Basie studied music with his mother and was later influenced by the Harlem pianists James P. Johnson and Fats Waller, receiving . One of jazz music's all-time greats, he won many other Grammys throughout his career and worked with a plethora of artists, including Joe Williams and Ella Fitzgerald. Wayne Shorter, then of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, composed a tribute, called "Lester Left Town". In contrast to the prevailing jazz drum style exemplified by Gene Krupa's loud, insistent pounding of the bass drum on each beat, Jones often omitted bass drum playing altogether. Holiday toured with the Count Basie Orchestra in 1937. He was a fine pianist and leader of one of the greatest jazz bands in history. [1], Samuel Luigi Nistico was born on February 6, 1924, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to Luigi Nistico, an Italian immigrant, and Frances Mangone. Homage to Lester Young (1993), a book of poetry by Vancouver writer Jamie Reid. To help it through the Grand Terrace engagement, Fletcher Henderson, who had provided Benny Goodman with the arrangements that enabled his band to break through a year earlier, lent Mr. Basie some of his arrangements. Count Basie, 79, Band Leader and Master of Swing, Dead With Count Basie Use Escape keyboard button or the Close button to close the carousel. Death rate from cardiovascular disease. 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. The Black Music Association honored Mr. Basie in 1982 with a gala at Radio City Music Hall. The Basie band kept working into the 1970s, with the Count in his yachting cap that he had adopted in the 1960s, but his age and changing fashion eventually caught up with him. Page, Mr. Basie and Mr. Rushing all joined Bennie Moten's orchestra, the leading big band in the Southwest, which became even stronger with their presence. A band leader and pioneer in jazz percussion, Jones anchored the Count Basie Orchestra rhythm section from 1934 to 1948. Count Basie - nndb.com Mr. Basie was born in Red Bank, N.J., on Aug. 21, 1904, an only child who was christened William. [14] Based in Ft. McClellan, Alabama, Young was found with marijuana and alcohol among his possessions. Remove advertising from a memorial by sponsoring it for just $5. His group, Count Basie and his Cherry Blossoms, was an outgrowth of Bennie Motens band in Kansas City. He conducted and recorded his arrangements with several leading European Radio Jazz Orchestras, including the BBC Big Band in London, Germany's SWR Big Band and NDR Big Band and the DR Big Band, as well as the Boston Pops Orchestra in America. In August 1944, Young appeared alongside drummer Jo Jones, trumpeter Harry "Sweets" Edison, and fellow tenor saxophonist Illinois Jacquet in Gjon Mili's short film Jammin' the Blues. From that time on, I was a daily customer, hanging onto every note, sitting behind him all the time. You can't have a Count Basie collection without going back to the beginning. Despite a brief disbandment at the beginning of the 1950s, the band survived long past the Big Band era itself and the death of Basie in 1984. Like many famous people and celebrities, Count Basie kept his personal life private. Then he said, 'Bill, I think I'll call you Count Basie from now on. Through Mr. Waller, Mr. Basie got a job as accompanist with a vaudeville act called Katie Crippen and Her Kids. He worked as an orchestrator and arranger for the film The Color Purple. William J. "Count" Basie Biography - Count Basie Theatre All Rights Reserved. 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. But I wanted that bite to be just as tasty and subtle as if it were the three brass I used to use. Anyone can read what you share. Along with Duke Ellington, Count Basie is regarded as one of the two most important and influential bandleaders in the history of jazz. William James Basie is part of G.I. Young left the Basie band to replace Hawkins in Fletcher Henderson's orchestra. He was known for being a Pianist. William Basie was born at 229 Mechanic Street on August 21, 1904. He originally wanted to be a drummer, but he grew up near Sonny Greer, who would become Duke Ellington s legendary drummer in 1919. There was an error deleting this problem. Count Basie was born in the Year of the Dragon. [8] Gradually, member by member, the Count Basie Orchestra was born, and . During his tenure, a composition by Nestico led President Johnson to remark "You call this music?" Charles Mingus dedicated an elegy to Young, "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat", only a few months after his death. Count Basie - Discography of American Historical Recordings ''When they let you in the door,'' Ralph Gleason, the jazz critic, reported, ''it was like jumping into the center of a whirlwind. He left home permanently in 1932 when he became a member of the Blue Devils led by Walter