William James "Count" Basie (/ˈbeɪsi/; August 21, 1904 â€" April 26,
1984) was an American jazz pianist, organist, bandleader, and
composer. In 1935, Basie formed his own jazz orchestra, the Count
Basie Orchestra, and in 1936 took them to Chicago for a long
engagement and their first recording. He led the group for almost 50
years, creating innovations like the use of two "split" tenor
saxophones, emphasizing the rhythm section, riffing with a big band,
using arrangers to broaden their sound, and others. 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.William Basie was born to Lillian and
Harvey Lee Basie in Red Bank, New Jersey. His father worked as a
coachman and caretaker for a wealthy judge. After automobiles replaced
horses, his father became a groundskeeper and handyman for several
wealthy families in the area. Both of his parents had some type of
musical background. His father played the mellophone, and his mother
played the piano; in fact, she gave Basie his first piano lessons. She
took in laundry and baked cakes for sale for a living. She paid 25
cents a lesson for Count Basie's piano instruction.The best student in
school, Basie dreamed of a traveling life, inspired by touring
carnivals which came to town. He finished junior high school but spent
much of his time at the Palace Theater in Red Bank, where doing
occasional chores gained him free admission to performances. He
quickly learned to improvise music appropriate to the acts and the
silent movies.
1984) was an American jazz pianist, organist, bandleader, and
composer. In 1935, Basie formed his own jazz orchestra, the Count
Basie Orchestra, and in 1936 took them to Chicago for a long
engagement and their first recording. He led the group for almost 50
years, creating innovations like the use of two "split" tenor
saxophones, emphasizing the rhythm section, riffing with a big band,
using arrangers to broaden their sound, and others. 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.William Basie was born to Lillian and
Harvey Lee Basie in Red Bank, New Jersey. His father worked as a
coachman and caretaker for a wealthy judge. After automobiles replaced
horses, his father became a groundskeeper and handyman for several
wealthy families in the area. Both of his parents had some type of
musical background. His father played the mellophone, and his mother
played the piano; in fact, she gave Basie his first piano lessons. She
took in laundry and baked cakes for sale for a living. She paid 25
cents a lesson for Count Basie's piano instruction.The best student in
school, Basie dreamed of a traveling life, inspired by touring
carnivals which came to town. He finished junior high school but spent
much of his time at the Palace Theater in Red Bank, where doing
occasional chores gained him free admission to performances. He
quickly learned to improvise music appropriate to the acts and the
silent movies.
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