Count Basie
Known For
Acting
Born
1904-08-21 in Red Bank, New Jersey, USA
Died
1984-04-26
Biography
William James "Count" Basie (/ˈbeɪsi/; August 21, 1904 – April 26, 1984) was an American jazz pianist, organist, bandleader, and composer. In 1935, he formed the Count Basie Orchestra, and in 1936 took them to Chicago for a long engagement and their first recording. He led the group for almost 50 years, creating innovations like the use of two "split" tenor saxophones, emphasizing the rhythm section, riffing with a big band, using arrangers to broaden their sound, his minimalist piano style, and others. Many musicians came to prominence under his direction, including the tenor saxophonists Lester Young and Herschel Evans, the guitarist Freddie Green, trumpeters Buck Clayton and Harry "Sweets" Edison, plunger trombonist Al Grey, and singers Jimmy Rushing, Helen Humes, Dennis Rowland, Thelma Carpenter, and Joe Williams. As a composer, Basie is known for writing such jazz standards as "Blue and Sentimental", "Jumpin' at the Woodside" and "One O'Clock Jump". Description above from the Wikipedia article Count Basie, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
Most Known For
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
as Self
The Mike Douglas Show
as Self
The Merv Griffin Show
as Self
The Steve Allen Show
as Self - Conductor
The Steve Allen Show
as Self - Pianist
The Steve Allen Show
as Self - Bandleader
The Ed Sullivan Show
as Self
The Dinah Shore Chevy Show
as Self
The Kennedy Center Honors
as Self
Blazing Saddles
as Self
The Hollywood Palace
as Self - Pianist
ABC Stage 67
as Self
Piano Blues
as Self (archive footage)
The Judy Garland Show
as Self
Jamboree!
as Count Basie
The Big Show
as Self
Improvisation
as Self
Stage Door Canteen
as Count Basie
Louis Armstrong's Black & Blues
as Self (voice) (archive sound)
Crazy House
as Count Basie