The Count Basie Orchestra is a 16- to 18-piece

big band A big band or jazz orchestra is a type of musical ensemble of jazz music that usually consists of ten or more musicians with four sections: saxophones, trumpets, trombones, and a rhythm section. Big bands originated during the early 1910s and ...

, one of the most prominent

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...

performing groups of the swing era, founded by

Count Basie William James "Count" Basie (; 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 the ...

in 1935 and recording regularly from 1936. Despite a brief disbandment at the beginning of the 1950s, the band survived long past the big band era itself and the death of Basie in 1984. It continues under the direction of trumpeter Scotty Barnhart. Originally including such musicians as

Buck Clayton Wilbur Dorsey "Buck" Clayton (November 12, 1911 – December 8, 1991) was an American jazz trumpeter who was a member of Count Basie's orchestra. His principal influence was Louis Armstrong, first hearing the record " Confessin' that I Love You" ...

and

Lester Young Lester Willis Young (August 27, 1909 – March 15, 1959), nicknamed "Pres" or "Prez", was an American jazz tenor saxophonist and occasional clarinetist. Coming to prominence while a member of Count Basie's orchestra, Young was one of the most i ...

in the line-up, the band in the 1950s and 1960s made use of the work of the arrangers

Neal Hefti Neal Paul Hefti (October 29, 1922 – October 11, 2008) was an American jazz trumpeter, composer, and arranger. He wrote music for '' The Odd Couple'' movie and TV series and for the ''Batman'' TV series. He began arranging professionally in hi ...

and

Sammy Nestico Samuel Louis Nistico (February 6, 1924 – January 17, 2021), better known as Sammy Nestico, was an American composer and arranger. Nestico is best known for his arrangements for the Count Basie orchestra. Early life and education Samuel Luigi ...

with featured musicians such as

Thad Jones Thaddeus Joseph Jones (March 28, 1923 – August 20, 1986) was an American jazz trumpeter, composer and bandleader who has been called "one of the all-time greatest jazz trumpet soloists". Early life, family and education Thad Jones was born i ...

and

Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis Edward F. Davis (March 2, 1922 – November 3, 1986), known professionally as Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, was an American jazz tenor saxophonist. It is unclear how he acquired the moniker "Lockjaw" (later shortened to "Jaws"): it is either said that ...

History

Early years

arrived in

Kansas City The Kansas City metropolitan area is a bi-state metropolitan area anchored by Kansas City, Missouri. Its 14 counties straddle the border between the U.S. states of Missouri (9 counties) and Kansas (5 counties). With and a population of more t ...

Missouri Missouri (''see #Etymology and pronunciation, pronunciation'') is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it border ...

in 1927, playing on the

Theater Owners Booking Association Theatre Owners Booking Association, or T.O.B.A., was the vaudeville circuit for African American performers in the 1920s. The theaters mostly had white owners, though about a third of them had black owners. These included the restored Morton Theat ...

(TOBA) circuit. After playing with

Walter Page Walter Sylvester Page (February 9, 1900 – December 20, 1957) was an American jazz multi-instrumentalist and bandleader, best known for his groundbreaking work as a double bass player with Walter Page's Blue Devils and the Count Basie Orchest ...

's Blue Devils, in 1929 he joined rival band leader

Bennie Moten Benjamin Moten (November 13, 1893 – April 2, 1935) was an American jazz pianist and band leader born and raised in Kansas City, Missouri, United States. He led his Kansas City Orchestra, the most important of the regional, blues-based orchest ...

's band. Upon Moten's death in 1935, Basie left the group to start his own band, taking many of his colleagues from the Moten band with him. This nine-piece group was known for its legendary soloists including, Joe Keyes and Oran 'Hot Lips' Page on trumpet,

Buster Smith Buster or BUSTER may refer to: People *Buster (surname) * Buster (given name) * Buster (nickname) Arts and entertainment Comics * ''Buster'' (comics), a British comic * ''Buster'' (sport comic), a Swedish comic Film and television * ''Buster ...

and

Earle Warren Earle Warren (born Earl Ronald Warren; July 1, 1914 – June 4, 1994) was an American saxophonist. He was part of the Count Basie Orchestra from 1937. Early life Warren was born in Springfield, Ohio, on July 1, 1914. "He played piano, banjo, and ...

on alto saxophone,

on tenor saxophone, Dan Minor on trombone, and a

rhythm section A rhythm section is a group of musicians within a music ensemble or band that provides the underlying rhythm, harmony and pulse of the accompaniment, providing a rhythmic and harmonic reference and "beat" for the rest of the band. The rhythm ...

made up of

Jo Jones Jonathan David Samuel Jones (October 7, 1911 – September 3, 1985) was an American jazz drummer. A band leader and pioneer in jazz percussion, Jones anchored the Count Basie Orchestra rhythm section from 1934 to 1948. He was sometimes k ...

on drums,

on bass and Basie on piano. With this band, then named The Barons of Rhythm, Basie brought the sound of the famous and highly competitive Kansas City "

jam session A jam session is a relatively informal musical event, process, or activity where musicians, typically instrumentalists, play improvised solos and vamp over tunes, drones, songs, and chord progressions. To "jam" is to improvise music without ...

" to club audiences, coupling extended improvised solos with

riff A riff is a short, repeated motif or figure in the melody or accompaniment of a musical composition. Riffs are most often found in rock music, punk, heavy metal music, Latin, funk, and jazz, although classical music is also sometimes based ...

-based accompaniments from the band. The group's first venue was the Reno Club in Kansas City, later moving to the Grand Terrace in

Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...

. When music critic and record producer John Hammond heard the band on a 1936 radio broadcast, he sought them out and offered Basie the chance to expand the group to the standard 13-piece

line-up. He also offered to transfer the group to

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

in order to play at venues such as the

Roseland Ballroom The Roseland Ballroom was a multipurpose hall, in a converted ice skating rink, with a colorful ballroom dancing pedigree, in New York City's Theater District, New York, theater district, on 52nd Street (Manhattan), West 52nd Street in Manhattan ...

