Are you adding a grave photo that will fulfill this request? William James "Count" Basie (; August 21, 1904 - April 26, 1984) was an American jazz pianist, organist, bandleader, and composer. To view a photo in more detail or edit captions for photos you added, click the photo to open the photo viewer. As a pianist Basie was equally great and was intensely rhythmic, using as few notes as possible. When jazz record producer Norman Granz formed his Pablo label in the 1970s, several established jazz artists, including Basie, signed on in order to record unfettered by commercial demands. He also starred in several films, most notably the musical short Jammin' the Blues (1944). His father was a student of the mellophone, and his mother was a pianist. [30] Another slang term he is rumoured to have popularized was the term "bread" for money. He originally wanted to be a drummer, but he grew up near Sonny Greer, who would become Duke Ellington s legendary drummer in 1919. 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. I wanted those three trumpets and two trombones to bite with real guts. It featured such jazzmen as tenor saxophonists Lester Young (regarded by many as the premier tenor player in jazz history) and Herschel Evans, trumpeters Buck Clayton and Harry Sweets Edison, and trombonists Benny Morton and Dicky Wells. Not loud and fast, understand, but smoothly and with a definite punch. After leaving the military, Nestico became a freelance arranger. Share this memorial using social media sites or email. Mr. Basie and his orchestra were scheduled to appear at the Kool Jazz Festival on June 30 in a program that would reunite them with many of the jazz stars who have passed through the Basie band. '', 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. "Ivey-Divey" was one of Lester Young's common eccentric phrases. He was represented at the ceremony by his children Lester Young Jr and Yvette Young.[36]. After some challenges, the Count Basie Orchestra had a slew of hits that helped to define the big-band sound of the 1930s and '40s. "[4][9], After leaving the military, Nestico became a freelance arranger. Please check back soon for updates. Once more details are available, we will update this section. Please enter your email and password to sign in. Who are the richest people in the world? ''I wanted 13 men to think and play the same way. Outstanding soloists such as tenor saxophonists Lucky Thompson, Paul Quinichette, and Eddie Lockjaw Davis and trumpeters Clark Terry and Charlie Shavers, figured prominently. Rock Icon KISS Is Saying Goodbye (For Real), Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads, Name: Count Basie, Birth Year: 1904, Birth date: August 21, 1904, Birth State: New Jersey, Birth City: Red Bank, Birth Country: United States. Save to an Ancestry Tree, a virtual cemetery, your clipboard for pasting or Print. ''I had dropped into the old Lincoln Theater in Harlem,'' Mr. Basie once recalled, ''and I heard a young fellow beating it out on an organ. Lester Young also had a direct influence on the young Charlie Parker, and thus the entire be-bop movement. Recordings made during this and subsequent periods suggest Young was beginning to make much greater use of a plastic reed, which tended to give his playing a somewhat heavier, breathier tone (although still quite smooth compared to that of many other players). He directed music programs at Los Angeles Pierce College, Woodland Hills, California, Westinghouse Memorial High School, and Wilmerding, Pennsylvania. [23] On January 31, 2008, Sady Sullivan conducted an oral history interview with Dr. Lester W. Young Jr.[24] At approximately 1:10:00 he speaks about his father, listening to jazz, learning to play, and how having a famous father did not convey any favours. In the early 1990s after Count Basie's death, leader Frank Foster was auditioning a young drummer for the Basie Band. Count Basie was a Leo and was born in the G.I. The work was subsequently adapted for the theater, and was staged in November of that year at the Manhattan Theater Club, New York City, with a four-piece jazz combo led by Dwight Andrews.[33]. Verify and try again. He was one of the first drummers to promote the use of brushes on drums, and shifting the role of timekeeping from the bass drum to the hi-hat cymbal. In the 1986 film Round Midnight, the fictional main character Dale Turner, played by Dexter Gordon, was partly based on Young incorporating flashback references to his army experiences, and loosely depicting his time in Paris and his return to New York just before his death. He would ask, "How does the bread smell?" There was an error deleting this problem. The top global causes of death, in order of total number of lives lost, are associated with three broad topics: cardiovascular (ischaemic heart disease, stroke), respiratory (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lower respiratory infections) and neonatal conditions - which include birth asphyxia and birth trauma, neonatal sepsis and infections, and preterm birth complications. William James " Count " Basie ( / besi /; August 21, 1904 - April 26, 1984) [1] was an American jazz pianist, organist, bandleader, and composer. Through Mr. Waller, Mr. Basie got a job as accompanist with a vaudeville act