Page. Lester Young also had a direct influence on the young Charlie Parker, and thus the entire be-bop movement. Count Basie | American musician | Britannica In 1981, Mr. Basie was honored along with Cary Grant, Helen Hayes and other stars as a recipient of Washington's Kennedy Center honors for achievement in the performing arts. Mr. Basie's band, more than any other, was the epitome of swing, of jazz that moved with a built-in flowing intensity. On December 8, 1957, Young appeared with Billie Holiday, Coleman Hawkins, Ben Webster, Roy Eldridge, and Gerry Mulligan in the CBS television special The Sound of Jazz, performing Holiday's tune "Fine and Mellow." While with Basie, Young made small-group recordings for Milt Gabler's Commodore Records, The Kansas City Sessions. Are you sure that you want to delete this photo? [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. He began his professional career as an accompanist on the vaudeville circuit. 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. 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.". JUMP TO: Count Basies biography, facts, family, personal life, zodiac, videos and related celebs. He was represented at the ceremony by his children Lester Young Jr and Yvette Young.[36]. Please complete the captcha to let us know you are a real person. 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. Jones was the 1985 recipient of an American Jazz Masters fellowship awarded by the National Endowment for the Arts. In the early 1990s after Count Basie's death, leader Frank Foster was auditioning a young drummer for the Basie Band. Courtesy of the artist. [20] His second was to Mary Dale. ABC World News Tonight feature on death of Count Basie on - YouTube [11] " Police deemed it suicide, Kuehl having supposedly jumped from her hotel room, although there was no proof of this", [3] and her family believes she may have been murdered. Unostentatious as Mr. Basie appeared, his presence was a vital factor in directing his band or any group of musicians with whom he might be playing. Young is a major character in English writer Geoff Dyer's 1991 fictional book about jazz, But Beautiful. 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. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. 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. This classic session finds the great tenor in particularly expressive form.[19]. [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. "[4][9], After leaving the military, Nestico became a freelance arranger. One night, while the band was broadcasting on a shortwave radio station in Kansas City, he was dubbed Count Basie by a radio announcer who wanted to indicate his standing in a class with aristocrats of jazz such as Duke Ellington. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. This browser does not support getting your location. It continues . To use this feature, use a newer browser. Straub was inspired by Young's appearance on the 1957 CBS-TV show The Sound of Jazz, which he watched repeatedly, wondering how such a genius could have ended up "this present shambles, this human wreckage, hardly able to play at all". Don Byron recorded the album Ivey-Divey in gratitude for what he learned from studying Lester Young's work, modeled after a 1946 trio date with Buddy Rich and Nat King Cole. 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. People born under this sign are energetic and excitable. Your new password must contain one or more uppercase and lowercase letters, and one or more numbers or special characters. Learn more about managing a memorial . [8] He became a member of the Bostonians, led by Art Bronson, and chose tenor saxophone over alto as his primary instrument. The pianist Count Basie died at the age of 79. [6] His family moved to Minneapolis in 1919 and Young stayed there for much of the 1920s, first picking up the tenor saxophone while living there. Translation on Find a Grave is an ongoing project. She was also in physical decline, near the end of her career, yet they both gave moving performances. The band flopped at a Pittsburgh hotel that had never booked a jazz band before. "[27] Holiday died four months later on July 17, 1959 at age 44. In September 1944, Young and Jo Jones were in Los Angeles with the Basie Band when they were inducted into the U.S. Army. For a smaller band, the Savoy Sultans had a great swing thing going. Although they were recorded in New York (in 1938, with a reunion in 1944), they are named after the group, the Kansas City Seven, and comprised Buck Clayton, Dicky Wells, Basie, Young, Freddie Green, Rodney Richardson, and Jo Jones. The Sun is about vitality and is the core giver of life. (Fans distinguish the two major eras in Basie bands as the Old Testament and New Testament.) The Basie orchestra of the 1950s was a slick, professional unit that was