. Basie agreed, hoping that with this new band, he could retain the freedom and spirit of the Kansas City style of his nine-piece group. The band, which now included

on trumpet and the famous blues "shouter"

Jimmy Rushing James Andrew Rushing (August 26, 1901 – June 8, 1972) was an American singer and pianist from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, U.S., best known as the featured vocalist of Count Basie's Orchestra from 1935 to 1948. Rushing was known as " Mr. Five by ...

, demonstrated this style in their first recordings with the Decca label in January 1937: in pieces such as "Roseland Shuffle", the soloists are at the foreground, with the ensemble effects and riffs playing a strictly functional backing role. This was a fresh big band sound for New York, contrasting the complex jazz writing of

Duke Ellington Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington (April 29, 1899 – May 24, 1974) was an American Jazz piano, jazz pianist, composer, and leader of his eponymous Big band, jazz orchestra from 1924 through the rest of his life. Born and raised in Washington, D ...

and

Sy Oliver Melvin James "Sy" Oliver (December 17, 1910 – May 28, 1988) was an American jazz arranger, trumpeter, composer, singer and bandleader. Life Sy Oliver was born in Battle Creek, Michigan, United States. His mother was a piano teacher, and his f ...

and highlighting the difference in styles that had emerged between the east and west coasts.

New York City

Following the first recording session, the band's line up was reshuffled, with some of players being replaced on the request of Hammond as part of a strengthening of the band. Trumpeters Ed Lewis and Bobby Moore replaced Keyes and Smith, and

replaced the alto saxophonist Coughey Roberts. In March 1937 the guitarist

Freddie Green Frederick William Green (March 31, 1911 – March 1, 1987) was an American swing jazz guitarist who played rhythm guitar with the Count Basie Orchestra for almost fifty years. Early life and education Green was born in Charleston, South ...

arrived, replacing Claude Williams and completing what became one of the most respected

s in big band history.

Billie Holiday Billie Holiday (born Eleanora Fagan; April 7, 1915 – July 17, 1959) was an American jazz and swing music singer. Nicknamed "Lady Day" by her friend and music partner, Lester Young, Holiday made significant contributions to jazz music and pop ...

also sang with the band during this period, although she never recorded with them for contractual reasons. Hits such as "

One O'Clock Jump "One O'Clock Jump" is a jazz standard; a 12-bar blues instrumental, written by Count Basie in 1937. Background The melody derived from band members' riffs—Basie rarely wrote down musical ideas, so Eddie Durham and Buster Smith helped him c ...

" and "

Jumpin' at the Woodside "Jumpin' at the Woodside" is a song first recorded in 1938 by the Count Basie Orchestra, and considered one of the band's signature tunes. When first released it reached number 11 on the ''Billboard'' charts and remained on them for four weeks. ...

" (from 1937 and 1938, respectively) helped to gain the band, now known as the Count Basie Orchestra, national and international fame. These tunes were known as "head-arrangements"; not scored in individual parts but made up of riffs memorized by the band's members. Although some of the band's players, such as trombonist

Eddie Durham Edward Durham (August 19, 1906 – March 6, 1987) was an American jazz guitarist, trombonist, composer, and arranger. He was one of the pioneers of the electric guitar in jazz. The orchestras of Bennie Moten, Jimmie Lunceford, Count Basie, ...

, contributed their own written arrangements at this time, the "head-arrangements" captured the imagination of the audience in New York and communicated the spirit of the band's members. In 1938,

Helen Humes Helen Humes (June 23, 1913 – September 13, 1981) was an American singer. She was a blues, R&B and classic popular singer. Early life Humes was born on June 23, 1913, in Louisville, Kentucky, to Emma Johnson and John Henry Humes. She grew up ...

joined the group, replacing Billie Holiday as the female singer. She sang mostly pop ballads, including "My Heart Belongs to Daddy" and "Blame it on My Last Affair", acting as a gentle contrast to the

blues Blues is a music genre and musical form that originated among African Americans in the Deep South of the United States around the 1860s. Blues has incorporated spiritual (music), spirituals, work songs, field hollers, Ring shout, shouts, cha ...

style of

1940s

The band became increasingly dependent on arrangers to provide its music. These varied from players within the band, such as Eddie Durham and

, to professional arrangers from outside the group, who could bring their own character to the band with each new piece. External arranger

Andy Gibson Albert "Andy" Gibson (November 6, 1913 – February 11, 1961) was an American jazz trumpeter, arranger, and composer. Career Gibson played violin early on before settling on trumpet. Although he played professionally in many orchestras, he did n ...

brought the band's harmonic style closer to the music of Duke Ellington, with arrangements from 1940 such as "I Never Knew" and "Louisiana" introducing increased

chromaticism Chromaticism is a compositional technique interspersing the primary diatonic scale, diatonic pitch (music), pitches and chord (music), chords with other pitches of the chromatic scale. In simple terms, within each octave, diatonic music uses o ...

to the band's music.

Tab Smith Talmadge "Tab" Smith (January 11, 1909 – August 17, 1971) was an American swing and rhythm and blues alto saxophonist. He is best remembered for the tracks " Because of You" and "Pretend". He worked with Count Basie, the Mills Rhythm Bo ...

contributed important arrangements at this time, such as "Harvard Blues", and others including

Buster Harding Lavere "Buster" Harding (March 19, 1917 – November 14, 1965) was a Canadian-born American jazz pianist, composer and arranger. Early life Born to Benjamin "Ben" and Ada (née Shreve) Harding in North Buxton, Ontario, Harding was raised in Clev ...

and veteran arranger

Jimmy Mundy James Mundy (June 28, 1907 – April 24, 1983) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist, arranger, and composer, best known for his arrangements for Benny Goodman, Count Basie, and Earl Hines. Mundy died of cancer in New York City at the age of 7 ...

also expanded the group's repertoire.

