What was the instrumentation of the Count Basie Orchestra?
This nine-piece group was known for its legendary soloists including, Joe Keyes and Oran 'Hot Lips' Page on trumpet, Buster Smith and Earle Warren on alto saxophone, Lester Young on tenor saxophone, Dan Minor on trombone, and a rhythm section made up of Jo Jones on drums, Walter Page on bass and Basie on piano.
Did Count Basie play the trumpet?
Basie” (1957), which featured the Neal Hefti tune “Li'l Darlin'.” In 1941, he played the trumpet part for Jack Carson's character in the jazz movie “Blues in the Night” and appeared in the film as a musician.
What is Count Basie piano?
stride pianoBasie was one of the first musicians to utilize comping, an improvised apprroach to playing chord changes. His style consisted of sparse playing with an excellent understanding of stride piano.
What style of jazz Does Count Basie play?
big-band swing soundCount Basie is considered one of the greatest bandleaders of all times. He was the arbiter of the big-band swing sound and his unique style of fusing blues and jazz established swing as a predominant music style.
Who invented cool jazz?
trumpeter Miles DavisThe beginnings: In the late 1940s and early '50s, swing-era tenor sax player Lester Young began inspiring jazz musicians with his relaxed, light style of playing. While Young provided the inspiration, it was trumpeter Miles Davis who developed the style and is credited with creating the genre of cool jazz.
Who played trumpet for Count Basie?
Mike WilliamsMike Williams is the lead trumpet player of the world famous Count Basie Orchestra, and he is now on his 24th year with the band.
What was Count Basie's piano style?
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.
What is Count Basie known for?
William James "Count" Basie (/ˈbeɪsi/; August 21, 1904 – April 26, 1984) was an African-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.
What is Count Basie's best song?
Count Basie's Best Songs"Jumpin' at the Woodside" Count Basie. From 6 people.Blue and Sentimental Count Basie. From 1 person.Shoutin' Blues Count Basie. From 1 person.Blues In Hoss' Flat (Blues In … Count Basie. ... Corner Pocket Count Basie. ... Good Morning Blues Count Basie. ... April in Paris Count Basie. ... One o'clock jump Count Basie.More items...
How do you spell Basie?
Basie Definition & Meaning | Dictionary.com.
Which of the following musicians is known for cool jazz music?
Musicians that drove the cool jazz movement include Miles Davis, Modern Jazz Quartet, Lester Young, Milt Jackson, Chet Baker, Dave Brubeck, Buster Harding, Gerry Valentine, Shorty Rogers, Budd Johnson, Gerry Mulligan, Bill Evans and vocalist Lillie-Mae “Betty Carter” Jones.
Who were the members and what were the instruments of the All American rhythm section?
From its inception, Basie's band was well known for its outstanding rhythm section of Basie on piano, Freddie Green on guitar, Walter Page on bass, and "Papa" Jo Jones on drums. Known as the "All-American Rhythm Section", they became the gold standard for Swing Era.
What instrument did Duke Ellington play?
pianoBorn in Washington D.C. in 1899, Edward Kennedy Ellington, better known as “Duke,” began playing piano as a child. His mother, who also played the piano, oversaw his education, and by the time he was seventeen he began playing professionally.
What instrument did Miles Davis play?
trumpetBorn into a middle-class family, Davis started on the trumpet at age 13. His first professional music job came when he joined the Eddie Randall band in St. Louis in 1941.
What instrument did Glenn Miller play?
Miller was born in Iowa and spent the latter part of his boyhood in Fort Morgan on Colorado's Eastern Plains. There, he played high school football and honed his skills on the trombone.
What instrument did Dizzy Gillespie?
trumpetExtended Biography. John Birks “Dizzy” Gillespie was born on October 21, 1917 in Cheraw, South Carolina. Dizzy was the youngest of nine children. He started playing the piano at 4, trombone at 12, and the trumpet at 14.
Who Was Count Basie?
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." In 1958, Basie became the first African American male recipient of a Grammy Award. 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.
What was the style of jazz that Basie played?
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. He was also helming one of the biggest, most renowned African American jazz groups of the day.
Why was the pianist called count?
So he called the pianist "Count," with Basie not realizing just how much the name would catch on as a form of recognition and respect in the music world.
How did Basie die?
Basie suffered from health issues in his later years, and died from cancer in Hollywood, Florida, on April 26, 1984. 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.