expert at sight reading and demanding arrangements. Paul Quinichette modeled his style so closely on Young's that he was sometimes referred to as the "Vice Prez" (sic). Basie decided to form a medium-sized band in 1950, juggling combinations of all-star . Most Common Causes of Death in The US - USAFacts Live recording of Young and Potts in Washington were issued later. Include gps location with grave photos where possible. Another cause for the thickening of his tone around this time was a change in saxophone mouthpiece from a metal Otto Link to an ebonite Brilhart. During the 1960s and '70s, Basie recorded with luminaries like Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., Jackie Wilson, Dizzy Gillespie and Oscar Peterson. The Gonzel White show was stranded in Kansas City, Mo., a fateful location for Mr. Basie. Who are the richest people in the world? Beware, the Count is Here. As manager of this memorial you can add or update the memorial using the Edit button below. Lester married three times. Failed to report flower. At a White House reception, President Reagan said that Mr. Basie was ''among the handful of musicians that helped change the path of American music in the 30's and the 40's'' and that he had ''revolutionized jazz.''. 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. Among his band's best-known numbers were ''One O'Clock Jump,'' ''Jumpin' at the Woodside,'' ''Li'l Darlin' '' and ''April in Paris.''. [2][3] Nestico joined the Oliver High School beginner orchestra in 1937 as a trombonist. Are you sure that you want to delete this memorial? He was sometimes known as Papa Jo Jones to distinguish him from younger . [1] Jones, Basie, guitarist Freddie Green and bassist Walter Page were sometimes billed as an "All-American Rhythm section," an ideal team. He is survived by a daughter, Diane Basie of Freeport. Oops, some error occurred while uploading your photo(s). 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. Small record labels not bound by union contracts continued to record, and Young recorded some sessions for Harry Lim's Keynote label in 1943. Count Basie Birth Name: William James Basie Occupation: Pianist Place Of Birth: Red Bank Date Of Birth: August21, 1904 Date Of Death: April 26, 1984 Cause Of Death: N/A Ethnicity: Black Nationality: American Count Basie was born on the 21st of August, 1904. A system error has occurred. Omissions? The resulting song then became both an elegy to Young, and, implicitly, Mingus as well. 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. His second great band, from the 1950s onwards, relied more on arrangements, typically from Neil Hefti and Ernie Wilkin's. Performance & security by Cloudflare. The family always owned a piano, and Lilly Ann paid twenty-five cents per lesson to . If you have questions, please contact [emailprotected]. Mr. Alexander agreed to lend the club $2,500 to install an air-conditioner if it would book the Basie band. First commercially issued collection of Young as band leader. His father was a student of the mellophone, and his mother was a pianist. In addition, he played trombone, in the big bands of Tommy Dorsey, Woody Herman, Gene Krupa, and Charlie Barnet. Death rate by cause. He subsequently led a number of small groups that often included his brother, drummer Lee Young, for the next couple of years; live and broadcast recordings from this period exist. One of Kansas City's own, Ronald McFadden, 66, who together with his brother Lonnie, is well known for entertaining audiences in Kansas City and worldwide, died unexpectedly Monday evening. Instrument (s) Drums. "[12] As well as the Kansas City Sessions, his clarinet work from 193839 is documented on recordings with Basie, Billie Holiday, Basie small groups, and the organist Glenn Hardman. Sammy Nestico - Wikipedia She gave Lester the nickname "Prez" after President Franklin Roosevelt, the "greatest man around" in Billie's mind. Death rate from chronic respiratory diseases. Is that all right with you?' Outstanding soloists such as tenor saxophonists Lucky Thompson, Paul Quinichette, and Eddie Lockjaw Davis and trumpeters Clark Terry and Charlie Shavers, figured prominently. Please check your email and click on the link to activate your account. This account already exists, but the email address still needs to be confirmed. Count Basies birth sign is Leo and he had a ruling planet of Sun. Discography. Generation. Edit a memorial you manage or suggest changes to the memorial manager. The initials "G.I." Sources:[22][23]. (William) Count Basie (1904-1984) was an extremely popular figure in the jazz world for half a century. If you see something that doesnt look right, contact us. Basie benefited greatly from his association with Granz and made several recordings during the 70s that rank among his best work. ''He commented that Bill Basie was a rather ordinary name and that there were a couple of well-known bandleaders named Earl Hines and Duke Ellington. One day he asked me whether I played the organ. He emerged from this treatment improved. George Wein, producer of the festival, announced yesterday that this year's festival would be dedicated to Mr. Basie and that the June 30 program would be enlarged as a ''Salute to Count Basie.''