Thelma Carpenter Thelma Carpenter (January 15, 1922 – May 14, 1997) was an American jazz singer and actress, best known as "Miss One", the Good Witch of the North in the movie ''The Wiz''. Early years Carpenter was born in Brooklyn, New York, the only chi ...

replaced

as the new female vocalist, notably recording " I Didn't Know About You" for

Columbia Records Columbia Records is an American reco ...

. But the many new arrangements led to a gradual change in the band's sound, distancing the group musically from its Kansas City roots. Rather than the music being built around the soloists with memorised head arrangements and riffs, the group's sound at this time became more focused on ensemble playing; closer to the East Coast big band sound. This can be attributed to the increasing reliance on arrangers to influence the band with their music. It suggested that Basie's ideal of a big band-sized group with the flexibility and spirit of his original Kansas City eight-piece was not to last. During the

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

years, some of the key members of the band left: the drummer

and tenor saxophone player

were both

conscripted Conscription, also known as the draft in the United States and Israel, is the practice in which the compulsory enlistment in a national service, mainly a military service, is enforced by law. Conscription dates back to antiquity and it contin ...

in 1944, leading to the hiring of drummers such as

Buddy Rich Bernard "Buddy" Rich (September 30, 1917 – April 2, 1987) was an American jazz drummer, songwriter, conductor, and bandleader. He is considered one of the most influential drummers of all time. Rich was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, ...

and extra tenor saxophonists, including

Illinois Jacquet Jean-Baptiste Illinois Jacquet (October 30, 1922 – July 22, 2004) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist, best remembered for his solo on " Flying Home", critically recognized as the first R&B saxophone solo. He is also known as one of the w ...

Paul Gonsalves Paul Gonsalves ( – ) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist best known for his association with Duke Ellington. At the 1956 Newport Jazz Festival, Gonsalves played a 27-chorus solo in the middle of Ellington's " Diminuendo and Crescendo in Bl ...

and

Lucky Thompson Eli "Lucky" Thompson (June 16, 1924 – July 30, 2005) was an American jazz tenor and soprano saxophonist whose playing combined elements of swing and bebop. Although John Coltrane usually receives the most credit for bringing the soprano sa ...

. The musicologist

Gunther Schuller Gunther Alexander Schuller (November 22, 1925June 21, 2015) was an American composer, conductor, horn player, author, historian, educator, publisher, and jazz musician. Biography and works Early years Schuller was born in Queens, New York City ...

has said that when Jo Jones left, he took some of the smooth, relaxed style of the band with him. Replacements such as

Sonny Payne Sonny Payne (May 4, 1926 – January 29, 1979) was an American jazz drummer, best known for his work with Count Basie and Harry James. Biography Payne's father was Wild Bill Davis's drummer Chris Columbus. After early study with Vic Berton, ...

, drummed much louder and raised the dynamic of the band to a "harder, more clamorous brass sound." The ban on instrumental recordings of 1942–1944 adversely affected the finances of the Count Basie Orchestra, as it did for all big bands in the United States. Despite taking on soloists from the next generation such as

Wardell Gray Wardell Gray (February 13, 1921 – May 25, 1955) was an American jazz tenor saxophone, tenor saxophonist. Biography Early years The youngest of four children, Gray was born in Oklahoma City. He spent his early childhood years in Oklahoma b ...

, Basie was forced to temporarily disband the group for a short period in 1948, before dispersing again for two years in 1950. For these two years, Basie led a reduced band of between six and nine people, featuring performers such as

Serge Chaloff Serge Chaloff (November 24, 1923 – July 16, 1957) was an American jazz baritone saxophonist. One of bebop's earliest baritone saxophonists, Chaloff has been described as 'the most expressive and openly emotive baritone saxophonist jazz has eve ...

and

Buddy DeFranco Boniface Ferdinand Leonard "Buddy" DeFranco (February 17, 1923 – December 24, 2014) was an American jazz clarinetist. In addition to his work as a bandleader, DeFranco led the Glenn Miller Orchestra for almost a decade in the 1960s and 1970s. ...

The "Second Testament"

Basie reformed the jazz orchestra in 1952 for a series of tours, not only in the United States, but also in Europe in 1954 and Japan in 1963. The band released new recordings, some featuring guest singers such as Joe Williams,

Frank Sinatra Francis Albert Sinatra (; December 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998) was an American singer and actor. Honorific nicknames in popular music, Nicknamed the "Chairman of the Board" and "Ol' Blue Eyes", he is regarded as one of the Time 100: The Most I ...

Ella Fitzgerald Ella Jane Fitzgerald (April25, 1917June15, 1996) was an American singer, songwriter and composer, sometimes referred to as the "First Lady of Song", "Queen of Jazz", and "Lady Ella". She was noted for her purity of tone, impeccable diction, phra ...

and

Billy Eckstine William Clarence Eckstine (July 8, 1914 – March 8, 1993) was an American jazz and pop singer and a bandleader during the swing and bebop eras. He was noted for his rich, almost operatic bass-baritone voice. In 2019, Eckstine was posthumously a ...

. All relied on contributions from arrangers, some of whom are now synonymous with the Basie band:

Quincy Jones Quincy Delight Jones Jr. (March 14, 1933 – November 3, 2024) was an American record producer, composer, arranger, conductor, trumpeter, and bandleader. Over the course of his seven-decade career, he received List of awards and nominations re ...

and

. Michael G. Nastos wrote of the recording with Eckstine:

"When the Count Basie Orchestra consented to team up with vocalist Billy Eckstine, choruses of angels must have shouted hallelujah. The combination of Basie's sweet jazz and Eckstine's low-down blues sensibilities meshed well on this one-shot deal, a program mostly of downtrodden songs perfectly suited for the band and the man."

