Jazz Musician. The couple had an only daughter, Diane Basie, who's now a 74-year-old disabled woman. returned to his first lovethe big bandand it thrived. Basie was a true innovator leading the band for almost 50 years and recording on over 480 albums. When Young complained of Herschel Evans' vibrato, Basie placed them on either side of the alto players, and soon had the tenor players engaged in "duels". It positioned him with Earl Hines, as well as Duke Ellington. went to Kansas City to hear it and support it and brought it to the attention of booking agents. expensive blunder in Basie's history," said Mr. Hammond) that included hit after hit--"Swingin' the Blues," "Jumpin' at the Woodside," "One O'Clock On the West Coast, in 1942 the band did a spot in Reveille With Beverly, a musical film starring Ann Miller, and a "Command Performance" for Armed Forces Radio, with Hollywood stars Clark Gable, Bette Davis, Carmen Miranda, Jerry Colonna, and the singer Dinah Shore. His father, Harvey Lee Basie, was a coachman and a groundskeeper, and his mother, Lillian Childs Basie, was a laundress. Basie made his professional debut playing piano with vaudeville acts (traveling variety entertainment). 3 What pianist lead the most successful band in Kansas City? There were often no musical notations made. 4 What pianist and his orchestra were really popular in the big band era? Darlin'"), Ernie Wilkins and Frank Foster ("Shiny Stockings") were among the most notable orchestrators. In 2012, Manhattan Surrogates Court Justice Kristin Booth Glen removed Woodward from his position as Diane guardian after he failed to explain the missing money from Dianes account. Mr. Hammond spread the word about the Basie band, Begin typing your search term above and press enter to search. On July 21, 1930, Basie married Vivian Lee Winn, in Kansas City, Missouri. In 1981, Mr. Basie was honored along with Cary Grant, Helen Hayes and other stars as a "When they let you in the door," Ralph Gleason, the jazz critic, reported, "it was like jumping into the center of a whirlwind. To help it through the Grand Terrace engagement, Fletcher Henderson, who had provided Benny Goodman with Late one night with time to fill, the band started improvising. in a 14th Street dance hall. (Holiday did not record with Basie, as she had her own record contract and preferred working with small combos). He finished junior high school[7] but spent much of his time at the Palace Theater in Red Bank, where doing occasional chores gained him free admission to performances. Copyright 2023, Rutgers, The State University of AmoMama creates engaging, meaningful content for women. [11] Soon, Basie met many of the Harlem musicians who were "making the scene," including Willie "the Lion" Smith and James P. Johnson. 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' It was released by Roulette Records, then later reissued by Capitol Records. On February 19, 1940, Count Basie and his Orchestra opened a four-week engagement at Southland in Boston, and they broadcast over the radio on February 20. But it was in Harlem, New York City, that he learned the basics of piano, mainly from his sometime organ teacher, the great Fats Waller (19041943). [12][13] His touring took him to Kansas City, St. Louis, New Orleans, and Chicago. Joe Williams toured with the band and was featured on the 1957 album One O'Clock Jump, and 1956's Count Basie Swings, Joe Williams Sings, with "Every Day (I Have the Blues)" becoming a huge hit. CATHERINE BASIE. It does not store any personal data. He went out on tour with on the vaudeville and TOBA circuits again until his performance group disbanded in the mid-1920s, leaving him stuck in Kansas City. Basie's band was sharing Birdland with such bebop musicians as Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, and Miles Davis. He was 79 years old and lived in Freeport, the Bahamas. 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. In 1957, Basie the live album Count Basie at Newport. Basie In 1935, he formed the Count Basie Orchestra, and in 1936 took them to Chicago for a long engagement and their first recording. Benjamin Bennie Moten (November 13, 1894 April 2, 1935) was an American jazz pianist and band leader born and raised in Kansas City, Missouri, United States. 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. Basie appointed Aaron Woodward, a Long Island Baptist pastor and accountant, to be Dianes guardian. We are currently enrolling students for on-campus classes and scheduling in-person campus tours. When the band left for Chicago it had only 12 written arrangements in its book. 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. Count Basie. [77][78], Count Basie introduced several generations of listeners to the Big Band sound and left an influential catalog. Is that all right with you?' Basie heard Bennie Motens band, and longed to play with them. See the Count Basie Orchestra Discography. parents, Harvey and Lillian (Childs) Basie, were both musicians. In the early 1970s, the Basies moved to the warmer climate of Freeport, Bahamas. 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 . [75], Basie also recorded with Tony Bennett in the late 1950s. bands in history. After a decade long courtship, Basie married dancer Catherine Morgan, his second wife, on his birthday in 1942. "I wanted my 13-piece band to work together just like those nine pieces," he explained. [56], Count Basie was the featured artist at the first Cavalcade of Jazz concert held at Wrigley Field on September 23, 1945, which was produced by Leon Hefflin Sr.