Count Basie

  • Count Basie - Broadway Basie's...Way [Command Records RS 905 SD] (1966)
  • Count Basie And His Orchestra - Hollywood...Basie's Way [Command/ABC Records RS 912 SD] (1967)
  • Count Basie - Jam Session At The Montreux Jazz Festival 1975 [Pablo Records  2310 750] (1975)
  • Count Basie And His Orchestra - I Told You So [Pablo Records 2310-767] (1976)
  • Count Basie Big Band - Count Basie Jam (Montreux '77) [Pablo Live 2308 207] (1977)

Biography

William James ''Count'' Basie (August 21, 1904 - April 26, 1984) was an American jazz pianist, organist, bandleader, and composer. 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. 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, 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 and singers Jimmy Rushing, Helen Humes, Thelma Carpenter, and Joe Williams. [wikipedia.org]