He served one traumatic year in a detention barracks[15] and was dishonorably discharged in late 1945. In addition to his artistry on the drums, Jones was known for his irascible, combative temperament. Occasionally the digitization process introduces transcription errors or other problems; we are continuing to work to improve these archived versions. 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.
Count Basie, 79, Band Leader and Master of Swing, Dead Oops, we were unable to send the email. Lester Young also had a direct influence on the young Charlie Parker, and thus the entire be-bop movement. 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. His autobiography (as told to Albert Murray), entitled Rifftide: The Life and Opinions of Papa Jo Jones and based on conversations between Jones and novelist Murray from 1977 to before Jones' death in 1985, was posthumously published in 2011 by the University of Minnesota Press.[2]. One of jazz music's all-time greats, bandleader-pianist Count Basie was a primary shaper of the big-band sound that characterized mid-20th century popular music. This generation experienced much of their youth during the Great Depression and rapid technological innovation such as the radio and the telephone. As a result, the band got a date at the Grand Terrace in Chicago. He married Catherine Morgan on August 21, 1942, with whom he had one child. Ruling Planet: Count Basie had a ruling planet of Sun and has a ruling planet of Sun and by astrological associations Saturday is ruled by Sun. I mean, he'll concert you all, and then he'll swing you all, too, you understand, when he's ready to. Chinese Zodiac: Count Basie was born in the Year of the Rabbit. Early "in person" recordings. He is survived by a daughter, Diane Basie of Freeport. Fact Check: We strive for accuracy and fairness. Basie played the vaudevillian circuit for a time until he got stuck in Kansas City, Missouri in the mid-1920s after his performance group disbanded. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. Are you adding a grave photo that will fulfill this request? 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. 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. He rose to fame after taking over Bennie Moten's band in 1935. Death rate from cardiovascular disease. This is a digitized version of an article from The Timess print archive, before the start of online publication in 1996. 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. People born under this sign are energetic and excitable. Basie studied music with his mother and was later influenced by the Harlem pianists James P. Johnson and Fats Waller, receiving informal tutelage on the organ from the latter. Basie suffered from health issues in his later years, and died from cancer in Hollywood, Florida, on April 26, 1984. is military terminology referring to "Government Issue" or "General Issue". William James " Count " Basie ( / besi /; August 21, 1904 - April 26, 1984) [1] was an American jazz pianist, organist, bandleader, and composer. The Count Basie Theatre in Redbank, New Jersey. Jones was the 1985 recipient of an American Jazz Masters fellowship awarded by the National Endowment for the Arts. 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. Jazz Stars in the Band. ''When they let you in the door,'' Ralph Gleason, the jazz critic, reported, ''it was like jumping into the center of a whirlwind. Holiday broke new ground with Shaw, becoming one of the first female . His studio recordings are relatively sparse during the 1942 to 1943 period, largely due to the recording ban by the American Federation of Musicians. From that time on, I was a daily customer, hanging onto every note, sitting behind him all the time. He was soon court-martialed. 208.109.12.159 Their famously empathetic classic recordings with Teddy Wilson date from this era. Blues" (with D.B. '', 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. As a pianist Basie was equally great and was intensely rhythmic, using as few notes as possible. 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. He's not limited to anything. It is also known as being the most generous and noble of signs. Jones died of pneumonia in New York City at the age of 73. 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. 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. Try again later. Arrangers Neal Hefti, Buster Harding, and Ernie Wilkins defined the new bands sound on recordings such as Lil Darlin, The Kid from Red Bank, Cute, and April in Paris and on celebrated albums such as The Atomic Mr. Basie (1957). [29], Lester Young is said to have popularized use of the term "cool" to mean something fashionable. With Mr. Basie's 13 men in full cry at one end of this elongated closet, the sound ricocheting off the walls and rocketing down from the low ceiling, no listener could escape the exhilarating power of the band. Generation also known as The Greatest Generation. He was also honored by ASMAC and the Big Band Academy of America. "Ivey-Divey" was one of Lester Young's common eccentric phrases. Try again. Causes of deaths for people who were 70 years and older. Lester Willis Young (August 27, 1909 March 15, 1959), nicknamed "Pres" or "Prez", was an American jazz tenor saxophonist and occasional clarinetist. The strengths of this sign are being creative, passionate, generous, warm-hearted, cheerful, humorous, while weaknesses can be arrogant, stubborn, self-centered, lazy and inflexible. 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. He was sometimes known as Papa Jo Jones to distinguish him from younger drummer Philly Joe Jones. On a flight to New York City, he suffered from internal bleeding due to the effects of alcoholism and died in the early morning hours of March 15, 1959, only hours after arriving back in New York, at the age of 49.[26]. [1] Jones took a brief break for two years when he was in the military, but he remained with Basie until 1948. His first marriage was to Beatrice Tolliver, in Albuquerque, on 23 February 1930. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. Young also recorded extensively in the late 1940s for Aladdin Records (1945-1947, where he had made the Cole recordings in 1942) and for Savoy (1944, 1949 and 1950), some sessions of which included Basie on piano. Your account has been locked for 30 minutes due to too many failed sign in attempts. When the band left for Chicago it had only 12 written arrangements in its book. The band itself carried on into the next century, with Thad Jones, Frank Foster, and Grover Mitchell each assuming leadership for various intervals. ''And that's when the whole fire started,'' said Mr. Alexander. Verify and try again. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. Site contains certain content that is owned A&E Television Networks, LLC. Throughout the 1960s, Basies recordings were often uninspired and marred by poor choice of material, but he remained an exceptional concert performer and made fine records with singers Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, and Frank Sinatra. Jazz critic and record producer John Hammond heard the broadcasts and promptly launched the band on its career. He made many studio recordings under Granz's supervision as well, including more trio recordings with Nat King Cole. He is rumored to have refused to play with the band on Friday, December 13 of that year for superstitious reasons, spurring his dismissal[11] although Young and drummer Jo Jones would later state that his departure had been in the works for months. 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. [1] Jones had a major influence on later drummers such as Buddy Rich, Kenny Clarke, Roy Haynes, Max Roach, and Louie Bellson. Generation. [28] Sonny Stitt began to incorporate elements from Lester Young's approach when he made the transition to tenor saxophone. JUMP TO: Count Basies biography, facts, family, personal life, zodiac, videos and related celebs. Save to an Ancestry Tree, a virtual cemetery, your clipboard for pasting or Print. Young played clarinet as well as tenor in these sessions. The pianist Count Basie died at the age of 79. Played for Kennedy and Reagan. [1] He worked as a drummer and tap-dancer at carnival shows until joining Walter Page's band, the Blue Devils in Oklahoma City in the late 1920s. You never got tired of that business at the end.'' Samuel Louis Nistico (February 6, 1924 January 17, 2021), better known as Sammy Nestico, was an American composer and arranger. A brother, James, died when William was a young boy.