This new band became known as "The New Testament" or "The Second Testament". With albums such as '' The Atomic Mr. Basie'' (1958), '' April in Paris'' (1957) and ''Basie Plays Hefti'' (1958), the new Count Basie Orchestra sound became identifiable. The sound of the band was now that of a tight ensemble: heavier and more full bodied, contrasting with the riff-based band of the late 1930s and early 1940s. Whereas previously the emphasis had been on providing space for exemplary soloists such as

and

, now the focus had shifted to the arrangements, despite the presence of soloists such as trumpeter

and saxophonist Frank Foster. This orchestral style continues as the typical sound of the band up to the present day, which has been criticized by some musicologists. In his book ''The Swing Era'',

described the group as "perfected

neo-classicism Neoclassicism, also spelled Neo-classicism, emerged as a Western cultural movement in the decorative arts, decorative and visual arts, literature, theatre, music, and architecture that drew inspiration from the art and culture of classical antiq ...

...a most glorious dead end." However, jazz critic Martin Williams offers a differing view. In his book ''Jazz Heritage'', Williams wrote the following about a 1959 recording: " . . . obviously this Basie orchestra is an ensemble whose virtues center on discipline, precision, and collective power." In his book ''The Jazz Tradition'', Williams wrote:

"Since the mid-'fifties, the Count Basie Orchestra has been a superb precision ensemble, and perhaps the greatest brass ensemble of the century. And that fact adds an irony to a distinguished career, for it was not always such."Williams, Martin ''The Jazz Tradition New And Revised Edition'', New York: Oxford University Press, 1983, p. 122.

Continuing band

The Count Basie Orchestra continued releasing recordings and albums after Basie's death in 1984. For example, ''Basie is Back'' (2006) features new recordings of classic tunes from the Basie Orchestra's catalog, including "April in Paris" and the band's early hit "

". The Basie band still collaborated with high-profile singers such as

Ray Charles Ray Charles Robinson (September 23, 1930 – June 10, 2004) was an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. He is regarded as one of the most iconic and influential musicians in history, and was often referred to by contemporaries as "The Gen ...

in '' Ray Sings, Basie Swings'' (2006), and with

Allyn Ferguson Allyn Malcolm Ferguson Jr. (October 18, 1924 – June 23, 2010) was an American composer, whose works include the themes for 1970s television programs ''Barney Miller'' and ''Charlie's Angels'' (1976-1981), which he co-wrote with Jack Elliott ( ...

on the album ''Swing Shift'' (1999). After Basie's death the band played under the direction of some of the players he had hired, including

, Frank Foster,

Grover Mitchell Grover Mitchell, born Grover Curry Mitchell (March 17, 1930 – August 6, 2003) was an American jazz trombonist who led the Count Basie Orchestra. Biography Mitchell was born in Whately, Alabama, but he moved with his parents to Pittsburgh, Pen ...

, Bill Hughes, and Dennis Mackrel. The band is currently under the direction of trumpeter Scotty Barnhart.

Leaders of the Count Basie Orchestra

1935–1984 *

1985–1986 * Frank Foster 1986–1995 *

1995–2003 * Bill Hughes 2003–Sept. 2010 * Dennis Mackrel 2010–2013 * Scotty Barnhart 2013–present

Awards and honors

* 2024 - Grammy Award for Best Large Ensemble Jazz Album, ''Basie Swings the Blues'' * 2007- Long Island Music Hall of Fame * 2005- Inducted, Nesuhi Ertegun Jazz Hall of Fame * 2002 Lifetime Achievement Award * 1984- Best Jazz Instrumental Performance Big Band '' 88 Basie Street'' * 1983- Winner NEA Jazz Masters * 1982- Best Jazz Instrumental Performance, Big Band '' Warm Breeze'' * 1981- National Trustees Award * 1981- Honoree, Kennedy Center Awards * 1981- Honoree, Hollywood Walk of Fame * 1980- Best Jazz Instrumental Performance, Big Band ''On The Road'' * 1977- Best Jazz Performance By a Big Band ''Prime Time'' * 1976- Best Jazz Performance by a Soloist (Instrumental) ''Basie and Zoot'' * 1970- Initiated in

Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia (legally Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Fraternity of America, colloquially known as Phi Mu Alpha, PMA, or simply Sinfonia) () is an American collegiate social Fraternities and sororities, fraternity for men with a special interest ...

* 1963- Best Performance by an Orchestra- For Dancing '' This Time By Basie! Hits of the 50s and 60s'' * 1960- Best Performance by a Band for Dancing ''Dance With Basie'' * 1958- Best Performance by a Dance Band- ''Basie'' ('' The Atomic Mr. Basie'') * 1958- Best Jazz Performance, Group- ''Basie'' (''The Atomic Mr. Basie'')

Discography

For recordings by Count Basie without his big band, see Count Basie discography.

1937–1939, Brunswick and Decca labels

* '' The Original American Decca Recordings'' (1937–1939, GRP-

Decca Decca may refer to: Music * Decca Records or Decca Music Group, record label * Decca Gold, classical music record label owned by Universal Music Group * Decca Broadway, musical theater record label * Decca Studios, recording facility in West ...

)

1939–1950, Columbia and RCA labels

* ''Super Chief'' (1936–1942, Columbia) * ''The Complete Count Basie, Volumes 1-10'' (1936–1941,

CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS (an abbreviation of its original name, Columbia Broadcasting System), is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainme ...

) * ''The Complete Count Basie, Volumes 11-20'' (1941–1951,

) * ''Count Basie, Volume 1: The Count and the President'' (1936–1939,

) * ''Count Basie, Volume 2: Lester Leaps In'' (1939–1940,

) * ''Count Basie, Volume 3: Don for Prez'' (1940–1941,

) * ''Count Basie, Volume 4: One O'Clock Jump'' (1941–1942,

) * ''Count Basie, Volume 5: Avenue C'' (1942, 1945–46,

) * ''Count Basie, Volume 6: The Orchestra and the Octet'' (1946, 1950–51,

) * ''Count Basie and His Great Vocalists'' (1939–1945, Columbia) * ''America's No. 1 Band: The Columbia Years'' (1936–1964, Columbia) 4-CD * ''Complete Original American Victor Recordings'' (1941–1950,

RCA RCA Corporation was a major American electronics company, which was founded in 1919 as the Radio Corporation of America. It was initially a patent pool, patent trust owned by General Electric (GE), Westinghouse Electric Corporation, Westinghou ...

sessions, reissued on Definitive) * ''Kansas City Powerhouse'' (1929–1932, 1947–1949, RCA/Bluebird) * ''Planet Jazz'' (1929–1932, 1947–1949, RCA/BMG)

1950s

* '' The Count!'' (1952

955 Year 955 ( CMLV) was a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar. Events By place Europe * August 10 – Battle of Lechfeld: King Otto I ("the Great") defeats the Hungarians (also known as Magyars) near Augsburg (Germa ...

