While on one tour he became stranded New Jersey. Who was Count Basies adopted son on Long Island? Page, a bassist--Jimmy Rushing, the blues signer, both of whom would be key members of Mr. Basie's band. Through Mr. Waller, Mr. Basie got a job as an accompanist with a vaudeville act called Katie Crippen and Her Kids. 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. Sometimes a member of the band would come up with an original, written It was during this time that he was given the nickname Encyclopedia of Jazz. Early after his arrival, he bumped into Sonny Greer, who was by then the drummer for the Washingtonians, Duke Ellington's early band. Provide Feedback Form, Rutgers, The State University of He became an accompanist to the blues singers Clara Smith and Maggie Jones and he worked Provide Feedback Form. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. "One night the announcer called me to the microphone for those usual few words of introduction," Mr. Basie once recalled. 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. 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. The band flopped at a Pittsburgh hotel that had never booked a jazz band before. onenighters, and the bebop revolution of the mid-1940s all played a role "Of course, I wanted to play real jazz. He quickly learned to improvise music appropriate to the acts and the silent movies. At a theatre in Newark he was able to hear regular performances by the bands of Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Stan Kenton and others. Count Basie. See the Count Basie Orchestra Discography. century. band a permanent place in jazz history. (Basie later played organ at the Eblon Theater in Kansas City). of the band. Diane died peacefully on October 15 after suffering a heart attack a few days before. [5][6], The best student in school, Basie dreamed of a traveling life, inspired by touring carnivals which came to town. in a 14th Street dance hall. When that band broke up in 1929, he Bennie Moten's band 2022-06-30; wreck on 1942 crosby, tx today To help it through the Grand Terrace engagement, Fletcher Henderson, who had provided Benny Goodman with 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. Well, the Roseland is still standing". Throughout his tours, Basie met many jazz musicians, including Louis Armstrong. 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. To go on the road, Mr. Basie expanded his nine-piece band to 13 pieces. 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 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 . Soon after, Benny Goodman recorded their signature "One O'Clock Jump" with his 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. "He was the only leader in the business who ever went out of his way to help me," Mr. Basie said later. [89] The board selects songs in an annual basis that are "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant. We set the thing up front in D-flat, and then we just went on playing in F." It became his signature tune. Catherine Basie, wife of Count Basie, the jazz musician and band leader, died of a heart attack yesterday at the couples home in Freeport, Grand Bahama Island, according to Mr. Basies agent. [50] In 1939, Basie and his band made a major cross-country tour, including their first West Coast dates. Age at Death: 79. Hammond introduced Helen Humes, whom Basie hired; she stayed with Basie for four years. In 1942, they moved to Queens. I thought he was kidding, shrugged my shoulders and replied, 'O.K.' 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. Through steady changes in personnel, Basie led the band into the 1980s. It was a loose and swinging band, built around distinctively individualistic solos by Lester Basie occasionally lost some key soloists. Despite being born with cerebral palsy, Diane surpassed expectations due to the excellent love and support she received from her parents, family, friends, and caretakers and her indomitable spirit. With Billy Eckstine on the album Basie/Eckstine Incorporated, in 1959. When the band left for Chicago it had only 12 written arrangements in its book. Basie credited Billy Eckstine, a top male vocalist of the time, for prompting his return to Big Band. Died: April 26, 1984 In 2009, Basie was inducted into the New Jersey Hall of Fame.[88]. [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". He occasionally played four-hand piano and dual pianos with Moten, who also conducted. Single Gay Man Adopts Girl with Down Syndrome after She Was Rejected by 20 Families, Billy Joel Is Happily Married to 4th Wife Who Is 33 Years His Junior & the Mom of His Youngest Kids, Rich Landlord Evicts Poor Old Lady from Rental Home, Goes to Family Dinner and Sees Her There Story of the Day, Man Mocked for Living with His Disabled Grandmother Finds Her Missing from Home One Day Story of the Day, Eddie Van Halen Was Married to Wife for 11 Years before His Death Meet Janie Who He Wed Wearing Flip-Flops, Diane Keaton Wanted More Commitment From Al Pacino Who Had No 'Intention of Marrying', Alicia Keys Grew up without a Dad after He Abandoned Her Meet the Singer's Mother Who Raised Her Alone, Mark Wahlberg Wants to Devote More Time to Parenting in Private & Asks Record $87.5M for His LA Mansion, Who Was Vangelis? [52] 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. encouraged to direct suggestions, comments, or complaints concerning any accessibility issues in the death of the big-band era. The couple were true socialites - often gathering with friends including celebrities Frank