] Al Jarvis was the Emcee and other artists to appear on stage were Joe Liggins and his Honeydrippers, The Peters Sisters, Slim and Bam, Valaida Snow, and Big Joe Turner. . 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. [40] His first official recordings for Decca followed, under contract to agent MCA, including "Pennies from Heaven" and "Honeysuckle Rose". 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. played drums in his school band and took some piano lessons from his, Basie made his professional debut playing piano with vaudeville acts Basie also toured with Bennett, including a date at Carnegie Hall. Basie earned nine Grammy Awardsand made history in 1958 by becoming the first African-American to receive the award. During this period, Basie married dancer Catherine Morgan, with whom he would have a daughter. His wife, Catherine, had died in 1983. 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. count basie daughter died - muchu.tokyo Is that all right with you?' "One night the announcer called me to the microphone for those usual few words of introduction," Mr. Basie once recalled. He occasionally played four-hand piano and dual pianos with Moten, who also conducted. See the Count Basie Orchestra Discography. groups' recordings were of the highest quality, but in 1951 Basie Nicknamed "Lady Day" by her friend and music partner, Lester Young, Holiday had an innovative influence on jazz music and pop singing.Her vocal style, strongly inspired by jazz instrumentalists, pioneered a new way of manipulating phrasing and tempo. [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". Eventually, Moten generously let Basie sit in on piano. a few moments before. [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. [62] Soon, his band was touring and recording again. pillsbury company net worth; does gotomeeting work in china; tanner mark boots website In 1949, the Basie family moved one of the premier neighborhoods open to African American families Addsleigh Park in St. Albans, Queens, New York. April 27, 1984 7 AM PT. 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. Frank Sinatra (19151998), Ella Fitzgerald (19171996), Died: April 26, 1984 Hollywood, Florida African American bandleader and musician Count Basie was an extremely popular figure in the jazz world for half a century.