Clef A clef (from French: 'key') is a musical symbol used to indicate which notes are represented by the lines and spaces on a musical staff. Placing a clef on a staff assigns a particular pitch to one of the five lines or four spaces, whic ...

) * '' Basie Jazz'' (1952

954 Year 954 ( CMLIV) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar. Events By place Europe * Spring – A Hungarian army led by Bulcsú crosses the Rhine. He camps at Worms in the capital of his ally Conrad the Red, d ...

Clef) * '' Basie Rides Again!'' (1952

956 Year 956 ( CMLVI) was a leap year starting on Tuesday of the Julian calendar. Events By place Byzantine Empire * Summer – Emperor Constantine VII appoints Nikephoros Phokas to commander of the Byzantine field army (''Domestic o ...

Clef) contains some tracks released on ''Basie Jazz'' * '' The Swinging Count!'' (1953

Clef) contains some tracks released on ''Basie Jazz'' * '' Dance Session'' (1953, Clef) * '' Dance Session Album #2'' (1952–1954, Clef) * ''

The Complete Roost Recordings ''The Complete Roost Recordings'' is a 1997 compilation 3-CD set of sessions led by saxophonist and bandleader Stan Getz recorded for the Roost Records label between 1950 and 1954. The compilation includes material previously released on Getz's ...

'' (1954, Roost) -

Stan Getz Stan Getz (born Stanley Gayetski; February 2, 1927 – June 6, 1991) was an American jazz saxophonist. Playing primarily the tenor saxophone, Getz was known as "The Sound" because of his warm, lyrical tone, with his prime influence being the wis ...

box-set with Getz guesting with Basie on a three tracks at the end of the set. * ''King of Swing'' (1953–1954

Clef) contains tracks released on ''Dance Session'' and ''Dance Session Album #2'' * ''Basie Roars Again'' (1953–1954

Clef) contains tracks released on ''Dance Session'' and ''Dance Session Album #2'' * '' Basie'' (1955, Clef) reissued as ''The Band of Distinction'' (1956, Verve) * '' Count Basie Swings, Joe Williams Sings'' with Joe Williams (1955, Clef) * '' April in Paris'' (1955–1956,

Verve Verve may refer to: Music * The Verve, an English rock band * '' The Verve E.P.'', a 1992 EP by The Verve * ''Verve'' (R. Stevie Moore album) * Verve Records, an American jazz record label Businesses * Verve Coffee Roasters, an American coffee h ...

) * ''

The Greatest!! Count Basie Plays, Joe Williams Sings Standards ''The Greatest!! Count Basie Plays, Joe Williams Sings Standards'' is an album by vocalist Joe Williams and pianist/bandleader Count Basie and His Orchestra recorded in 1956 and released on the Verve label.Metronome All-Stars 1956'' (1956, Clef) with

and Joe Williams * ''

Hall of Fame A hall, wall, or walk of fame is a list of individuals, achievements, or other entities, usually chosen by a group of electors, to mark their excellence or Wiktionary:fame, fame in their field. In some cases, these halls of fame consist of actu ...

'' (1956, Verve) * '' Basie in London'' (live, 1956, Verve) * ''

'' with Joe Williams and Ella Fitzgerald (1957, Verve) * '' Count Basie at Newport'' (live, 1957, Verve) * '' The Atomic Mr. Basie'' (1958,

Roulette Roulette (named after the French language, French word meaning "little wheel") is a casino game which was likely developed from the Italy, Italian game Biribi. In the game, a player may choose to place a bet on a single number, various grouping ...

) * ''

Basie Plays Hefti ''Basie Plays Hefti'' is an album released by pianist, composer and bandleader Count Basie performing the compositions and arrangements of Neal Hefti recorded in 1958 and originally released on the Roulette label.Kitora, R.Count Basie Discograph ...

'' (1958, Roulette) * '' No Count Sarah'' with

Sarah Vaughan Sarah Lois Vaughan (, March 27, 1924 – April 3, 1990) was an American jazz singer and pianist. Nicknamed "Sassy" and "List of nicknames of jazz musicians, The Divine One", she won two Grammy Awards, including the Lifetime Achievement Award, ...

(1958,

EmArcy EmArcy Records is a jazz record label founded in 1954 by Bob Shad for the American Mercury Records. The name is a phonetic spelling of "MRC", the initials for Mercury Record Company. During the 1950s and 1960s, musicians such as Max Roach, Cli ...

) * '' Sing Along with Basie'' with Joe Williams and

Lambert, Hendricks & Ross Lambert, Hendricks & Ross were an American vocalese trio formed by jazz vocalists Dave Lambert, Jon Hendricks and Annie Ross. From 1962 to 1964, Ross was replaced by vocalist Yolande Bavan. History The group formed in 1957 and recorded their ...

(1958, Roulette) * ''

Breakfast Dance and Barbecue ''Breakfast Dance and Barbecue'' is a live album by pianist, composer and bandleader Count Basie and his Orchestra with vocalist Joe Williams featuring tracks recorded at a Disc Jockey convention in Florida in 1959 and originally released on the ...

'' (live, 1958, Roulette) * '' Welcome to the Club'' with

Nat King Cole Nathaniel Adams Coles (March 17, 1919 – February 15, 1965), known professionally as Nat King Cole, alternatively billed as Nat "King" Cole, was an American singer, jazz pianist, and actor. Cole's career as a jazz and Traditional pop, pop ...