called Katie Crippen and Her Kids. He got used to seeing me, as though I were part of the show. When is Count Basies birthday? In contrast to many of his hard-driving peers, Young played with a relaxed, cool tone and used sophisticated harmonies, using what one critic called "a free-floating style, wheeling and diving like a gull, banking with low, funky riffs that pleased dancers and listeners alike". There is 1 volunteer for this cemetery. Young is described as playing the clarinet in a "liquid, nervous style. The legendary Billie Holiday was a vocalist with Basie for a short stint (193738), although she was unable to record with the band because of her contract with another record label; mostly, vocals were handled by Jimmy Rushing, one of the most renowned blues bawlers. The rhythm unit for the bandpianist Basie, guitarist Freddie Green (who joined the Basie band in 1937 and stayed for 50 years), bassist Walter Page, and drummer Jo Joneswas unique in its lightness, precision, and relaxation, becoming the precursor for modern jazz accompanying styles. The sponsor of a memorial may add an additional. Thank you for fulfilling this photo request. He made a habit of leaving, working, then going home. and the bebop revolution of the mid-1940s all played a role in the death of the big-band era. The 1994 documentary about the 1958 Esquire "A Great Day in Harlem" photograph of jazz musicians in New York, contains many remembrances of Young. Jonathan David Samuel Jones (October 7, 1911 September 3, 1985)[1] was an American jazz drummer. [4] In 1939, he wrote his first arrangement. You can't have a Count Basie collection without going back to the beginning. One of the band's most popular arrangements, ''April in Paris,'' was written in 1955 by Wild Bill Davis, a jazz organist who had originally developed it for his own small group. This page is updated often with latest details about Count Basie. Name: Count Basie Birth Year: 1904 Birth date: August 21, 1904 Birth State: New Jersey Birth City: Red Bank Birth Country: United States Gender: Male Best Known For: One of jazz music's all-time. [1] Jones had a major influence on later drummers such as Buddy Rich, Kenny Clarke, Roy Haynes, Max Roach, and Louie Bellson. Corrections? [4][9][10][11][12], Nestico had a long career in the film and television industry. He left home permanently in 1932 when he became a member of the Blue Devils led by Walter Page. A brother, James, died when William was a young boy. For many of the other participants, the photo shoot was the last time they saw him alive; he was the first musician in the famous photo to pass away. *How USAFacts measures death. During 1950 and 51, economy forced Basie to front an octet, the only period in his career in which he did not lead a big band. standing for detention barracks).[16]. From 2020 to 2021, the age-adjusted death rate (AADR) increased by 0.7%, from 835.4 to 841.6 per 100,000 standard population. Search above to list available cemeteries. Jones also continued a ride rhythm on hi-hat, while it was continuously opening and closing instead of the common practice of only striking it while it was closed. You can always change this later in your Account settings. His father was a teacher and band leader. Biography - A Short Wiki Swing-era bandleader noted for his theme songs One O'Clock Jump from 1937 and April in Paris from 1932. Failed to delete memorial. [1] Jones, Basie, guitarist Freddie Green and bassist Walter Page were sometimes billed as an "All-American Rhythm section," an ideal team. By the time he was ten, he had learned the basics of the trumpet, violin, and drums, and joined the Young Family Band touring with carnivals and playing in regional cities in the Southwest[6][2], In his teens he and his father clashed, and he often left home for long periods. Small record labels not bound by union contracts continued to record, and Young recorded some sessions for Harry Lim's Keynote label in 1943. ''Can you imagine a man who kind of romps around the piano,'' Mr. Shearing said, ''and those tiny tinkling things. 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. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. 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. This second-generation big band differed from the early one in that it depended on arrangers for its basic style, a smooth, rolling, highly polished swing style for which Neal Hefti (''Li'l Darlin' ''), Ernie Wilkins and Frank Foster (''Shiny Stockings'') were among the most notable orchestrators. During the 1960s and '70s, Basie recorded with luminaries like Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., Jackie Wilson, Dizzy Gillespie and Oscar Peterson. This relationship is not possible based on lifespan dates. Click to reveal (Sorry I could . cemeteries found within kilometers of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. Young left the Basie band to replace Hawkins in Fletcher Henderson's orchestra. Whereas other pianists were noted for technical flash and dazzling dexterity, Basie was known for his use of silence and for reducing his solo passages to the minimum amount of notes required for maximum emotional and rhythmic effect. After Young's clarinet was stolen in 1939, he abandoned the instrument until about 