. Duffy Jackson, a drummer whose swinging exuberance propelled him from child stardom to a prolific career behind Lionel Hampton, Ella Fitzgerald, Lena Horne and many others, died on Wednesday in Nashville, Tenn. Cloudflare Ray ID: 7a2b3f35bc02472d [1] Jones had a major influence on later drummers such as Buddy Rich, Kenny Clarke, Roy Haynes, Max Roach, and Louie Bellson. [30] Another slang term he is rumoured to have popularized was the term "bread" for money. During his career, Nestico composed, arranged, or conducted albums for musicians and singers including Quincy Jones, Phil Collins, Barbra Streisand, Michael Buble, Natalie Cole, Sarah Vaughan, Toni Tennille, Frank Sinatra, and Bing Crosby. [21], This list is incomplete. is military terminology referring to "Government Issue" or "General Issue". During this period Young accompanied the singer Billie Holiday in a couple of studio sessions (19371941) and also made a small set of recordings with Nat "King" Cole (their first of several collaborations) in June 1942. Samuel Louis Nistico (February 6, 1924 January 17, 2021), better known as Sammy Nestico, was an American composer and arranger. Learn about how to make the most of a memorial. He became an accompanist to the blues singers Clara Smith and Maggie Jones and he worked in a 14th Street dance hall. Mausoleum, South Forsythia Court, Row 57, Tier D, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/1664/count-basie. While growing up in the Algiers neighborhood of New Orleans, he worked from the age of five to make money for the family. His mother paid 25 cents per piano lesson for him when he was young. 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. "[25], Young made his final studio recordings and live performances in Paris in March 1959 with drummer Kenny Clarke at the tail end of an abbreviated European tour during which he ate next to nothing and drank heavily. I decided that I would be one of the biggest new names; and I actually had some little fancy business cards printed up to announce it, Count Basie. He was 79 years old and lived in Freeport, the Bahamas. I thought you might like to see a memorial for Count Basie I found on Findagrave.com. Use the links under See more to quickly search for other people with the same last name in the same cemetery, city, county, etc. Billie and Lester met at a Harlem jam session in the early 30s and worked together in the Count Basie band and in nightclubs on New York's 52nd St. At one point Lester moved into the apartment Billie shared with her mother, Sadie Fagan. The band will continue under the guidance of Aaron Woodward, an adopted son of Mr. Basie who has worked closely with the orchestra leader during the last year. Count Basie was born on the 21st of August, 1904. From then on, it was Count Basie.''. Once more details are available, we will update this section. Linda Lipnack Kuehl - Wikipedia [12], Nestico married his second wife, Shirley, in 1995, and was married to her until his death. 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 expensive blunder in Basie's history,'' said Mr. Hammond) that included hit after hit - ''Swingin' the Blues,'' ''Jumpin' at the Woodside,'' ''One O'Clock Jump'' (his theme) and many others now considered jazz classics. [4][17], Nestico also had a career in music education, teaching at the University of Georgia from 1998 to 1999, where he taught orchestration and conducted the studio orchestra; after which he retired to Carlsbad, California, near San Diego. He directed music programs at Los Angeles Pierce College, Woodland Hills, California, Westinghouse Memorial High School, and Wilmerding, Pennsylvania. Please contact Find a Grave at [emailprotected] if you need help resetting your password. Click to reveal 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. Please check back soon for updates. 208.109.12.159 Count Basie - Songs, Band & Facts - Biography Basie began his career as a stride pianist, reflecting the influence of Johnson and Waller, but the style most associated with him was characterized by spareness and precision. 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. 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. That year Norman Granz gave him one and urged him to play it (with far different results at that stage in Young's lifesee below). ''Can you imagine a man who kind of romps around the piano,'' Mr. Shearing said, ''and those tiny tinkling things. 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).