Count Basie
Actor
- Born
- August 21, 1904 · Red Bank, New Jersey, USA
- Died
- April 26, 1984 (age 79)
William James "Count" Basie (/ˈbeɪsi/; August 21, 1904 – April 26, 1984) was an American jazz pianist, organist, bandleader, and composer. In 1935, he formed 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, his minimalist piano style, 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, Dennis Rowland, Thelma Carpenter, and Joe Williams.
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As a composer, Basie is known for writing such jazz standards as "Blue and Sentimental", "Jumpin' at the Woodside" and "One O'Clock Jump".
Description above from the Wikipedia article Count Basie, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
Known for
Blazing Saddles
February 7, 1974
Cinderfella
December 18, 1960
Louis Armstrong's Black & Blues
September 8, 2022
Billie
September 30, 2020
Stage Door Canteen
June 24, 1943
Sid & Judy
June 26, 2019
Piano Blues
October 4, 2003
Made in Paris
February 9, 1966
Jamboree!
December 7, 1957
The Last of the Blue Devils
October 1, 1979
Rhythm and Blues Revue
January 1, 1955
Crazy House
October 8, 1943
Acting35
- 2022Louis Armstrong's Black & Blues as Self (voice) (archive sound)
- 2022Rat Pack as Self (archive footage)
- 2022Charlie Parker: Bird Songs as Self (archive footage)
- 2020Billie as self
- 2020Count Basie: Through His Own Eyes
- 2019Sid & Judy as Self (archive footage)
- 2014Jazz Legends in Their Own Words as Self (archive footage)
- 2011All-Star Jazz Show: Live from The Ed Sullivan Theater as Self
- 2007Music Inn as Himself (archive footage)
- 2006