(1959, Capitol) * ''

Basie One More Time ''Basie One More Time'' (subtitled ''Music from the Pen of Quincy Jones'') is an album by pianist and bandleader Count Basie performing the compositions and arrangements of Quincy Jones recorded in late 1958 and early 1959 and originally released ...

'' (1959, Roulette) * '' Basie/Eckstine Incorporated'' (with

, 1959, Roulette) * '' In Person!'' (with Tony Bennett, 1959, Columbia) * ''

Chairman of the Board The chair, also chairman, chairwoman, or chairperson, is the presiding officer of an organized group such as a Board of directors, board, committee, or deliberative assembly. The person holding the office, who is typically elected or appointed by ...

'' (1959, Roulette) * '' Strike Up the Band'' with

Tony Bennett Anthony Dominick Benedetto (August 3, 1926 – July 21, 2023), known professionally as Tony Bennett, was an American jazz and traditional pop singer. He received many accolades, including 20 Grammy Awards, a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, ...

(1959, Roulette) * '' Everyday I Have the Blues'' with Joe Williams (1959, Roulette) * ''

Dance Along with Basie Dance is an art form, consisting of sequences of body movements with aesthetic and often symbolic value, either improvised or purposefully selected. Dance can be categorized and described by its choreography, by its repertoire of movements or ...

'' (1959, Roulette)

1960s

* '' I Gotta Right to Swing'' with

Sammy Davis, Jr. Samuel George Davis Jr. (December 8, 1925 – May 16, 1990) was an American singer, actor, comedian, dancer, and musician. At age two, Davis began his career in Vaudeville with his father Sammy Davis Sr. and the Will Mastin Trio, which t ...

(1960, Decca) * ''Just the Blues'' with Joe Williams (1960, Roulette) * '' The Count Basie Story'' (1960, Roulette) * '' Not Now, I'll Tell You When'' (1960, Roulette) * '' Kansas City Suite'' composed by

Benny Carter Bennett Lester Carter (August 8, 1907 – July 12, 2003) was an American jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, trumpeter, composer, arranger, and bandleader. With Johnny Hodges, he was a pioneer on the alto saxophone. From the beginning of his career ...

(1960, Roulette) * '' Count Basie/Sarah Vaughan'' with Sarah Vaughan (1961, Roulette) * ''

First Time! The Count Meets the Duke ''First Time! The Count Meets the Duke'' is an album by American pianists, composers and bandleaders Duke Ellington and Count Basie with their combined Orchestras recorded and released on the Columbia label in 1961. On stereo releases of the a ...

'' with

(1961, Columbia) * '' The Legend'' composed by Benny Carter (1961, Roulette) * '' Basie at Birdland'' (live, 1961, Roulette) * ''

Back with Basie ''Back with Basie'' (subtitled ''More Hit Performances of the '60s'') is an album released by pianist, composer and bandleader Count Basie featuring tracks recorded in 1962 (with one from 1960) and originally released on the Roulette label.Kitora ...

'' (1962, Roulette) * ''

Easin' it ''Easin' It'' is a studio album by Count Basie and his orchestra recorded between 1960 and 1962. The album contains a collaboration by Frank Foster, a well known member from Basie's big band. All tracks were composed, arranged and conducted by ...

'' (1962, Roulette) * ''

Basie in Sweden ''Basie in Sweden'' (subtitled ''Recorded Live in Concert featuring Louis Bellson on Drums'') is a live album by pianist, composer and bandleader Count Basie featuring tracks recorded at an amusement park in Sweden in 1962 and originally released ...

'' (live, 1962, Roulette) * ''

I Left My Heart in San Francisco "I Left My Heart in San Francisco" is a popular song, best known as the signature song of Tony Bennett. It was written in late-1953 in Brooklyn, New York, with music by George Cory (1920–1978) and lyrics by Douglass Cross (1920–1975). I ...

'' with Tony Bennett (1962, Columbia) * '' Sinatra-Basie: An Historic Musical First'' with

(1962, Reprise) * '' On My Way & Shoutin' Again!'' (1963, Verve) * '' This Time by Basie!'' (1963, Reprise) * ''

More Hits of the 50's and 60's ''More Hits of the 50's and 60's'' (also released as ''Frankly Basie'' and ''Frankly Speaking'') is an album released by pianist and bandleader Count Basie Count Basie Orchestra, and his orchestra featuring jazz versions of songs associated with ...

'' (1963, Verve) * '' Li'l Ol' Groovemaker...Basie!'' (1963, Verve) * ''

Ella and Basie! ''Ella and Basie!'' is a 1963 studio album by Ella Fitzgerald, accompanied by Count Basie Count Basie Orchestra, and his orchestra, with arrangements by Quincy Jones. It was later reissued with slightly different cover art as ''On the Sunny Side o ...

'' with Ella Fitzgerald (1963, Verve) * '' Basie Land'' (1964, Verve) * '' It Might as Well Be Swing'' with Frank Sinatra (1964, Reprise) * ''

Pop Goes the Basie ''Pop Goes the Basie'' is an album by pianist and bandleader Count Basie featuring jazz versions of contemporary hits recorded in 1964 and originally released on the Reprise Records, Reprise label.Kitora, R.Count Basie Discography accessed Novemb ...

'' (1965, Reprise) * '' Basie Picks the Winners'' (1965, Verve) * '' Our Shining Hour'' with Sammy Davis, Jr. (1965, Verve) * '' Arthur Prysock and Count Basie'' with

Arthur Prysock Arthur Prysock Jr. (January 1, 1924 According to his obituary in ''The New York Times'', "his heavy, deep voice projected a calm, reassuring virility." Life and career Prysock was born in Spartanburg, South Carolina. Many sources give his birt ...

(1965, Verve) * ''

Basie Meets Bond ''Basie Meets Bond'' is a 1966 album by Count Basie and his orchestra. The album is a collection of musical pieces originating from the first four James Bond films; '' Dr No'', '' From Russia with Love'', '' Goldfinger'' and '' Thunderball''. Th ...