[57] Al Jarvis was the Emcee and other artists to appear on stage were Joe Liggins and his Honeydrippers, The Peters Sisters, Slim and Bam, Valaida Snow, and Big Joe Turner. [16] He met Fats Waller, who was playing organ at the Lincoln Theater accompanying silent movies, and Waller taught him how to play that instrument. How did the bands of Count Basie and Duke Ellington differ? Jump" (his theme) and many others now considered jazz classics. 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. Early after his arrival, he bumped into Sonny Greer, who was by then the drummer for the Washingtonians, Duke Ellington's early band. experienced so many changes in musical fashion, especially after the Basie's new band was more of an ensemble group, with fewer solo turns, and relying less on "head" and more on written arrangements. I sat on the floor watching his feet and using my hands to imitate him. They had direct lines to presidents, occasionally exchanging personal telegrams giving well wishes. Posted by June 11, 2022 cabarrus county sheriff arrests on count basie daughter died June 11, 2022 cabarrus county sheriff arrests on count basie daughter died Some time around 1964, Basie adopted his trademark yachting cap.[71]. In 2009, Edgecombe Avenue and 160th Street in, "Blues in Hoss' Flat," composed by Basie band member, Since 1963 "The Kid From Red Bank" has been the theme and. When we played pop tunes--and, naturally, we had to--I wanted those pops to kick! He also recorded with Sammy Davis Jr., Bing Crosby, and Sarah Vaughan. 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. I saw Count Basie himself perform in Melbourne Australia not long before he died, perhaps by a couple of years, can you please help me with a date of this tour, thanks. In 1942, they moved to Queens. The sound was almost frightening. "heads"arrangements worked out without planning in 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. They had one daughter, Diane, in 1944. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. 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. the personnel, and formed the first Count Basie Orchestra. ABC World News Tonight feature on death of Count Basie on April 26, 1984 3,211 views Aug 26, 2016 26 Dislike Share Save pianopappy 7.27K subscribers Peter Jennings (who was a jazz an). "Can you imagine a man who kind of romps around the piano," Mr. Shearing said, What pianist and his orchestra were really popular in the big band era? While on one tour he became stranded in Kansas City, Missouri. fame. 1928. 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. The agent, Willard Alexander, said Mrs. Basie died while her husband was appearing at the Royal York Hotel in Toronto. Even more important was the fact that the Famous Door had national and local radio wires. 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 His father was a student of the mellophone, and his mother was a pianist. showcase the band's brilliant soloists. 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. Died: April 26, 1984 Hollywood, Florida African American bandleader and musician Count Basie was an extremely popular figure in the jazz world for half a century. 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. In 1935, he formed the Count Basie Orchestra, and in 1936 took them to Chicago for a long engagement and their first recording. It was on one of these broadcasts that Bill Basie became Count Basie. After Motens death in 1935, Basie started his band, the Count Basie Orchestra. Basie, Count. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. 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 at Doctors Hospital in Hollywood, Fla. [26] A year later, Basie joined Bennie Moten's band, and played with them until Moten died in 1935 from a failed tonsillectomy. Dance, Stanley. After Vocalion became a subsidiary of Columbia Records in 1938, "Boogie Woogie" was released in 1941 as part of a four-record compilation album entitled Boogie Woogie (Columbia album C44). Here is all you want to know, and more! [58] They played to a crowd of 15,000. She took in laundry and baked cakes for sale for a living. This provided an early training that was to prove significant in his later career. to bite with real guts. He constantly parried Chick's thundering haymakers with tantalizing runs and arpeggios which teased more and more force from his adversary. After automobiles replaced horses, his father became a groundskeeper and handyman for several wealthy families in the area. In 1950, financial considerations forced Basie to disband the orchestra. As a young boy, Basie hated to see his parents working so hard, and vowed to help them get ahead. band's achievements was its fifty-year survival in a culture that Basie, Count. Jones also arranged and conducted 1966's live Sinatra at the Sands which featured Sinatra with Count Basie and his orchestra at the Sands Hotel in Las Vegas. (traveling variety entertainment). "April in Paris" (arrangement by Wild Bill Davis) was a best-selling instrumental and the title song for the hit album. 2022-06-30; wreck on 1942 crosby, tx today Teaches Jazz. The World of Count Basie. The band keeps on touring around the country under the direction of trumpeter Scotty Barnhart. Their albums together included In Person and Strike Up the Band. 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. While Count Basie worked over 300 nights a year, Mrs. Basie was very active in charitable and civil rights organizations, and was recognized for her work by the major leaders of the day. Diane died peacefully on October 15 after suffering a heart attack a few days before. New York: Chelsea House, 1992. In 1950, financial restraints forced Basie to disband the orchestra. in Kansas City, Missouri. 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. 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We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. They had one daughter. epitome of swing, of jazz that moved with a built-in flowing intensity. 