During the 1940's, many of the great jazz musicians of the decade passed through the band, among them Illinois Jacquet, Don Byas, Wardell Gray, Paul Quinichette, Lucky Thompson, J. J. Johnson, Paul Gonsalves and Clark Terry. To preserve these articles as they originally appeared, The Times does not alter, edit or update them. In his hometown of Red Bank, there is now a Count Basie Theatre and a Count Basie Field. ''I wanted my 13-piece band to work together just like those nine pieces,'' he explained. We have set your language to For memorials with more than one photo, additional photos will appear here or on the photos tab. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Young is a major character in English writer Geoff Dyer's 1991 fictional book about jazz, But Beautiful. (William) Count Basie (1904-1984) was an extremely popular figure in the jazz world for half a century. He married Catherine Morgan on August 21, 1942, with whom he had one child. After Young's clarinet was stolen in 1939, he abandoned the instrument until about 1957. Verify and try again. 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. He made a habit of leaving, working, then going home. Count Basies mothers name is unknown at this time and his fathers name is under review. 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. The Basie band played at President John F. Kennedy's inaugural ball, and in 1965 toured with Frank Sinatra. 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. This is a digitized version of an article from The Timess print archive, before the start of online publication in 1996. 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. Close this window, and upload the photo(s) again. Lester Young also had a direct influence on the young Charlie Parker, and thus the entire be-bop movement. Cholera deaths in Great Britain over the long-term. Not loud and fast, understand, but smoothly and with a definite punch.''. The key 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' time! See the article in its original context from. Holiday toured with the Count Basie Orchestra in 1937. Your new password must contain one or more uppercase and lowercase letters, and one or more numbers or special characters. Birth and Death Data: Born August 21st, 1904 (Red Bank . She was also in physical decline, near the end of her career, yet they both gave moving performances. [1] Jones had a major influence on later drummers such as Buddy Rich, Kenny Clarke, Roy Haynes, Max Roach, and Louie Bellson. Young did not fight the charges and was convicted. Beware, the Count is Here. Young left the Basie band in late 1940. 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. While he recuperated his band continued to fulfill engagements, frequently with Nat Pierce taking Mr. Basie's place at the piano and sometimes with guest conductors such as the trumpeter Clark Terry, who was a member of the Basie band in the 1940's. Another milestone came with the 1956 album April in Paris, whose title track contained psyche-you-out endings that became a new band signature. [12], Nestico married his second wife, Shirley, in 1995, and was married to her until his death. 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. His father was a teacher and band leader. To use this feature, use a newer browser. 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 This account already exists, but the email address still needs to be confirmed. The initials "G.I." He was a fine pianist and leader of one of the greatest jazz bands in history. Flowers added to the memorial appear on the bottom of the memorial or here on the Flowers tab. Learn more about managing a memorial . Causes of deaths for people who were 70 years and older. "[27] Holiday died four months later on July 17, 1959 at age 44. Mr. Hammond spread the word about the Basie band, went to Kansas City to hear it and support it and brought it to the attention of booking agents. This stemmed primarily from the presence in the rhythm section, from 1937 to the present, of both Mr. Basie on piano and Freddie Green on guitar. He later worked for a few years with a band led by Bennie Moten, who died in 1935. Updates? William Basie was born at 229 Mechanic Street on August 21, 1904. This three-CD compilation celebrates the band's legendary Decca studio recordings made in New York when it was a hard-driving swing outfit on its way to becoming an American institution. As orchestrator, he worked on nearly seventy television programs, including Mission: Impossible,[11] Mannix, M*A*S*H,[13] Charlie's Angels,[14] and The Mod Squad. ''When they let you in the door,'' Ralph Gleason, the jazz critic, reported, ''it was like jumping into the center of a whirlwind. When Bennie Moten died in 1935, the band disintegrated and Mr. Basie organized a small band to play at the Reno Club in Kansas City that became the nucleus of the band with which he gained his initial fame. 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. [21][22] Both hold a PhD in Education, according to drummer Roy Haynes, who was interviewed as part of an attempt to create a film biography of Young. 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]. This relationship is not possible based on lifespan dates. Resend Activation Email, Please check the I'm not a robot checkbox, If you want to be a Photo Volunteer you must enter a ZIP Code or select your location on the map. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). For a smaller band, the Savoy Sultans had a great swing thing going. He was known for being a Pianist. It continues . ''And that's when the whole fire started,'' said Mr. Alexander. 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. Jones performed regularly in later years at the West End jazz club at 116th and Broadway in New York City. Drummer of the Count Basie Orchestra Passed Away, Obituary Teach World 1.12K. As one Basie band member put it, Count dont do nothin. Add to your scrapbook. 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 famous instance of his irritable temper was in the spring of 1936, during a jam session at the Reno Club in Kansas City. [3], Lester Young was born in Woodville, Mississippi, on August 27, 1909. Basie studied music with his mother and was later influenced by the Harlem pianists James P. Johnson and Fats Waller, receiving . He thought he could never outmatch Greers talent, so he took up piano at 15. Previously sponsored memorials or famous memorials will not have this option. In 2021, Nestico died in Carlsbad, California, at the age of 96. Jonathan David Samuel Jones (October 7, 1911 - September 3, 1985) [1] was an American jazz drummer. In 1978 she was found dead on a Washington, D.C. sidewalk, [3] [8] [10] after attending a Count Basie concert. In 1976, Mr. Basie suffered a heart attack. Translation on Find a Grave is an ongoing project. As a result, the band got a date at the Grand Terrace in Chicago. Omissions? 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. Death rate from cardiovascular disease. standing for detention barracks).[16]. When the band left for Chicago it had only 12 written arrangements in its book. Are you adding a grave photo that will fulfill this request? His father was a student of the mellophone, and his mother was a pianist. Failed to report flower. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. When the Page band broke up in 1929, Mr. If you have questions, please contact [emailprotected]. Family members linked to this person will appear here. He was also helming one of the biggest, most renowned African American jazz groups of the day. Failed to remove flower. This generation experienced much of their youth during the Great Depression and rapid technological innovation such as the radio and the telephone. 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. [9] One of Young's key influences was Frankie Trumbauer, who came to prominence in the 1920s with Paul Whiteman and played the C-melody saxophone (between the alto and tenor in pitch).[10]. Your account has been locked for 30 minutes due to too many failed sign in attempts. He got used to seeing me, as though I were part of the show. 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. No animated GIFs, photos with additional graphics (borders, embellishments. 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. Oops, something didn't work. He left the world an almost unparalleled legacy of musical greatness, having recorded or been affiliated with dozens upon dozens of albums during his lifetime. He was sometimes known as Papa Jo Jones to distinguish him from younger drummer Philly Joe Jones. When we played pop tunes, and naturally we had to, I wanted those pops to kick! One day he asked me whether I played the organ. 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. Basie benefited greatly from his association with Granz and made several recordings during the 70s that rank among his best work. 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 add a flower, click the Leave a Flower button. 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. 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. 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. [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. Gradually, member by member, the Count Basie Orchestra was born, and . [13] Playing on her name, he would call her "Lady Day." In addition to his artistry on the drums, Jones was known for his irascible, combative temperament. When William James "Count" Basie died of cancer in 1984, he left his $1.5 million fortune in a trust to provide for his only child. Wayne Shorter, then of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, composed a tribute, called "Lester Left Town". Within less than six months, however, Mr. Basie was back at the keyboard. 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. He also starred in several films, most notably the musical short Jammin' the Blues (1944). Like many famous people and celebrities, Count Basie kept his personal life private. His third wife was Mary Berkeley. While with Basie, Young made small-group recordings for Milt Gabler's Commodore Records, The Kansas City Sessions. His second great band, from the 1950s onwards, relied more on arrangements, typically from Neil Hefti and Ernie Wilkin's. As a pianist Basie. He worked as an orchestrator and arranger for the film The Color Purple. I had never heard the blues played like that. With the group becoming highly distinguished for its soloists, rhythm section and style of swing, Basie himself was noted for his understated yet captivating style of piano playing and precise, impeccable musical leadership. Despite the presence of Lester Young and Herschel Evans in the saxophone section, Buck Clayton in the trumpet section, Jo Jones on drums, with Jimmy Rushing and, briefly, Billie Holiday as vocalists, the Basie band struggled for a year after it left Kansas City. Try again later. 