'' (1966, United Artists) * '' Live at the Sands (Before Frank)'' (live, 1966

998 Year 998 ( CMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar. Events By place Europe * Spring – Otto III retakes Rome and restores power in the papal city. Crescentius II (the Younger) and his followers ...

Reprise) * '' Sinatra at the Sands'' with Frank Sinatra (live, 1966, Reprise) * '' Basie's Beatle Bag'' (1966, Verve) * '' Broadway Basie's...Way'' (1967, Command) * '' Hollywood...Basie's Way'' (1967, Command) * '' Basie's Beat'' (1967, Verve) * ''

Basie's in the Bag ''Basie's in the Bag'' is an album by pianist and bandleader Count Basie and Count Basie Orchestra, His Orchestra featuring performances of contemporary popular tunes recorded in 1967 and released on the Brunswick Records, Brunswick label.

'' (1967, Brunswick) * ''

The Happiest Millionaire ''The Happiest Millionaire'' is a 1967 American musical film starring Fred MacMurray, based upon the true story of Philadelphia millionaire Anthony Joseph Drexel Biddle Sr., Anthony Drexel Biddle. The film, featuring music by the Sherman Brothe ...

'' (1967, Coliseum) * '' Half a Sixpence'' (1967, Dot) * ''

The Board of Directors A board of directors is a governing body that supervises the activities of a business, a nonprofit organization, or a government agency. The powers, duties, and responsibilities of a board of directors are determined by government regulations ...

'' with

The Mills Brothers The Mills Brothers, sometimes billed The Four Mills Brothers and originally known as Four Boys and a Guitar, were an American jazz and traditional pop vocal quartet who made more than 2,000 recordings that sold more than 50 million copies and g ...

(1968, Dot) * '' Manufacturers of Soul'' with

Jackie Wilson Jack Leroy "Jackie" Wilson Jr. (June 9, 1934 – January 21, 1984) was an American singer who was a prominent figure in the transition of rhythm and blues into soul. Nicknamed "Mr. Excitement", he was considered a master showman and one of th ...

(1968, Brunswick) * '' The Board of Directors Annual Report'' with The Mills Brothers (1968, Dot) * '' Basie Straight Ahead'' (1968, Dot) * ''

How About This ''How About This'' is an album by vocalist Kay Starr and pianist and bandleader Count Basie, released in 1969 by the Paramount Records label.Edwards, D. & Callahan, MParamount Album Discography accessed November 15, 2015 Background In the 1960s, ...

'' with

Kay Starr Kay Starr (born Catherine Laverne Starks; July 21, 1922 – November 3, 2016) was an American singer who enjoyed considerable success in the late 1940s and 1950s. She was of Iroquois and Irish heritage. Starr performed multiple genres, such as p ...

(1968, Paramount) * ''

Standing Ovation A standing ovation is a form of applause where members of a seated audience stand up while applauding, often after extraordinary performances of particularly high acclaim. Standing ovations are considered to be a special honor. Often they are ...

'' (live, 1969, Dot) * '' Basic Basie'' (1969, MPS) * '' Basie on the Beatles'' (1970, Happy Tiger) * ''

High Voltage High voltage electricity refers to electrical potential large enough to cause injury or damage. In certain industries, ''high voltage'' refers to voltage above a certain threshold. Equipment and conductors that carry high voltage warrant sp ...

'' (1970, MPS) * '' Afrique'' (1971,

Flying Dutchman The ''Flying Dutchman'' () is a legendary ghost ship, allegedly never able to make port, but doomed to sail the sea forever. The myths and ghost stories are likely to have originated from the 17th-century Golden Age of the Dutch East India C ...

) * ''

Have a Nice Day Have a nice day is a commonly spoken expression used to conclude a conversation (whether brief or extensive), or end a message by hoping the person to whom it is addressed experiences a pleasant day. It is often uttered by service employees to c ...

'' (1971, Daybreak) * '' Bing 'n' Basie'' with

Bing Crosby Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby Jr. (May 3, 1903 – October 14, 1977) was an American singer, comedian, entertainer and actor. The first multimedia star, he was one of the most popular and influential musical artists of the 20th century worldwi ...

(1972, Daybreak) * ''The Songs of Bessie Smith'' with

Teresa Brewer Teresa Brewer (born Theresa Veronica Breuer; May 7, 1931 – October 17, 2007) was an American singer whose style incorporated pop, country, jazz, R&B, musicals, and novelty songs. She was one of the most prolific and popular female singers of th ...

(1973, Flying Dutchman)

Pablo years

* ''Good Time Blues'' (live, 1970) * ''Flip, Flop & Fly'' with

Big Joe Turner Joseph Vernon "Big Joe" Turner Jr. (May 18, 1911 – November 24, 1985) was an American blues shouter from Kansas City, Missouri. According to songwriter Doc Pomus, "Rock and roll would have never happened without him". Turner's greatest fa ...

(live, 1972) * '' Jazz at Santa Monica Civic '72'' with Ella Fitzgerald (live, 1972) * '' Fun Time'' (live, 1975) * '' Basie Big Band'' (1975) * '' I Told You So'' (1976) * ''

Prime Time Prime time, or peak time, is the block of broadcast programming taking place during the middle of the evening for television shows. It is mostly targeted towards adults (and sometimes families). It is used by the major television networks to ...

'' (1977) * '' Montreux '77'' (live, 1977) * ''Milt Jackson + Count Basie + The Big Band, Vol.1'' (1978) * ''Milt Jackson + Count Basie + The Big Band, Vol.2'' (1978) * ''

Live in Japan '78 ''Live in Japan '78'' is a 1978 live album by Count Basie and his orchestra. Track listing #"The Heat's On" ( Sammy Nestico) – 3:13 #"Freckle Face" (Nestico) – 5:39 #"Ja-Da" (Bob Carlton) – 5:28 #"Things Ain't What They Used to Be" ( Mer ...

