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Another milestone came with the 1956 album April in Paris, whose title track contained psyche-you-out endings that became a new band signature. The 1950s band showcased the sound and style Basie was to employ for the remainder of his career, although there were to be occasionaland successfulexperiments such as Afrique (1970), an album of African rhythms and avant-garde compositions that still managed to remain faithful to the overall Basie sound. William James " Count " Basie ( / besi /; August 21, 1904 - April 26, 1984) [1] was an American jazz pianist, organist, bandleader, and composer. Don Byron recorded the album Ivey-Divey in gratitude for what he learned from studying Lester Young's work, modeled after a 1946 trio date with Buddy Rich and Nat King Cole. 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 expensive blunder in Basie's history,'' said Mr. Hammond) that included hit after hit - ''Swingin' the Blues,'' ''Jumpin' at the Woodside,'' ''One O'Clock Jump'' (his theme) and many others now considered jazz classics. Save to an Ancestry Tree, a virtual cemetery, your clipboard for pasting or Print. When we played pop tunes, and naturally we had to, I wanted those pops to kick! In 1981, Mr. Basie was honored along with Cary Grant, Helen Hayes and other stars as a recipient of Washington's Kennedy Center honors for achievement in the performing arts. The Basie band played at President John F. Kennedy's inaugural ball, and in 1965 toured with Frank Sinatra. Arrangers Neal Hefti, Buster Harding, and Ernie Wilkins defined the new bands sound on recordings such as Lil Darlin, The Kid from Red Bank, Cute, and April in Paris and on celebrated albums such as The Atomic Mr. Basie (1957). There will be a viewing at Benta's Funeral Home, 630 St. Nicholas Avenue at 141st Street, on Sunday from 1 to 7 P.M. In August 1944, Young appeared alongside drummer Jo Jones, trumpeter Harry "Sweets" Edison, and fellow tenor saxophonist Illinois Jacquet in Gjon Mili's short film Jammin' the Blues. Young was the subject of an opera, Prez: A Jazz Opera, that was written by Bernard Cash and Alan Plater and broadcast by BBC television in 1985. In contrast to the prevailing jazz drum style exemplified by Gene Krupa's loud, insistent pounding of the bass drum on each beat, Jones often omitted bass drum playing altogether. Breakthrough on 52d Street. Drag images here or select from your computer for Count Basie memorial. Occupation (s) Musician. These performances were generally well attended by other drummers such as Max Roach and Roy Haynes. '', Soloists were less prominent in this second edition of the Basie band although it included some of the major jazz musicians of the post-50's years, such as Thad Jones, Joe Newman, Al Grey, Eddie (Lockjaw) Davis, Frank Wess, Jimmy Forrest and the blues singer Joe Williams. The resulting song then became both an elegy to Young, and, implicitly, Mingus as well. To view a photo in more detail or edit captions for photos you added, click the photo to open the photo viewer. 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. And it was a seven-day week. 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. To use this feature, use a newer browser. In addition, he played trombone, in the big bands of Tommy Dorsey, Woody Herman, Gene Krupa, and Charlie Barnet. The funeral service will be at noon on Monday at the Abyssinian Baptist Church, 132 West 138th Street. We have set your language to Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. Young left the Basie band in late 1940. Discography. He would ask, "How does the bread smell?" when asking how much a gig was going to pay.[31]. In 1981 OyamO (Charles F. Gordon) published the book The Resurrection of Lady Lester, subtitled "A Poetic Mood Song Based on the Legend of Lester Young", depicting Young's life. 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. Fletcher Henderson's band was playing at the Grand Terrace just before the Basie band arrived there. Among his band's best-known numbers were ''One O'Clock Jump,'' ''Jumpin' at the Woodside,'' ''Li'l Darlin' '' and ''April in Paris.''. He was one of the greatest bandleaders of all-time, epitomizing the jazz of south-western America. During a radio broadcast of the band's performance, the announcer wanted to give Basie's name some pizazz, keeping in mind the existence of other bandleaders like .css-47aoac{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-thickness:0.0625rem;text-decoration-color:inherit;text-underline-offset:0.25rem;color:#A00000;-webkit-transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;}.css-47aoac:hover{color:#595959;text-decoration-color:border-link-body-hover;}Duke Ellington and Earl Hines. His playing in the Basie band was characterized by a relaxed style which contrasted sharply with the more forceful approach of Coleman Hawkins, the dominant tenor sax player of the day. After earning his degree, Nestico then returned to the military, where he arranged music for the United States Air Force Band (19501963), as well as leading the Glenn Miller Army Air Corps dance band, which would later become known as the Airmen of Note. Year should not be greater than current year. Sources:[22][23]. Biography and associated logos are trademarks of A+E Networksprotected in the US and other countries around the globe. [9] One of Young's key influences was Frankie Trumbauer, who came to prominence in the 1920s with Paul Whiteman and played the C-melody saxophone (between the alto and tenor in pitch).