Sinatra, Jerry Lewis, Sammy Davis, Jr., and Basie protg Quincy Jones. the arrangements that enabled his band to break through a year earlier, lent Mr. Basie some of his arrangements. [42] The band's first appearance at the Apollo Theater followed, with the vocalists Holiday and Jimmy Rushing getting the most attention. But I wanted that bite to be just as tasty and subtle as if it were the three brass I used to use. She took in laundry and baked cakes for sale for a living. The Barons of Rhythm were regulars at the Reno Club and often performed for a live radio broadcast. During this period he also recorded with music greats, Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., Jackie Wilson, Dizzy Gillespie and Oscar Peterson. He constantly parried Chick's thundering haymakers with tantalizing runs and arpeggios which teased more and more force from his adversary. Once the musicians found what they liked, they usually were able to repeat it using their "head arrangements" and collective memory.[44]. They also toured with the "Birdland Stars of 1955", whose lineup included Sarah Vaughan, Erroll Garner, Lester Young, George Shearing, and Stan Getz.[66]. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. to bite with real guts. In 1976 Basie suffered a heart attack, but he returned to the bandstand After working briefly as house organist in a This second-generation big band differed from the early one in that it depended on arrangers for its basic style, a smooth, rolling, highly polished swing style for which Neal Hefti ("Li'l big city hotel ballrooms. 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. epitome of swing, of jazz that moved with a built-in flowing intensity. [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. The swing era band 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. He also scored a series of Top Ten hits on the pop and R&B charts, includingI Didnt Know About You,Red Bank Blues,Rusty Dusty Blues, Jimmys Blues,andBlue Skies. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". 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. [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". Basie, Count. While he was in his late teens, he gravitated to Harlem, where he encountered Fats Waller. [38] Compared to the reigning band of Fletcher Henderson, Basie's band lacked polish and presentation. Splank-Splank-Splank-Boom. He got used to seeing me, as though I were part of the show. His mother paid 25 cents per piano lesson for him . was a member of the Basie band in the 1940's. Basie died April 26, 1984 in Hollywood, FL but his legacy is still swinging strong. 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. Count Basie is considered one of the greatest bandleaders of all times. Dance, Stanley. 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. Basie also toured with Bennett, including a date at Carnegie Hall. He was 79 years old and lived in Freeport, the Bahamas. [8], Though a natural at the piano, Basie preferred drums. This page was last edited on 3 February 2023, at 01:33. The songs were often designed to And it was a seven-day week. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. New York: Chelsea House, 1992. "I wanted my 13-piece band to work together just like those nine pieces," he explained. 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. Two of Basie's earliest [48] When Eddie Durham left for Glenn Miller's orchestra, he was replaced by Dicky Wells. All We Know about the Award-Winning Composer, His Life, and Legacy, Rich Old Man Left More than $10M Estate to 11 Heirs One Keeps Portion Worth Millions for Herself, Who Is Lionel Richie Married To? 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 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. 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. Some time around 1964, Basie adopted his trademark yachting cap.[71]. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Basie's band was sharing Birdland with such bebop musicians as Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, and Miles Davis. After Moten died in 1935, Basie took what was left of the band, expanded "He certainly made a notch in musical history," said Benny Goodman, 75 years old, the jazz clarinetist and bandleader. On September 11, 1996, the U.S. Post Office issued a Count Basie 32 cents postage stamp. She died in 1983. The couple had an only daughter, Diane Basie, who's now a 74-year-old disabled woman. Basie's new band was more of an ensemble group, with fewer solo turns, and relying less on "head" and more on written arrangements. recordings, the 1943 musicians' strike, the strain of The Count Basie Orchestra had a slew of hits that helped to define the big-band sound of the 1930s and 40s. She was 67 years old. 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. myers park country club lawsuit; turkey hill frozen yogurt discontinued. He soon started booking the band and shopping them to agents and record companies forging their big break. After a decade-long courtship, Basie married dancer Catherine Morgan, his second wife, on his birthday in 1942. 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. [54] They also continued to record for OKeh Records and Columbia Records. 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. We are currently enrolling students for on-campus classes and scheduling in-person campus tours. They had one daughter, Diane, in 1944. She was 67 years old. 