1957. He was famous for being a Pianist. Discography. [7] Young left the family band in 1927 at the age of 18 because he refused to tour in the Southern United States, where Jim Crow laws were in effect and racial segregation was required in public facilities. (William) Count Basie (1904-1984) was an extremely popular figure in the jazz world for half a century. Mr. Alexander agreed to lend the club $2,500 to install an air-conditioner if it would book the Basie band. For memorials with more than one photo, additional photos will appear here or on the photos tab. His solo albums eventually earned him four Grammy Award nominations, besides the awards he earned with Count Basie: in 2002 for his album This Is The Moment and for the arrangement "Kiji Takes A Ride"; in 2009 for his album Fun Time; and in 2016 for his arrangement "Good 'Swing' Wenceslas". 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. [35], On 17 March 2003, Young was added to the ASCAP Jazz Wall of Fame, along with Sidney Bechet, Al Cohn, Nat "King" Cole, Peggy Lee and Teddy Wilson. [6], In 1933, Young settled in Kansas City, where after playing briefly in several bands, he rose to prominence with Count Basie. You need a Find a Grave account to continue. The greatest overall compatibility with Leo is Aquarius, Gemini. If you notice a problem with the translation, please send a message to [emailprotected] and include a link to the page and details about the problem. ''And that's when the whole fire started,'' said Mr. Alexander. In 1952 he was featured on Lester Young with the Oscar Peterson Trio, released in 1954 on Norgran. Count Bill Basie . He eventually relocated the Cherry Blossoms to Chicago, then to New York City. [8] 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. One day he asked me whether I played the organ. Resend Activation Email. 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. Producer John Hammond heard the band's sound and helped secure further bookings. TimesMachine is an exclusive benefit for home delivery and digital subscribers. Count was 79 years old at the time of death. You are only allowed to leave one flower per day for any given memorial. Anyone can read what you share. He married Catherine Morgan on August 21, 1942, with whom he had one child. [5] He grew up in a musical family. Homage to Lester Young (1993), a book of poetry by Vancouver writer Jamie Reid. She gave Lester the nickname "Prez" after President Franklin Roosevelt, the "greatest man around" in Billie's mind. [3], For the fictional television character, see, Last edited on 26 February 2023, at 08:43, The Coleman Hawkins, Roy Eldridge, Pete Brown, Jo Jones All Stars at Newport, Mae Barnes, Jo Jones, Buck Clayton, Ray Bryant, The Oscar Peterson Trio with Sonny Stitt, Roy Eldridge and Jo Jones at Newport, Sonny Stitt Plays Arrangements from the Pen of Quincy Jones, Jazz Icons: Coleman Hawkins-Live in 62 & 64, "Book Review: The Life and Opinions of Papa Jo Jones", "Jo Jones, 73, A Jazz Drummer Influential in Swing Era, Dies", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Jo_Jones&oldid=1141690806, This page was last edited on 26 February 2023, at 08:43. The Count Basie Theatre in Redbank, New Jersey. Among his band's best-known numbers were ''One O'Clock Jump,'' ''Jumpin' at the Woodside,'' ''Li'l Darlin' '' and ''April in Paris.''. Mr. Basie's wife, Catherine, died in April 1983. It was on one of these broadcasts that Bill Basie became Count Basie. Count Basies birth sign is Leo and he had a ruling planet of Sun. He was a fine pianist and leader of one of the greatest jazz bands in history. Then he said, 'Bill, I think I'll call you Count Basie from now on. Please enter your email address and we will send you an email with a reset password code. The following year, she worked with Artie Shaw and his orchestra. Omissions? Duffy Jackson, with bassist Jim Furgeson, at Rudy's Jazz Room in Nashville. In December 1943, Young returned to the Basie fold for a 10-month stint, cut short by his being drafted into the army during World War II. A few of his songs were inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame as well, including "April in Paris" and "Everyday I Have the Blues.". 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 From then on, it was Count Basie.''. You are nearing the transfer limit for memorials managed by Find a Grave. Year should not be greater than current year. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Holiday broke new ground with Shaw, becoming one of the first female . In 1963, he switched to the Marines and became director and arranger of the United States Marine Band, where he served under presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson. 1956 was a relatively good year for Lester Young, including a tour of Europe with Miles Davis and the Modern Jazz Quartet and a successful residency at Olivia Davis' Patio Lounge in Washington, DC, with the Bill Potts Trio. His father, Harvey Lee Basie, was a coachman and caretaker; his mother, Lillian Childs Basie, was a laundress, taking in washing and ironing. is military terminology referring to "Government Issue" or "General Issue". 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. Lester married three times. 