'' (live, 1978) * '' A Classy Pair'' with Ella Fitzgerald (1979) * ''

On the Road ''On the Road'' is a 1957 novel by American writer Jack Kerouac, based on the travels of Kerouac and his friends across the United States. It is considered a defining work of the postwar Beat and Counterculture generations, with its protagoni ...

'' (live, 1979) * '' A Perfect Match'' with Ella Fitzgerald (live, 1979) * ''

Digital III at Montreux ''Digital III at Montreux'' is a 1979 live album featuring a compilation of performances by Ella Fitzgerald, Count Basie, Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen, Joe Pass, and Ray Brown, recorded at the 1979 Montreux Jazz Festival. It was produced and ...

'' (live, 1979) * '' Kansas City Shout'' with Big Joe Turner (1980) * '' Warm Breeze'' (1980) * '' Send in the Clowns'' with Sarah Vaughan (1981) * '' Farmer's Market Barbecue'' (1982) * '' Me and You'' (1983) * '' 88 Basie Street'' (1983) * '' Fancy Pants'' (1983)

Post Count Basie albums

* ''Long Live the Chief'' (1986,

Denon is a Japanese electronics company dealing with audio equipment. The Denon brand came from a merger of Denki Onkyo (not to be confused with the other Onkyo) and others in 1939. It originally started as Nippon Chikuonki Shoukai in 1910 by Freder ...

) * '' Diane Schuur & the Count Basie Orchestra'' with

Diane Schuur Diane Joan Schuur (born December 10, 1953), nicknamed "Deedles", is an American jazz singer and pianist. As of 2015, Schuur had released 23 albums, and had extended her jazz repertoire to include essences of Latin, gospel, pop and country musi ...

(live, 1987, GRP) * '' Big Boss Band'' with

George Benson George Washington Benson (born March 22, 1943) is an American jazz fusion guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He began his professional career at the age of 19 as a jazz guitarist. A former child prodigy, Benson first came to prominence in the ...

(1990, Warner Bros.) * ''The Legend, the Legacy'' (1990, Denon) * '' Freddie Freeloader'' with

Jon Hendricks John Carl Hendricks (September 16, 1921 – November 22, 2017), known professionally as Jon Hendricks, was an American jazz lyricist and singer. He is one of the originators of vocalese, which adds lyrics to existing instrumental songs and re ...

(1990, Denon) * ''Corner Pocket'' (live, 1992, LaserLight) * ''The Count Basie Orchestra Live at El Morocco'' (live, 1992,

Telarc Telarc International Corporation is an American audiophile independent record label founded in 1977 by two classically trained musicians and former teachers, Jack Renner and Robert Woods. Based in Cleveland, Ohio, the label has had a long assoc ...

) * ''Joe Williams and the Count Basie Orchestra'' with Joe Williams (live, 1993, Telarc) * ''Basie's Bag'' (live, 1994, Telarc) * ''Jazzin' '' with

Tito Puente Ernest Anthony Puente Jr. (April 20, 1923 – May 31, 2000), commonly known as Tito Puente, was an American musician, songwriter, bandleader, timbalero, and record producer. He composed dance-oriented mambo and Latin jazz music. He was also k ...

and India (1996, RMM) * '' Live at Manchester Craftsmen's Guild'' (live, 1996, Blue Jackel) * '' At Long Last'' with

Rosemary Clooney Rosemary Clooney (May 23, 1928 – June 29, 2002) was an American singer and actress. She came to prominence in the early 1950s with the song "Come On-a My House", which was followed by other pop numbers such as "Botch-a-Me (Ba-Ba-Baciami Piccin ...

(1998,

Concord Jazz Concord Jazz is a record company and label founded in 1973 by Carl Jefferson, the former owner of Jefferson Motors Lincoln Mercury dealership in Concord, California. The label was named after the city in the East San Francisco Bay area, and the ...

) * ''Count Plays Duke'' (1998,

MAMA Mama(s) or Mamma or Momma may refer to: Roles *Mother, a female parent * Mama-san, in Japan and East Asia, a woman in a position of authority *Maternal uncle, in some parts of South Asia Places * Mama, Russia, an urban-type settlement in the Mam ...

) * ''Swing Shift'' (1999, MAMA) * ''Basie is Back: Recorded Live in Japan'' (2006, Village Music/Eighty-Eight's/Concord) * '' Ray Sings, Basie Swings'' with

(2006, Concord) * '' Sinatra: Vegas'' with

(live, compilation) (2006, Reprise) 4-CD + DVD * '' A Swingin' Christmas (Featuring The Count Basie Big Band)'' with

(2008, Columbia) * ''Swinging, Singing, Playing'' (2009, Mack Avenue) * '' A Very Swingin' Basie Christmas!'' (2015, Concord) * '' All About That Basie'' (2018, Concord) * ''Standing Room Only'' with Frank Sinatra (live, compilation, 2018, Capitol) * ''Live at Birdland'' (2021, Candid) 2-CD * ''Basie Swings the Blues'' (Candid, 2023)

References

Other sources

* Atkins, Ronald, ed. (2000), ''Jazz: From New Orleans to the New Jazz Age''. London: Carlton Books * Stowe, David W. "Jazz in the West: Cultural Frontier and Region During the Swing Era", ''

The Western Historical Quarterly The Western History Association (WHA), a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, was founded in 1961 at Santa Fe, New Mexico by Ray Allen Billington, et al. Included in the field of study are the American West and western Canada. The Western History ...

'', Vol. 23, No. 1. Utah:

Utah State University Utah State University (USU or Utah State) is a public university, public land grant colleges, land-grant research university with its main campus in Logan, Utah, United States. Founded in 1888 under the Morrill Land-Grant Acts as Utah's federal ...

, February 1992.

External links

Count Basie Orchestra - Official website

Mack Avenue Artist Page

CNN 2010 Interview
{{Authority control Big bands Count Basie Grammy Award winners Jazz ensembles from Missouri Musical groups established in 1936 Pablo Records artists Summit Records artists