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. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Please ensure you have given Find a Grave permission to access your location in your browser settings. Year should not be greater than current year. Along with Duke Ellington, Count Basie is regarded as one of the two most important and influential bandleaders in the history of jazz. 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. Please enter your email and password to sign in. Young's career after World War II was far more prolific and lucrative than in the pre-war years in terms of recordings made, live performances, and annual income. [1] He participated in the Jazz at the Philharmonic concert series.[1]. During a radio broadcast of the band's performance, the announcer wanted to give Basie's name some pizazz, keeping in mind the existence of other bandleaders like .css-47aoac{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-thickness:0.0625rem;text-decoration-color:inherit;text-underline-offset:0.25rem;color:#A00000;-webkit-transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;}.css-47aoac:hover{color:#595959;text-decoration-color:border-link-body-hover;}Duke Ellington and Earl Hines. when asking how much a gig was going to pay.[31]. At age 17, Nestico joined the ABC radio station WCAE in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania as a trombonist. All photos uploaded successfully, click on the Done button to see the photos in the gallery. Photos larger than 8Mb will be reduced. 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. COVID-19 was reported as the underlying cause or a contributing cause in an estimated 460,513 (13.3%) of those deaths (111.4 deaths per 100,000). You can't have a Count Basie collection without going back to the beginning. You never got tired of that business at the end.'' You are only allowed to leave one flower per day for any given memorial. 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. '', 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. [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. He earned the nickname, "Count," because of his stylish way of playing the piano. People of this zodiac sign like to be admired, expensive things, bright colors, and dislike being ignored, facing difficulties, not being treated specially. When we played pop tunes - and, naturally, we had to - I wanted those pops to kick! Try again. Page, a bassist, Jimmy Rushing, the blues singer, both of whom would be key members of Mr. Basie's band. His mother paid 25 cents per piano lesson for him when he was young. 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. COUNT BASIE, 79, BAND LEADER AND MASTER OF SWING, DEAD, https://www.nytimes.com/1984/04/27/arts/count-basie-79-band-leader-and-master-of-swing-dead.html. 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. This memorial has been copied to your clipboard. Meanwhile, keep on listening and tapping your feet. (Count Basie), Well, if you find a note tonight that sounds good, play the same damn note every night! (Count Basie), Copyright 2023 /The Celebrity Deaths.com/All Rights Reserved. Oops, some error occurred while uploading your photo(s). Pop Tunes With a Kick, ''Of course, I wanted to play real jazz. William James "Count" Basie (; August 21, 1904 - April 26, 1984) was an American jazz pianist, organist, bandleader, and composer. Outstanding soloists such as tenor saxophonists Lucky Thompson, Paul Quinichette, and Eddie Lockjaw Davis and trumpeters Clark Terry and Charlie Shavers, figured prominently. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate, or jump to a slide with the slide dots. In 1958, Count Basie became the first African-American male recipient of a Grammy Award. We will review the memorials and decide if they should be merged. He was famous for being a Pianist. 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 is a carousel with slides. Lester Willis Young (August 27, 1909 - March 15, 1959), nicknamed "Pres" or "Prez", was an American jazz tenor saxophonist and occasional clarinetist.. Coming to prominence while a member of Count Basie's orchestra, Young was one of the most influential players on his instrument. Continuing with this request will add an alert to the cemetery page and any new volunteers will have the opportunity to fulfill your request. Among his band's best-known numbers were ''One O'Clock Jump,'' ''Jumpin' at the Woodside,'' ''Li'l Darlin' '' and ''April in Paris.''. Samuel Louis Nistico (February 6, 1924 January 17, 2021), better known as Sammy Nestico, was an American composer and arranger. "[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. A band leader and pioneer in jazz percussion, Jones anchored the Count Basie Orchestra rhythm section from 1934 to 1948. Of course, I wanted to play real jazz. Young is described as playing the clarinet in a "liquid, nervous style. I thought you might like to see a memorial for Count Basie I found on Findagrave.com. Not loud and fast, understand, but smoothly and with a definite punch. Swing-era bandleader noted for his theme songs One OClock Jump from 1937 and April in Paris from 1932. 