[10]. In 2009, Nestico said in an interview "I didn't answer, although I didn't think [Johnson's] concept of music was worth a damn. The email does not appear to be a valid email address. I had never heard the blues played like that. According to jazz critic Leonard Feather, who rode with Holiday in a taxi to Young's funeral, she said after the services, "I'll be the next one to go. The story of Count Basie is very much the story of the great jazz band that he led for close to 50 years (1935-1984), an orchestra with a distinctive . ' (Count Basie), I, of course, wanted to play real jazz. Finally, Willard Alexander, a booking agent, in an effort to get the band on 52d Street, then the jazz center of New York, made a deal with the Famous Door, a shoebox of a room, 25 feet wide and about 50 feet long, which was having trouble doing business in the summer because it had no air-conditioning. His father, Harvey Lee Basie, was a coachman and caretaker; his mother, Lillian Childs Basie, was a laundress, taking in washing and ironing. It was on one of these broadcasts that Bill Basie became Count Basie. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. To add a flower, click the Leave a Flower button. 24 part "Interview with Lester Young", conducted in the 1950s. He began working as an arranger for Count Basie in 1967, and wrote and arranged all the music for Basie's 1968 LP Basie Straight Ahead. From that time on, I was a daily customer, hanging onto every note, sitting behind him all the time. This stemmed primarily from the presence in the rhythm section, from 1937 to the present, of both Mr. Basie on piano and Freddie Green on guitar. Unlike many white musicians, who were placed in band outfits such as the ones led by Glenn Miller and Artie Shaw, Young was assigned to the regular army where he was not allowed to play his saxophone. His first marriage was to Beatrice Tolliver, in Albuquerque, on 23 February 1930. Learn about how to make the most of a memorial. I mean, he'll concert you all, and then he'll swing you all, too, you understand, when he's ready to. One of jazz music's all-time greats, bandleader-pianist Count Basie was a primary shaper of the big-band sound that characterized mid-20th century popular music. Once more details are available, we will update this section. Within less than six months, however, Mr. Basie was back at the keyboard. You have chosen this person to be their own family member. His experience inspired his composition "D.B. He directed music programs at Los Angeles Pierce College, Woodland Hills, California, Westinghouse Memorial High School, and Wilmerding, Pennsylvania. Thanks for using Find a Grave, if you have any feedback we would love to hear from you. Try again. Close this window, and upload the photo(s) again. Whos the richest Pianist in the world? With the group becoming highly distinguished for its soloists, rhythm section and style of swing, Basie himself was noted for his understated yet captivating style of piano playing and precise, impeccable musical leadership. Count Basie was an extremely popular figure in the jazz world for half a century. He sold newspapers and shined shoes. In fact, the only reason I enlarged the brass was to get a richer harmonic structure. Failed to remove flower. Quickly see who the memorial is for and when they lived and died and where they are buried. [6] His family moved to Minneapolis in 1919 and Young stayed there for much of the 1920s, first picking up the tenor saxophone while living there. Directing With a Glance 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. This account has been disabled. The impact Basie had can be seen across the country. Count Basie Birth Name: William James Basie Occupation: Pianist Place Of Birth: Red Bank Date Of Birth: August21, 1904 Date Of Death: April 26, 1984 Cause Of Death: N/A Ethnicity: Black Nationality: American Count Basie was born on the 21st of August, 1904. They were considered a model for ensemble rhythmic conception and tonal balancethis despite the fact that most of Basies sidemen in the 1930s were poor sight readers; mostly, the band relied on head arrangements (so called because the band had collectively composed and memorized them, rather than using sheet music). In 1935, he formed the Count Basie Orchestra, and in 1936 took them to Chicago for a long engagement and their first recording. When the band left for Chicago it had only 12 written arrangements in its book. [2][3] Nestico joined the Oliver High School beginner orchestra in 1937 as a trombonist. This memorial has been copied to your clipboard. He began working as an arranger for Count Basie in 1967, and wrote and arranged all the music for Basie's 1968 LP Basie Straight Ahead. Especially noteworthy were the albums featuring the duo