Count Basie

[19&41]

William Basie had one of the longest lived bands in and out of the big band era. His first band had members of the Bennie Moten orchestra and played mostly locally in Kansas City. They moved on to Chicago in 1936.

An early piece from 1937, Panassie Stomp.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOOFrIoRe28

Sometimes Basie would play organ with a small group, such as Goin' To Chicago Blues.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kCVG0LQD-wk

Here's a piece from the early '50's, Basie Boogie.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RtvI__7XWQ8

A number from his Neal Hefti period, Cute.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uiFEGxPeq3g

One of his favorite numbers, April In Paris.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=380nmdr7Je8

[William]

Thanks, Rex. I love watching guys like Basie, Oscar, and Fats Waller play the piano. The make it look so easy, when I know, at least for me it's not.

Bill

[Ken Doyle]

I'm a huge fan of Count Basie and his orchestra.

The way I read it, Basie was doing live broadcasts from Kansas City, and these broadcasts were heard by John Hammond, the famous talent scout for Columbia records. It was John Hammond who brought Basie and his band to the Roseland Ballroom in NYC, and the rest is history.

I've got more Count Basie records than you can shake s stick at, and all 3 speeds.

My favorite Basie album of the LP era is "Chairman of the Board" (1959)

chairman.jpg (116.28 KiB) Viewed 1023 times

[19&41]

Sorry I'd gotten it wrong.

[TC Chris]

Those first three pieces are especially compelling. What great music. I heard Basie live 2x. The first when I was in college and still in my rock'n'roll phase, but even then I knew I was in the presence of something special.

Chris Campbell