Where was Basie born?
Early Life. Basie was born William James Basie (with some sources listing his middle name as "Allen") on August 21, 1904, in Red Bank, New Jersey. His father Harvey was a mellophonist and his mother Lillian was a pianist who gave her son his first lessons.
Who was the lead singer of the Barons of Rhythm?
He later worked for a few years with a band led by Bennie Moten , who died in 1935. Basie then formed the Barons of Rhythm with some of his bandmates from Moten's group, including saxophonist Lester Young. With vocals by Jimmy Rushing, the band set up shop to perform at Kansas City's Reno Club.
Who was the leader of the big band?
Count Basie. 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.
What instrument did Basie play?
Both of Basie 's parents were musicians; his father, Harvie Basie, played the mellophone, and his mother, Lillian (Childs) Basie, was a pianist who gave her son his earliest lessons.
Who was the singer in the band Count Basie?
Jimmy Rushing became the singer. The band gained a residency at the Reno Club in Kansas City and began broadcasting on the radio, an announcer dubbing the pianist "Count" Basie.
How did Count Basie die?
He died of cancer at 79. Count Basie was admired as much by musicians as by listeners, and he displayed a remarkable consistency in a bandleading career that lasted long after swing became an archival style of music.
What was the first Grammy Award for Basie?
At the first Grammy Awards ceremony, Basie won the 1958 awards for Best Performance by a Dance Band and Best Jazz Performance, Group, for his Roulette Records LP Basie. Breakfast Dance and Barbecue was nominated in the dance band category for 1959, and Basie won in the category in 1960 for Dance with Basie, earning nominations the same year for Best Performance by an Orchestra and Best Jazz Performance, Large Group, for The Count Basie Story. There were further nominations for best jazz performance for Basie at Birdland in 1961 and The Legend in 1962. None of these albums attracted much commercial attention, however, and in 1962, Basie switched to Frank Sinatra 's Reprise Records in a bid to sell more records. Sinatra-Basie satisfied that desire, reaching the Top Five in early 1963. It was followed by This Time by Basie! Hits of the 50's and 60's, which reached the Top 20 and won the 1963 Grammy Award for Best Performance by an Orchestra for Dancing.
When did Basie leave the band?
Basie left in early 1929 to play with other bands, eventually settling into one led by Bennie Moten. Upon Moten 's untimely death on April 2, 1935, Basie worked as a soloist before leading a band initially called the Barons of Rhythm.
Who was the leader of the swing band?
Count Basie was among the most important bandleaders of the swing era. With the exception of a brief period in the early '50s, he led a big band from 1935 until his death almost 50 years later, and the band continued to perform after he died. Basie 's orchestra was characterized by a light, swinging rhythm section that he led from the piano, lively ensemble work, and generous soloing. Basie was not a composer like Duke Ellington or an important soloist like Benny Goodman. His instrument was his band, which was considered the epitome of swing and became broadly influential on jazz.
When did Basie sign with Pablo Records?
By this time, the band performed largely on the jazz festival circuit and on cruise ships. In the early 1970s , after a series of short-term affiliations, Basie signed to Pablo Records, with which he recorded for the rest of his life.
Who is Count Basie?
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. Basie studied music with his mother and was later influenced by ...
What was the significance of the Count Basie band?
Perhaps the most magnificent “swing machine” that ever was, the Basie band strongly emphasized improvised solos and a refreshing looseness in ensemble playing that was…
Who were the members of the Basie band?
The early Basie band was also noted for its legendary soloists and outstanding rhythm section. 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. The legendary Billie Holiday was a vocalist with Basie for a short stint (1937–38), 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 band—pianist Basie, guitarist Freddie Green (who joined the Basie band in 1937 and stayed for 50 years), bassist Walter Page, and drummer Jo Jones —was unique in its lightness, precision, and relaxation, becoming the precursor for modern jazz accompanying styles. 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. 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. As one Basie band member put it, “Count don’t do nothin’. But it sure sounds good.”
Who were the Basie Orchestra in the 1950s?
The Basie orchestra of the 1950s was a slick, professional unit that was expert at sight reading and demanding arrangements. Outstanding soloists such as tenor saxophonists Lucky Thompson, Paul Quinichette, and Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis and trumpeters Clark Terry and Charlie Shavers, figured prominently.