of Basie and Oscar Peterson, with Basies economy and Petersons dexterous virtuosity proving an effective study in contrasts. [21], This list is incomplete. So he called the pianist "Count," with Basie not realizing just how much the name would catch on as a form of recognition and respect in the music world. The 1994 documentary about the 1958 Esquire "A Great Day in Harlem" photograph of jazz musicians in New York, contains many remembrances of Young. He earned the nickname, "Count," because of his stylish way of playing the piano. Young left the Basie band to replace Hawkins in Fletcher Henderson's orchestra. JUMP TO: Count Basies biography, facts, family, personal life, zodiac, videos and related celebs. Some of their notable songs included "One O'Clock Jump"the orchestra's signature tune which Basie composed himself and "Jumpin' at the Woodside.". Resend Activation Email. For memorials with more than one photo, additional photos will appear here or on the photos tab. I thought he was kidding, shrugged my shoulders and repled, 'O.K.' [1] Jones, Basie, guitarist Freddie Green and bassist Walter Page were sometimes billed as an "All-American Rhythm section," an ideal team. Death Year: 1984, Death date: April 26, 1984, Death State: Florida, Death City: Hollywood, Death Country: United States, Article Title: Count Basie Biography, Author: Biography.com Editors, Website Name: The Biography.com website, Url: https://www.biography.com/musicians/count-basie, Publisher: A&E; Television Networks, Last Updated: April 14, 2021, Original Published Date: April 2, 2014. 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. Basie decided to form a medium-sized band in 1950, juggling combinations of all-star . All Rights Reserved. This effort eventually resulted in the release of 63 albums by Time Life. Many of the members, like Lester "Prez" Young, drifted into Basie's orbit around the time of Moten's death in 1935. Thank you for fulfilling this photo request. In September 1944, Young and Jo Jones were in Los Angeles with the Basie Band when they were inducted into the U.S. Army. He was sometimes known as Papa Jo Jones to distinguish him from younger drummer Philly Joe Jones. He is survived by a daughter, Diane Basie of Freeport. It continues . I wanted those three trumpets and two trombones to bite with real guts. Peter Jennings (who was a jazz an) introduces a short feature on the career of Count Basie who died earlier in the day of pancreatic cancer. First commercially issued collection of Young as band leader. Lester married three times. Include gps location with grave photos where possible. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate, or jump to a slide with the slide dots. [18] He was given a military burial later in 2021. Here is all you want to know, and more! [1] The two died only a few days apart. 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. He rose to fame after taking over Bennie Moten's band in 1935. In 1979, Jones was inducted into the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame for his contribution to the Birmingham, Alabama musical heritage. The pianist Count Basie died at the age of 79. 0 cemeteries found in East Farmingdale, Suffolk County, New York, USA. You are only allowed to leave one flower per day for any given memorial. Count Basie was born in 1900s. During childhood, Sammy Americanized his name to Samuel Louis Nestico. [6], In 1933, Young settled in Kansas City, where after playing briefly in several bands, he rose to prominence with Count Basie. cemeteries found within kilometers of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. Birthday: August 21, 1904 Date of Death: April 26, 1984 Age at Death: 79 Live Live Death Statistics Worldwide and The United States Count Basie - Biography 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. He conducted and recorded his arrangements with several leading European Radio Jazz Orchestras, including the BBC Big Band in London, Germany's SWR Big Band and NDR Big Band and the DR Big Band, as well as the Boston Pops Orchestra in America. Even in Harlem, it puzzled the aware audiences at the Savoy Ballroom. Red Bank, Monmouth County, New Jersey, USA. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. Site contains certain content that is owned A&E Television Networks, LLC. In addition to his artistry on the drums, Jones was known for his irascible, combative temperament. Count Basie AKA William Allen Basie Born: 21-Aug - 1904 Birthplace: Red Bank, NJ Died: 26-Apr - 1984 Location of death: Hollywood, FL Cause of death: Cancer - Pancreatic Remains: Buried, Pinelawn Memorial Park, Farmingdale, NY Gender: Male Race or Ethnicity: Black Sexual orientation: Straight Occupation: Pianist, Jazz Musician . standing for detention barracks).[16]. As one Basie band member put it, Count dont do nothin. As a pianist Basie was equally great and was intensely rhythmic, using as few notes as possible. When we played pop tunes - and, naturally, we had to - I wanted those pops to kick! Through Mr. Waller, Mr. Basie got a job as accompanist with a vaudeville act called Katie Crippen and Her Kids. Death rate from cardiovascular disease.