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 initials "G.I." They had two children: Lester W. Young Jr. (born 1947) and Yvette Young (born 1957). 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. Count Basie was an extremely popular figure in the jazz world for half a century. But it sure sounds good.. Suffering from diabetes and chronic arthritis during his later years, Basie continued to front his big band until a month before his death in 1984. Holiday toured with the Count Basie Orchestra in 1937. Include gps location with grave photos where possible. Young is a major character in English writer Geoff Dyer's 1991 fictional book about jazz, But Beautiful. I said the minute the brass got out of hand and blared and screeched instead of making every note mean something, there'd be some changes made. The Basie orchestra had several hit recordings during the late 1930s and early 40s, among them Jumpin at the Woodside, Every Tub, Lester Leaps In, Super Chief, Taxi War Dance, Miss Thing, Shorty George, and One OClock Jump, the bands biggest hit and theme song. As one Basie band member put it, Count dont do nothin. While growing up in the Algiers neighborhood of New Orleans, he worked from the age of five to make money for the family. We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. Young did not fight the charges and was convicted. 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 Basies mothers name is unknown at this time and his fathers name is under review. It is also known as being the most generous and noble of signs. Your Scrapbook is currently empty. He was also helming one of the biggest, most renowned African American jazz groups of the day. An email has been sent to the person who requested the photo informing them that you have fulfilled their request, There is an open photo request for this memorial. He was soon court-martialed. Performance & security by Cloudflare. Mr. Basie was born in Red Bank, N.J., on Aug. 21, 1904, an only child who was christened William. Blues" (with D.B. [13] Playing on her name, he would call her "Lady Day." Flowers added to the memorial appear on the bottom of the memorial or here on the Flowers tab. [34], Peter Straub's short story collection Magic Terror (2000) contains a story called "Pork Pie Hat", a fictionalized account of the life of Lester Young. Jones's style influenced the modern jazz drummer's tendency to play timekeeping rhythms on a cymbal, that is now known as the ride cymbal. Basie was born William James Basie (with some sources listing his middle name as "Allen") on August 21, 1904, in Red Bank, New Jersey. To add a flower, click the Leave a Flower button. [4][5][6][7] After leaving the military, he completed a degree in music education at Duquesne University. 24 part "Interview with Lester Young", conducted in the 1950s. Other than in the last two visualizations, this piece uses a measure called the age-adjusted death rate. [1] Jones took a brief break for two years when he was in the military, but he remained with Basie until 1948. From that time on, I was a daily customer, hanging onto every note, sitting behind him all the time. [32] At Minguss request, Joni Mitchell wrote lyrics to Goodbye Pork Pie Hat which incorporated stories Mingus told Mitchell about Young; the song was featured on Mitchells 1979 album release, Mingus, a collaboration instigated by Mingus during the last year of his life as he struggled with the ALS that would kill him. You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. Jones was the 1985 recipient of an American Jazz Masters fellowship awarded by the National Endowment for the Arts. The best-known of these appearances is the July 1957 performance at the Newport Jazz Festival, with a line-up including many of his 1940s colleagues: Jo Jones, Roy Eldridge, Illinois Jacquet and Jimmy Rushing. 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. 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. His playing showed reliance on a small number of clichd phrases and reduced creativity and originality, despite his claims that he did not want to be a "repeater pencil" (Young coined this phrase to describe the act of repeating one's own past ideas). [4] Lester had two siblings a brother, Leonidas Raymond, known as Lee Young, who became a drummer, and a sister, Irma Cornelia. Allmusic's Scott Yanow, reviewing one of the albums, Pres and Teddy, commented: Although it has been written much too often that Lester Young declined rapidly from the mid-'40s on, the truth is that when he was healthy, Young played at his very best during the '50s, adding an emotional intensity to his sound that had not been present during the more carefree days of the '30s. 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. Please reset your password. Count Basie was born in the Year of the Dragon. In a partnership with Billy May, Nestico was involved in the transcription, arranging, and re-recording of 630 big band songs originally recorded in the 1930s and 1940s. Astrological Sign: Leo. In 1976, Mr. Basie suffered a heart attack. His first marriage was to Beatrice Tolliver, in Albuquerque, on 23 February 1930. He went on to join Walter Page's Blue Devils in 1928, which he would see as a pivotal moment in his career, being introduced to the big-band sound for the first time.