Count Basie Orchestra - Discography of American Historical Recordings Stranded in Kansas City, Missouri, in 1927, Basie remained there and eventually (in 1935) assumed the leadership of a nine-piece band composed of former members of the Walter Page and Bennie Moten orchestras. In 1979, Jones was inducted into the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame for his contribution to the Birmingham, Alabama musical heritage. When the Page band broke up in 1929, Mr. At age 17, Nestico joined the ABC radio station WCAE in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania as a trombonist.
Then he joined a touring show headed by one Gonzel White, playing piano in a four-piece band. 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. To preserve these articles as they originally appeared, The Times does not alter, edit or update them. While growing up in the Algiers neighborhood of New Orleans, he worked from the age of five to make money for the family. The band broadcast from the Reno Club on an experimental radio station. Discography. Then he said, 'Bill, I think I'll call you Count Basie from now on. ', ''The next day he invited me to sit in the pit and start working the pedals. Courtesy of the artist. During the 1960s and '70s, Basie recorded with luminaries like Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., Jackie Wilson, Dizzy Gillespie and Oscar Peterson. ''Can you imagine a man who kind of romps around the piano,'' Mr. Shearing said, ''and those tiny tinkling things. based on information from your browser. Biography - A Short Wiki Swing-era bandleader noted for his theme songs One O'Clock Jump from 1937 and April in Paris from 1932. He emerged from this treatment improved. "[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. [1], Known for his hip, introverted style,[2] he invented or popularized much of the hipster jargon which came to be associated with the music.
Oops, something didn't work. He eventually relocated the Cherry Blossoms to Chicago, then to New York City. Foster asked the drummer to come back for another audition in six months after the young man had listened to every recording he could find of Sonny Payne drumming with Count Basie. There was a memorable concert at Town Hall several years ago when a number of musicians, including Mr. Basie, were scheduled to perform in a variety of combinations. [1], Samuel Luigi Nistico was born on February 6, 1924, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to Luigi Nistico, an Italian immigrant, and Frances Mangone. Ronald McFadden, consummate entertainer, tap dancer and musician, died unexpectedly this week, shortly after a performance in downtown Kansas City.
Unexpected Death of Ronald McFadden's Shocks Jazz Scene, Community It had continued success throughout the war years, but, like all big bands, it had declined in popularity by the end of the 1940s. When we played pop tunesand, naturally, we had toI wanted those pops to kick!
Count Basie - nndb.com In 1935, he formed the Count Basie Orchestra, and in 1936 took them to Chicago for a long engagement and their first recording. Basie decided to form a medium-sized band in 1950, juggling combinations of all-star . Please check your email and click on the link to activate your account. Astrological Sign: Leo. To view a photo in more detail or edit captions for photos you added, click the photo to open the photo viewer. Failed to delete memorial. recording ban by the American Federation of Musicians, Lester Young with the Oscar Peterson Trio, The President Plays with the Oscar Peterson Trio, Lady Day: The Complete Billie Holiday on Columbia, "Lester 'Pres' Young in Minneapolis: The Formative Years", "Frankie Trumbauer - Biography & History", "Lester Young - Biography, Albums, & Streaming Radio - AllMusic", "Stories of Standards: Lester Leaps In by Lester Young", "Lester Young With the Oscar Peterson Trio - Lester Young | Songs, Reviews, Credits", "Young, Lester, Jr. (2008/01/31) | Oral History", "Lester Young: 'The Prez' Still Rules At 100", "Seven Music Greats Added to ASCAP Jazz Wall of Fame", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Lester_Young&oldid=1142318678, Short description is different from Wikidata, Pages using infobox musical artist with associated acts, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0. . 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 50 feet long, which was having trouble doing business in the summer because it had no air-conditioning. His group, Count Basie and his Cherry Blossoms, was an outgrowth of Bennie Motens band in Kansas City. In 1976, Mr. Basie suffered a heart attack. Your Scrapbook is currently empty. We will review the memorials and decide if they should be merged. 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. You can always change this later in your Account settings. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. Learn more about managing a memorial . He worked as an orchestrator and arranger for the film The Color Purple. 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. [13] Playing on her name, he would call her "Lady Day." Outstanding soloists such as tenor saxophonists Lucky Thompson, Paul Quinichette, and Eddie Lockjaw Davis and trumpeters Clark Terry and Charlie Shavers, figured prominently.