Even in Harlem, it puzzled the aware audiences at the Savoy Ballroom. Sometimes a member of the band would come up with an original, written When that band broke up in 1929, he Bennie Moten's band Count was 79 years old at the time of death. You never got tired of that business at the end.". During his orchestras peak years in the 1920s and 30s, he helped define the sound of big-band jazz, pioneering musical ideas which today are taken for granted. When the Page band broke up in 1929, Mr. What disability did Count Basies daughter have? epitome of swing, of jazz that moved with a built-in flowing intensity. He played piano with them, with one interruption, for the document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); 2023 FAQS Clear - All Rights Reserved 2022-06-30; wreck on 1942 crosby, tx today since many of Mr. Basie's musicians were blowing patched-up horns and saxophones held together by rubber bands). From the Grand Terrace, it moved on to New York and Roseland Ballroom (playing opposite Woody Herman's new, young band) where listeners complained that it was out of tune (not a surprising reaction . Count Basie. Basie then formed his own nine-piece band, Barons of Rhythm, with many former Moten members including Walter Page (bass), Freddie Green (guitar), Jo Jones (drums),Lester Young (tenor saxophone) and Jimmy Rushing(vocals). 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. [37] Soon, they were booked at the Roseland Ballroom for the Christmas show. "heads"arrangements worked out without planning in Another boost was provided in the late 1950s by the recording of William James "Count" Basie (/besi/; August 21, 1904 April 26, 1984)[1] was an American jazz pianist, organist, bandleader, and composer. He quickly learned to improvise music appropriate to the acts and the silent movies. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. 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. [39], The producer John Hammond continued to advise and encourage the band, and they soon came up with some adjustments, including softer playing, more solos, and more standards. The couple had an only daughter, Diane Basie, whos now a 74-year-old disabled woman. Mr. Hammond spread the word about the Basie band, After automobiles replaced horses, his father became a groundskeeper and handyman for several wealthy families in the area. Mr. Basie's musicians had been playing "head" arrangements in Kansas City--treatments of the blues or pop tunes that were worked out "Big Name Bands, Singers in 'Cavalcade of Music' Sept. 23", Basie, Jordan, Prado Top Jazz Cavalcade Article, "Sugar Chile" Robinson, Billie Holiday, Count Basie and His Sextet, National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, Count Basie Presents Eddie Davis Trio + Joe Newman, Count Basie Jam Session at the Montreux Jazz Festival 1975, Count Basie Meets Oscar Peterson The Timekeepers, The Famous 1938 Carnegie Hall Jazz Concert, Solo Flight: The Genius of Charlie Christian, Sugar Chile Robinson, Billie Holiday, Count Basie and His Sextet, "On This Day: Count Basie, 79, Band Leader And Master of Swing, Dead", "Jackie Wilson & Count Basie Manufacturers Of Soul at Discogs", "Manufacturers of Soul by Jackie Wilson: Reviews and Ratings", "Horacio "El Negro" Hernandez To Be Awarded Honorary Doctor of Music Degree From Berklee College of Music", "Count Basie, Jack Nicholson, Les Paul make New Jersey Hall of Fame", "2005 National Recording Registry choices", The Count Basie Orchestra official website, International Jose Guillermo Carrillo Foundation. 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. To go on the road, Mr. Basie expanded his nine-piece band to 13 pieces. Diane died peacefully on October 15 after suffering a heart attack a few days before. 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. See, Basie couldnt read music, so it was Eddie Durham who orchestrated his ideas for the Moten band and then later for the Basie band in New York for those Decca recordings. It positioned him with Earl Hines, as well as Duke Ellington. 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. Eventually, Moten generously let Basie sit in on piano. [14] Before he was 20 years old, he toured extensively on the Keith and TOBA vaudeville circuits as a solo pianist, accompanist, and music director for blues singers, dancers, and comedians. He called Basie "Holy Man", "Holy Main", and just plain "Holy".[36]. E-Commerce Site for Mobius GPO Members count basie daughter died. [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". 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. there were a couple of well-known bandleaders named Earl Hines and Duke Ellington. 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. 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. 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. next five years. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. He soon started booking the band and shopping them to agents and record companies forging their big break. In 1949, the Basie family moved one of the premier neighborhoods open to African American families Addsleigh Park in St. Albans, Queens, New York. Famed record producer and journalist, John Hammond, heard the bands broadcast and began writing about the Orchestra to gain their attention. Press ESC to cancel. Received an honorary doctorate from Berklee College of Music in 1974. [75], Basie also recorded with Tony Bennett in the late 1950s. [8], Though a natural at the piano, Basie preferred drums. Basie credited Billy Eckstine, a top male vocalist of the time, for prompting his return to Big Band. Billie Holiday (born Eleanora Fagan; April 7, 1915 - July 17, 1959) was an American jazz and swing music singer. There were often no musical notations made. There was a memorable concert at Town Hall several [22] 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. He had an incredible ear, and could repeat any tune he heard. AmoMama creates engaging, meaningful content for women. saxophonist Lester Young. He joined Walter Page's Blue Devils in 1928, and a year later, he started to play with Bennie Moten's band in Kansas City. The band broadcast from the Reno Club on an experimental radio station. What pianist lead the most successful band in Kansas City? But Moten was an expert piano player himself, and Basie fashioned a job for himself as the bands staff arranger. 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. While on one tour he became stranded in Kansas City, Missouri. 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. Then he said, 'Bill, I think I'll call you Count Basie from now on. Darlin'"), Ernie Wilkins and Frank Foster ("Shiny Stockings") were among the most notable orchestrators. recordings, the 1943 musicians' strike, the strain of [4] Both of his parents had some type of musical background. 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. I thought he was kidding, shrugged my shoulders and replied, 'O.K.' kristie bennett survivor; sporting goods flemington, nj; biscay green color; count basie daughter died. 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. His 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. 132 West 138th Street. It does not store any personal data. in a 14th Street dance hall. [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. One day he asked me whether I played the organ. 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. His wife, Catherine, had died in 1983. Hollywood, Florida, on April 26, 1984. Home | About | Contact | Copyright | Privacy | Cookie Policy | Terms & Conditions | Sitemap. Today, Charlie Yardbird Parker is considered one of the great musical innovators of the 20th century. How old was Catherine Basie when she died? [5][6], The best student in school, Basie dreamed of a traveling life, inspired by touring carnivals which came to town. [9] When not playing a gig, he hung out at the local pool hall with other musicians, where he picked up on upcoming play dates and gossip. With Mr. Basie's 13 men in full cry at one end of this elongated closet, the sound ricocheting off the walls and rocketing down from the low ceiling, no listener could escape the exhilarating power stylea solid rhythm backing the horn soloists, who were also In 1935, he formed the Count Basie Orchestra, and in 1936 took them to Chicago for a long engagement and their first recording. accessibility issues with Rutgers web sites to accessibility@rutgers.edu During a broadcast the announcer wanted to give Basie's name some style, so he called him "Count". Splank-Splank-Splank-Boom. the Basie band struggled for a year after it left Kansas City.