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 The couple had an only daughter, Diane Basie, whos now a 74-year-old disabled woman. Count Basie made most of his albums with his big band. Basie now called Kansas City home. Jazz was especially appreciated in France, The Netherlands, and Germany in the 1950s; these countries were the stomping grounds for many expatriate American jazz stars who were either resurrecting their careers or sitting out the years of racial divide in the United States. Sometimes the arrangement 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. In 1935, Bennie Moten died and it was left to Basie to take some of the musicians from that . He flicked out tightly economical, single-finger onenighters, and the bebop revolution of the mid-1940s all played a role Basie's 14-man band began playing at the Famous Door, a mid-town nightspot with a CBS network feed and air conditioning, which Hammond was said to have bought the club in return for their booking Basie steadily throughout the summer of 1938. By the mid-1950s, Basie's band had become one of the preeminent backing big bands for some of the most prominent jazz vocalists of the time. "And that's when the whole fire started," said Mr. Alexander. Today, Charlie Yardbird Parker is considered one of the great musical innovators of the 20th century. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. Hammond introduced Helen Humes, whom Basie hired; she stayed with Basie for four years. 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 The Count Basie Orchestra had a slew of hits that helped to define the big-band sound of the 1930s and 40s. the arrangements that enabled his band to break through a year earlier, lent Mr. Basie some of his arrangements. Basie liked the results and named the piece "One O'Clock Jump". who was Duke Ellington's drummer from 1919 to 1951, discouraged young Basie and he switched to piano. After a decade long courtship, Basie married dancer Catherine Morgan, his second wife, on his birthday in 1942. In May 1970, Sinatra performed in London's Royal Festival Hall with the Basie orchestra, in a charity benefit for the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children. In addition to Quincy Jones, Basie was using arrangers such as Benny Carter (Kansas City Suite), Neal Hefti (The Atomic Mr Basie), and Sammy Nestico (Basie-Straight Ahead). Throughout his tours, Basie met many jazz musicians, including Louis Armstrong. African American bandleader and musician. Basie gave up her career to care for their daughter, who was mentally retarded, and their two adopted sons. the Basie band. "[64] In 1957, Basie sued the jazz venue Ball and Chain in Miami over outstanding fees, causing the closure of the venue. non-soloing brass and reeds). Ellington was a composer who played piano, but he really used the band as his expressive instrument. Their only child, Diane, was born February 6, 1944. 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. Well, the Roseland is still standing". The couple had an only daughter, Diane Basie, whos now a 74-year-old disabled woman. However, the man ended up betraying Basies trust, and he stole from Diane. I wanted those three trumpets and two trombones Press ESC to cancel. After working briefly as house organist in a Your email address will not be published. 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. They had one daughter, Diane, in 1944. band's theme song, "One O'Clock Jump," encouraged to direct suggestions, comments, or complaints concerning any accessibility issues [43] Durham returned to help with arranging and composing, but for the most part, the orchestra worked out its numbers in rehearsal, with Basie guiding the proceedings. He got some jobs in Asbury Park at the Jersey Shore, and played at the Hong Kong Inn until a better player took his place.[10]. The band survived Basie's death, with ex-Basie-ite trumpeter Thad Jones directing until his death in 1986. Neal Hefti began to provide arrangements, including "Lil Darlin'". Some time in or before 1935, the now single Basie returned to New York City, renting a house at 111 West 138th Street, Manhattan, as evidenced by the 1940 census. [20] Where the Blue Devils were "snappier" and more "bluesy", the Moten band was more refined and respected, playing in the "Kansas City stomp" style. or complete the Report Accessibility Barrier or But I wanted that bite to be just as tasty and subtle as if it were the three brass I used to use. Please fill in your e-mail so we can share with you our top stories. During this period he also recorded with music greats, Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., Jackie Wilson, Dizzy Gillespie and Oscar Peterson. [24] During a stay in Chicago, Basie recorded with the band. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. Individuals "Count.". The Count Basie Orchestra is a 16 to 18 piece big band, one of the most prominent jazz performing groups of the swing era, founded by Count Basie in 1935 and recording regularly from 1936. band in 1950, juggling combinations of all-star musicians. New York: C. Scribner's Sons, 1980. The funeral service will be at noon on Monday at the Abyssinian Baptist Church, 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. Age at Death: 79. How old was Catherine Basie when she died? Rutgers is an equal access/equal opportunity institution. Perhaps the most startling of the [60] The jukebox era had begun, and Basie shared the exposure along with early rock'n'roll and rhythm and blues artists. 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. What Is The Origin Of Springerle Cookies? 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. The loss of key personnel (some to military service), the wartime ban on