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. By then, Basie was playing with pick-up groups for dances, resorts, and amateur shows, including Harry Richardson's "Kings of Syncopation". These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. The Among his band's best-known numbers were "One O'Clock Jump," "Jumpin' at the Woodside," "Li'l Darlin'" and "April in Paris.". "He commented that Bill Basie was a rather ordinary name and that The new band billed itself as Count Basie and his Cherry Blossom Orchestra, marking the first time that Count was officially added to his name. 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. Billie Holiday (born Eleanora Fagan; April 7, 1915 - July 17, 1959) was an American jazz and swing music singer. 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. 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. [35] Lester Young, known as "Prez" by the band, came up with nicknames for all the other band members. He had an incredible ear, and could repeat any tune he heard. 1983. 5 How old was Catherine Basie when she died? His second great band, from the 1950s onwards, relied more on arrangements, typically from Neil Hefti and Ernie Wilkin's. As a pianist Basie. He also hired arrangers who knew how to maximize the band's abilities, such as Eddie Durham and Jimmy Mundy. years ago when a number of musicians, including Mr. Basie, were scheduled to perform in a variety of combinations. 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. Basie In fact, the only reason I enlarged the brass was to get a richer harmonic Many of the band's arrangements were Here is all you want to know, and more! count basie daughter died. He was one of the greatest bandleaders of all-time, epitomizing the jazz of south-western America. The World of Count Basie. For a while, he performed in combos, sometimes stretched to an orchestra. "And that's when the whole fire started," said Mr. Alexander. Sinatra later said of this concert "I have a funny feeling that those two nights could have been my finest hour, really. Basie was married in two occasions, first to Vivian Lee Winn from 1930 to 1935, and later to Catherine Morgan, from 1940 until her death in 1983. Even more important was the fact that the Famous Door had national and local radio wires. Ella Fitzgerald made some memorable recordings with Basie, including the 1963 album Ella and Basie!. superior arrangements (reflecting Basie's good taste) and the Discouraged by the obvious talents of Sonny Greer, who also lived in Red Bank and became Duke Ellington's drummer in 1919, Basie switched to piano exclusively at age 15. 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 collect and tell stories of people from all around the world. When did Count Basie start playing the piano? Services will be private. Jimmy Rushing sang with Basie in the late 1930s. But the obvious talents of another young Red Bank drummer, Sonny Greer, 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 There were often no musical notations made. He also recorded with Sammy Davis Jr., Bing Crosby, and Sarah Vaughan. What pianist lead the most successful band in Kansas City? 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. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. In 1935, he formed the Count Basie Orchestra, and in 1936 took them to Chicago for a long engagement and their first recording. [62] Soon, his band was touring and recording again. Count Basie and his Orchestra played at the tenth Cavalcade of Jazz concert also at Wrigley Field on June 20, 1954. Individuals with disabilities are 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. A longtime friend of jazz legend Count Basie is facing possible jail time for allegedly stealing $70,000 from the late bandleaders disabled daughter. [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. With the New Testament Basie band in full swing, and arrangements written by a youthful Quincy Jones, this album proved a swinging respite from her Songbook recordings and constant touring she did during this period. As a young boy, Basie hated to see his parents working so hard, and vowed to help them get ahead. (traveling variety entertainment). African American bandleader and musician. Jump" (his theme) and many others now considered jazz classics. When You Breathe In Your Diaphragm Does What. [12][13] His touring took him to Kansas City, St. Louis, New Orleans, and Chicago. Fletcher Henderson's band was playing at the Grand Terrace just before the Basie band arrived there. The Black Music Association honored Mr. Basie in 1982 with a gala at Radio City Music Hall. Provide Feedback Form. [40] His first official recordings for Decca followed, under contract to agent MCA, including "Pennies from Heaven" and "Honeysuckle Rose". 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. They had one daughter, Diane, in 1944. 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' The Basie band played at President John F. Kennedy's inaugural ball, and in 1965 toured with Frank Sinatra. since many of Mr. Basie's musicians were blowing patched-up horns and saxophones held together by rubber bands). 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. 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 They had one daughter, Diane, in 1944. From then on, it was Count Basie.". [25] The band improved with several personnel changes, including the addition of tenor saxophonist Ben Webster. Count Basie made most of his albums with his big band. His wife, Catherine, had died in Date of Death: April 26, 1984. During a broadcast the announcer wanted to give Basie's name some style, so he called him "Count".