How many trumpets did Duke Ellington play in the 1930s?
by Duke Ellington and Count Basie. During the 1930s and ’40s, the wind sections of such groups grew from 6 (three reeds, two trumpets, and a trombone) to a standard of 13 (five reeds, four trumpets, and four trombones). After World War II, the big bands gradually were supplanted…
What instrument did Count Basie play?from coursehero.com
5. What instrument did Count Basie play? a. Piano
Who was the first Count Basie concert?from en.wikipedia.org
Count Basie was the featured artist at the first Cavalcade of Jazz concert held at Wrigley Field on September 23, 1945 which was produced by Leon Hefflin Sr. Al Jarvis was the Emcee and other artists to appear on stage were Joe Liggins and his Honeydrippers, The Peters Sisters, Slim and Bam, Valaida Snow, and Big Joe Turner. They played to a crowd of 15,000. Count Basie and his Orchestra played at the tenth Cavalcade of Jazz concert also at Wrigley Field on June 20, 1954. He played along with The Flairs, Christine Kittrell, Lamp Lighters, Louis Jordan and His Tympany Five, Ruth Brown, and Perez Prado and his Orchestra.
What movie did Basie play in?from en.wikipedia.org
Through steady changes in personnel, Basie led the band into the 1980s. Basie made a few more movie appearances, such as in the Jerry Lewis film Cinderfella (1960) and the Mel Brooks movie Blazing Saddles (1974), playing a revised arrangement of "April in Paris".
What was the name of the song that Basie sang?from en.wikipedia.org
In 1957, Basie the live album Count Basie at Newport. " April in Paris " (arrangement by Wild Bill Davis) was a best-selling instrumental and the title song for the hit album. The Basie band made two tours in the British Isles and on the second, they put on a command performance for Queen Elizabeth II, along with Judy Garland, Vera Lynn, and Mario Lanza. He was a guest on ABC 's The Pat Boone Chevy Showroom, a venue also opened to several other black entertainers. In 1959, Basie's band recorded a "greatest hits" double album The Count Basie Story ( Frank Foster, arranger), and Basie/Eckstine Incorporated, an album featuring Billy Eckstine, Quincy Jones (as arranger) and the Count Basie Orchestra. It was released by Roulette Records, then later reissued by Capitol Records.
What year did the band Count Basie play in Reveille with Beverly?from en.wikipedia.org
On the West Coast, in 1942 the band did a spot in Reveille With Beverly, a musical film starring Ann Miller, and a "Command Performance" for Armed Forces Radio, with Hollywood stars Clark Gable, Bette Davis, Carmen Miranda, Jerry Colonna, and the singer Dinah Shore. Other minor movie spots followed, including Choo Choo Swing, Crazy House, Top Man, Stage Door Canteen, and Hit Parade of 1943. They also continued to record for OKeh Records and Columbia Records. The war years caused a lot of members turn over, and the band worked many play dates with lower pay. Dance hall bookings were down sharply as swing began to fade, the effects of the musicians' strikes of 1942–44 and 1948 began to be felt, and the public's taste grew for singers .
How many times did Count Basie meet his wife?from en.wikipedia.org
In the 2016 movie The Matchbreaker, Emily Atkins ( Christina Grimmie) recounts the story of how Count Basie met his wife three times without speaking to her, telling her he would marry her some day in their first conversation, and then marrying her seven years later.
What was the name of the band that played the tenor saxophone?from en.wikipedia.org
At the end of 1936, Basie and his band, now billed as Count Basie and His Barons of Rhythm, moved from Kansas City to Chicago, where they honed their repertoire at a long engagement at the Grand Terrace Ballroom. Right from the start, Basie's band was known for its rhythm section. Another Basie innovation was the use of two tenor saxophone players; at the time, most bands had just one. When Young complained of Herschel Evans ' vibrato, Basie placed them on either side of the alto players, and soon had the tenor players engaged in "duels". Many other bands later adapted the split tenor arrangement.
Where did Tristano play clarinet?from en.wikipedia.org
At the age of eleven he had his first gigs, playing clarinet in a brothel. Tristano studied for a bachelor's degree in music in performance at the American Conservatory of Music in Chicago from 1938 until 1941, and stayed for another two years for further studies, although he left before completing his master's degree.
