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Count Basie
1,038,757 plays (145,467 listeners)
Listening now: Hypocracy, pizzicatoiv
jazz, swing, big band, piano, blues… see all
William “Count” Basie (21 August 1904–26 April 1984) was a jazz pianist, organist, composer, and bandleader.
As a pianist, he had a distinctive and influential style (the song title “Splanky” is an onomatopoetic reference to the sound of his playing), equally at home in the barrelhouse and the concert hall. Willie “The Lion” Smith, James P. Johnson, and Fats Waller were among his influences.
As a bandleader, he created an organization (built upon the remains of Bennie Moten’s Kansas City Orchestra) that was a favorite both of dancers and of vocalists such as Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, and Sarah Vaughan, and of course Billie Holiday. Equally important, it kept many musicians employed through lean years. Many jazz musicians of note built their chops and earned their bread and butter in Basie’s organization.
In addition to Basie, the swinging “All American Rhythm Section” of his orchestra included greats such as Walter Page (bass), Jo Jones (drums), and Freddie Green (guitar). It was the greatest, most swinging rhythm sections in the history of jazz. Chief among its vocalists were, first, Jimmy Rushing and, later, Joe Williams. Over the years it boasted sidemen and soloists like Herschel Evans (tenor sax), Lester Young (tenor sax), Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis (tenor sax), Buddy Tate (tenor sax), Illinois Jacquet (tenor sax), Earle Warren (alto sax)
As a pianist, he had a distinctive and influential style (the song title “Splanky” is an onomatopoetic reference to the sound of his playing), equally at home in the barrelhouse and the concert hall. Willie “The Lion” Smith, James P. Johnson, and Fats Waller were among his influences.
As a bandleader, he created an organization (built upon the remains of Bennie Moten’s Kansas City Orchestra) that was a favorite both of dancers and of vocalists such as Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, and Sarah Vaughan, and of course Billie Holiday. Equally important, it kept many musicians employed through lean years. Many jazz musicians of note built their chops and earned their bread and butter in Basie’s organization.
In addition to Basie, the swinging “All American Rhythm Section” of his orchestra included greats such as Walter Page (bass), Jo Jones (drums), and Freddie Green (guitar). It was the greatest, most swinging rhythm sections in the history of jazz. Chief among its vocalists were, first, Jimmy Rushing and, later, Joe Williams. Over the years it boasted sidemen and soloists like Herschel Evans (tenor sax), Lester Young (tenor sax), Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis (tenor sax), Buddy Tate (tenor sax), Illinois Jacquet (tenor sax), Earle Warren (alto sax)
Videos
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Play
Count Basie - Cute
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Play
COUNT BASIE.It's Only a Paper Moon.
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Play
Count Basie - Red Bank Boogie
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Play
Count Basie - In A Mellow Tone
Top Albums
Top Tracks
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One O'Clock Jump
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April in Paris
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Jumpin' at the Woodside
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Lester Leaps In
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The Kid from Red Bank
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Corner Pocket
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| 7 |
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Teddy the toad
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| 8 |
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Dark Rapture
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| 9 |
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Splanky
full track
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| 10 |
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Blue And Sentimental
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| 11 |
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Jive at Five
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| 12 |
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Shiny Stockings
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| 13 |
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After Supper
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Flight of the Foo Birds
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| 15 |
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Topsy
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Shoutbox
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Oleg_Tr wrote:
На фестивале "Черное море" в Сочи я был на концерте Каунта Бейси. Вышел тогда потрясенным. Вообще не понимаю, как так произошло, что при такой культуре, при такой музыке и музыкантах в Штатах появился и теперь рулит хип-хоп?!! Уму не постижимо.
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SirAlecHendrix wrote:
Count Basie—now connected to the brandnew group ➤ Round Midnight
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steakboy wrote:
probably the concert i feel most fortunate to have seen: fall 1983, was in boston checking out colleges, basie orch. just happened to be in town. my aunt snagged tickets, we were mere feet from the stage. lights go down, curtains go up, his assistant brings the man to the piano in a wheelchair; five months later, he was gone. what a screaming band.
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Ohthehumanity wrote:
i mean April in Paris. I am just cruising around looking for some jazz right now.
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Ohthehumanity wrote:
holy shit, i just realized this is in GTA 4.
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findingthebomb wrote:
haha fuck yes, man
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RanjitSinghtm wrote:
Been playing the new GTA game and jazz/swing radio station has April in Paris as its first track. By far and away the highlight of the game's soundtrack and perfect for cruising down Liberty (New York) City's Broadway in the evening with the buildings gleaming. Could be considered an unorthodox compliment to the man's work but it truly is strikingly fitting music!
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BebopGrandpop wrote:
Listening to Basie? Pat your foot.
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SYL2Oh wrote:
Jumpin' at The Woodside ! ! !
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Bayonet wrote:
Uelkse, ur so right, i got a 3-cd-boxset and a 2cd-boxset given to me by my parents and i saw the Glenn Miller Memorial Orchestra, absolutely amazing <3
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AJulian wrote:
Basie is the man with the Piano but the Monk will always be my favorite.
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marcelivonne wrote:
C. Basie is the premium Jazz instrumentalist player I've ever listen ...genious of the jazz interpretation¡¡
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8thlight wrote:
http://www.last.fm/group/The+Juice+Box+Crew
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weezescorcho wrote:
This is very fun stuff to listen to I'm enjoying it immensely.
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Uelkse wrote:
http://www.last.fm/group/Glenn%20Miller The best big band leader of all time!
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bigsexyshaq wrote:
I like Duke more.
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maverique wrote:
Hey, why not join the Count BasieGroup?
Listeners
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Hypocracy
Listening now
to Roll 'em Pete -
pizzicatoiv
Listening now
to Clap Hands Here Comes… -
yondalar
Listening now
to Count Basie & His… -
LeCaptainMorgan
Top Listener
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rammyg
Top Listener
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jazzon3121
Top Listener
Recent Activity
- etaegeun001 tagged Count Basie with ‘myjukebox’. yesterday morning
- FOREVER_JAZZ, Bizarrito, dromatimore and 3 other people added Count Basie to their libraries. yesterday morning
- flamingdog tagged Count Basie with ‘swing’, ‘jazz’ and ‘piano’. Monday evening
- SPECLK13, Don_skoy, worldofbirds and 41 other people added Count Basie to their libraries. Monday evening
- AaronWard tagged Count Basie with ‘jazz’ and ‘swing’. August 2008
- patrirodriguez tagged Count Basie with ‘piano’ and ‘jazz’. August 2008
- martyoneill, dtcarulli and supakow added Count Basie to their libraries. August 2008
- ronaldlenton tagged Count Basie with ‘piano’. August 2008
- Chris047, martmc and wesnyce08 added Count Basie to their libraries. August 2008
- hollow_inside tagged Count Basie with ‘jazz’. August 2008
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