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. Astrological Sign: Leo. Occupation (s) Musician. This page is updated often with latest details about Count Basie. In 1937 Basie took his group, Count Basie and His Barons of Rhythm, to New York to record their first album with Decca Records under their new name, The Count Basie Orchestra. If you see something that doesnt look right, contact us. He began his professional career as an accompanist on the vaudeville circuit. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. Site contains certain content that is owned A&E Television Networks, LLC. There is 1 volunteer for this cemetery. [4] In 1939, he wrote his first arrangement. Chinese Zodiac: Count Basie was born in the Year of the Rabbit. [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 2009, Nestico said in an interview "I didn't answer, although I didn't think [Johnson's] concept of music was worth a damn. Count Basie was born in 1900s. ''I wanted 13 men to think and play the same way. The broadcast was picked up one night by John Hammond, the jazz enthusiast who had discovered Billie Holiday and helped Benny Goodman start his band. It was a loose and swinging band, built around distinctively individualistic solos by Lester Young, Herschel Evans, Buddy Tate, Buck Clayton, Harry Edison, Dickie Wells, Vic Dickenson and, primarily, Mr. Basie himself. Performance & security by Cloudflare. This flower has been reported and will not be visible while under review. Ronald McFadden, consummate entertainer, tap dancer and musician, died unexpectedly this week, shortly after a performance in downtown Kansas City. Include gps location with grave photos where possible. You need a Find a Grave account to continue. He also received a distinguished alumni award from Duquesne, and in 1994 was inducted into Duquesne's "Century Club". Count Basie was a Leo and was born in the G.I. He emerged from this treatment improved. Young joined Norman Granz's Jazz at the Philharmonic troupe in 1946, touring regularly with JATP over the next 12 years. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Count-Basie, All About Jazz - Biography of Count Basie, Long Island Music Hall of Fame - Biography of William Count Basie, African American Registry - Biography of Count Basie, BlackHistoryNow - Biography of Count Basie, National Endowment for the Arts - Biography of William "Count" Basie, Count Basie - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up). Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. In 1950, when big bands were falling apart, Mr. Basie cut down to an eight-piece group but by 1952 he was leading a big band once again. Jonathan David Samuel Jones (October 7, 1911 September 3, 1985)[1] was an American jazz drummer. 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. He rose to fame after taking over Bennie Moten's band in 1935. [15] He also worked as an arranger for the 81st Academy Awards, as well as some Grammy Awards. The Gonzel White show was stranded in Kansas City, Mo., a fateful location for Mr. Basie. After moving to New York, he was further influenced by James P. Johnson and Fats Waller, with Waller teaching Basie organ-playing techniques. 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. Through Mr. Waller, Mr. Basie got a job as accompanist with a vaudeville act called Katie Crippen and Her Kids. 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). Please try again later. 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. A pianist, Count Basie played vaudeville before eventually forming his own big band and helping to define the era of swing with hits like "One O'Clock Jump" and "Blue Skies." This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. I thought he was kidding, shrugged my shoulders and repled, 'O.K.' [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. This browser does not support getting your location. Blues" (with D.B. In contrast to many of his hard-driving peers, Young played with a relaxed, cool tone and used sophisticated . During his tenure, a composition by Nestico led President Johnson to remark "You call this music?" Unlike many white musicians, who were placed in band outfits such as the ones led by Glenn Miller and Artie Shaw, Young was assigned to the regular army where he was not allowed to play his saxophone. He had three sons with his first wife. I sat on the floor watching his feet and using my hands to imitate him. Mr. Basie's band, more than any other, was the epitome of swing, of jazz that moved with a built-in flowing intensity. The band broadcast from the Reno Club on an experimental radio station. His autobiography, The Gift of Music, was published in 2009. 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. 'No,' I said, 'but I'd give my right arm to learn. The pianist in the combo gave up his seat to Mr. Basie who sat down, tinkled a few introductory notes, looked up at the drummer, nodded at the rest of the group and, when the combo took off, the musicians were playing as brilliantly and cleanly as they had been disheveled only a few moments before.