Who were the two musicians that played in Tristano's sextet?from britannica.com
There his advanced concepts of improvisation and of harmony soon brought him dedicated followers, most notably saxophonists Lee Konitzand Warne Marshand guitarist Billy Bauer. They played in Tristano’s noted 1949 sextet recordings, which included “Wow” and “Crosscurrent” and were characterized by brilliant ensemble melodic interplay. The recordings also featured two free-form collectiveimprovisations, “Intuition” and “Digression,” which predated the free jazzof Ornette Colemanby nearly a decade. In 1951 Tristano opened a school of jazz, which he ran until 1956, after which he spent most of his time teaching privately. He performed and recorded rarely; his last public appearance in the United States was in 1968.
What was the name of the jazz group that Tristano played with?from indianapublicmedia.org
Though many of the recordings that Tristano made in this era were done in his home studio, he did sign a contract with Atlantic Records that allowed himself considerable artistic freedom, and that resulted in two LPs that firmly anchor his recorded jazz legacy. A 1955 album simply titled Tristano captured a Tristano-led quartet, with saxophonist Lee Konitz back in the fold, performing live at a New York City restaurant. The other side included four Tristano piano sides, three of which utilized overdubbing. Although Tristano had done this before, "Ju-Ju" had received only limited distribution through Tristano‘s short-lived self-started record label, and "Descent Into The Maelstrom" would not be released until the 1970s. As critics and listeners became aware that Tristano had, in their view, artificially manipulated these new recordings via multidubbing and speeding up of tapes, some began to charge him with having released inauthentic performances. For Tristano, it was simply a way to achieve a sound that he liked. "Turkish Mambo," with two additional piano parts overdubbed, became a three-metered whirligig of a piece, with one line moving from 7/8 to 7/4, another from 5/8 to 5/4, and yet another going from 3/8 to 4/4. We‘ll hear it now, along with one of the live Tristano-Lee Konitz performances:
What was the first album Tristano recorded?from en.wikipedia.org
Tristano recorded his first album for Atlantic Records in 1955; he was allowed control over the recording process and what to release. The eponymous album included solo and trio tracks that contained further experiments with multitracking ("Requiem" and "Turkish Mambo") and altered tape-speed ("Line Up" and "East 32nd"). The use of overdubbing and tape manipulation was controversial with some critics and musicians at the time. "Requiem", a tribute to Parker, who had died a short time earlier, has a deep blues feeling – a style not usually associated with Tristano. For "Line Up" and "East 32nd", Tristano's "use of chromatic harmony ... secures him a position of a pioneer in expanding the harmonic vocabulary of jazz improvisation", in biographer Eunmi Shim's words.
What is Lennie Tristano's legacy?from en.wikipedia.org
In Ind's opinion, Tristano's legacy "is what he added technically to the jazz vocabulary and his vision of jazz as a serious musical craft". Grove Music ' s summary is that "Tristano's influence is felt most strongly in the work of his best pupils ... and in his example of high-mindedness and perfectionism, characteristics which presupposed for jazz the highest standards of music as art." Shim too identified his teaching as part of his legacy: parts of his approach to teaching jazz have become standard practice; and "the sheer number of students he taught, which may easily exceed a thousand", tied to some of them going on to employ what they learned in their own playing and pedagogy, illustrate his influence. Tristano's teaching also affected the art of painter Robert Ryman, who had music lessons with the pianist: Ryman's "technique not only parallels music in general but shares the principles of kinesthetic and multisensorial attention to detail that characterized the teaching of Lennie Tristano."
What did Tristano say about jazz?from en.wikipedia.org
"If you feel angry with somebody you hit him on the nose – not try to play angry music", he commented; "Express all that is positive. Beauty is a positive thing." He expanded on this by distinguishing emotion from feeling, and suggested that playing a particular emotion was egotistical and lacking in feeling.
What did Tristano do in his early career?from en.wikipedia.org
He played with leading bebop musicians and formed his own small bands, which soon displayed some of his early interests – contrapuntal interaction of instruments, harmonic flexibility, and rhythmic complexity. His quintet in 1949 recorded the first free group improvisations. Tristano's innovations continued in 1951, with the first overdubbed, improvised jazz recordings, and two years later, when he recorded an atonal improvised solo piano piece that was based on the development of motifs rather than on harmonies. He developed further via polyrhythms and chromaticism into the 1960s, but was infrequently recorded.