Best Known For: 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. He's not limited to anything. His father was a railroad worker. The key factor in popularizing it was a series of repetitions of the final few bars when, as the orchestra seemingly came to the end of the piece, Mr. Basie held up a finger and called out, ''One mo' time! [11] " Police deemed it suicide, Kuehl having supposedly jumped from her hotel room, although there was no proof of this", [3] and her family believes she may have been murdered. Add to your scrapbook. Even more important was the fact that the Famous Door had national and local radio wires. Recordings made during this and subsequent periods suggest Young was beginning to make much greater use of a plastic reed, which tended to give his playing a somewhat heavier, breathier tone (although still quite smooth compared to that of many other players). [4][12], Nestico published nearly 600 numbers for school groups and many for professional big bands. He was soon court-martialed. Don Byron recorded the album Ivey-Divey in gratitude for what he learned from studying Lester Young's work, modeled after a 1946 trio date with Buddy Rich and Nat King Cole. Basie decided to form a medium-sized band in 1950, juggling combinations of all-star . Weve updated the security on the site. They hate hypocrisy and gossip and can sometimes be a bit arrogant and impatient. Stranded in Kansas City, Missouri, in 1927, Basie remained there and eventually (in 1935) assumed the leadership of a nine-piece band composed of former members of the Walter Page and Bennie Moten orchestras. 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. Coming to prominence while a member of Count Basie's orchestra, Young was one of the most influential players on his instrument. This classic session finds the great tenor in particularly expressive form.[19]. Death rate from chronic respiratory diseases. It had continued success throughout the war years, but, like all big bands, it had declined in popularity by the end of the 1940s. ''He was a wonderful man. To preserve these articles as they originally appeared, The Times does not alter, edit or update them. Holiday toured with the Count Basie Orchestra in 1937. His father was a student of the mellophone, and his mother was a pianist. At a White House reception, President Reagan said that Mr. Basie was ''among the handful of musicians that helped change the path of American music in the 30's and the 40's'' and that he had ''revolutionized jazz.''. Most Common Causes of Death in The US - USAFacts Failed to remove flower. A system error has occurred. There was an error deleting this problem. standing for detention barracks).[16]. For a smaller band, the Savoy Sultans had a great swing thing going. You are nearing the transfer limit for memorials managed by Find a Grave. "[27] Holiday died four months later on July 17, 1959 at age 44. With vocals by Jimmy Rushing, the band set up shop to perform at Kansas City's Reno Club. In 1952 he was featured on Lester Young with the Oscar Peterson Trio, released in 1954 on Norgran. Other than in the last two visualizations, this piece uses a measure called the age-adjusted death rate. Red Bank, Monmouth County, New Jersey, USA. A few of his songs were inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame as well, including "April in Paris" and "Everyday I Have the Blues.". But I wanted that bite to be just as tasty and subtle as if it were the three brass I used to use. The family always owned a piano, and Lilly Ann paid twenty-five cents per lesson to . You need a Find a Grave account to continue. Please check back soon for updates. Jones performed regularly in later years at the West End jazz club at 116th and Broadway in New York City. In 1979, Jones was inducted into the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame for his contribution to the Birmingham, Alabama musical heritage. Number of deaths by cause - Our World in Data The ''book'' of this early Basie band was based on blues and riffs developed on a blues structure. He also received a distinguished alumni award from Duquesne, and in 1994 was inducted into Duquesne's "Century Club". "[4][9], After leaving the military, Nestico became a freelance arranger. "[25], Young made his final studio recordings and live performances in Paris in March 1959 with drummer Kenny Clarke at the tail end of an abbreviated European tour during which he ate next to nothing and drank heavily. You can't have a Count Basie collection without going back to the beginning. He received an Honorary Doctorate from the Berklee College of Music. Known as Papa Jo Jones in his later years, he is sometimes confused with another influential jazz drummer, Philly Joe Jones. 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. Biography and associated logos are trademarks of A+E Networksprotected in the US and other countries around the globe. Occupation (s) Musician. [35], On 17 March 2003, Young was added to the ASCAP Jazz Wall of Fame, along with Sidney Bechet, Al Cohn, Nat "King" Cole, Peggy Lee and Teddy Wilson. The pianist in the combo gave up his seat to Mr. Basie who sat down, tinkled a few introductory notes, looked up at the drummer, nodded at the rest of the group and, when the combo took off, the musicians were playing as brilliantly and cleanly as they had been disheveled only a few moments before. Young played clarinet as well as tenor in these sessions. In 1950, when big bands were falling apart, Mr. Basie cut down to an eight-piece group but by 1952 he was leading a big band once again. The band will continue under the guidance of Aaron Woodward, an adopted son of Mr. Basie who has worked closely with the orchestra leader during the last year. In his hometown of Red Bank, there is now a Count Basie Theatre and a Count Basie Field. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Year should not be greater than current year. He was one of the greatest bandleaders of all-time, epitomizing the jazz of south-western America. Please reset your password. ''He was the only leader in the business who ever went out of his way to help me,'' Mr. Basie said later. His father Harvey was a mellophonist and his mother Lillian was a pianist who gave her son his first lessons. Recorded on a home recorder. This effort eventually resulted in the release of 63 albums by Time Life. Butch Miles Cause of Death? Drummer of the Count Basie Orchestra Passed His daughter, Diane Basie, now 71 and living in Florida. Lester married three times. His autobiography, The Gift of Music, was published in 2009. Count Basie was born in Red Bank. Please try again later. The early Basie band was also noted for its legendary soloists and outstanding rhythm section. Count Basie | YourDictionary He flicked out tightly economical, single-finger passages, directing his musicians with a glance, a lift of an eyebrow or a note hit gently but positively in passing. JUMP TO: Count Basies biography, facts, family, personal life, zodiac, videos and related celebs. Billie Holiday - Movie, Death & Strange Fruit - Biography Birthday: August 21, 1904 Date of Death: April 26, 1984 Age at Death: 79 Live Live Death Statistics Worldwide and The United States Count Basie - Biography Death rate by cause. He began working as an arranger for Count Basie in 1967, and wrote and arranged all the music for Basie's 1968 LP Basie Straight Ahead. ''And that's when the whole fire started,'' said Mr. Alexander. Biography - A Short Wiki Swing-era bandleader noted for his theme songs One O'Clock Jump from 1937 and April in Paris from 1932. In 1981 OyamO (Charles F. Gordon) published the book The Resurrection of Lady Lester, subtitled "A Poetic Mood Song Based on the Legend of Lester Young", depicting Young's life. Nestico continued to provide arrangements for Basie until Basie's death in 1984, and four of Nestico's collaborations with Basie earned Grammy . Causes of deaths for children between 5 and 14. Found more than one record for entered Email, You need to confirm this account before you can sign in. [17] Young's playing and health went into a crisis, culminating in a November 1955 hospital admission following a nervous breakdown. Throughout the 1940s and 50s, Young occasionally played as a featured guest with the Count Basie Orchestra. Especially noteworthy were the albums featuring the duo of Basie and Oscar Peterson, with Basies economy and Petersons dexterous virtuosity proving an effective study in contrasts. The pianist Count Basie died at the age of 79. Death rate from cardiovascular disease. [4][17], Nestico also had a career in music education, teaching at the University of Georgia from 1998 to 1999, where he taught orchestration and conducted the studio orchestra; after which he retired to Carlsbad, California, near San Diego. It is also known as being the most generous and noble of signs. 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. From 1935 to his death in 1984, pianist and bandleader Count Basie led one of the most important jazz institutions of the 20th century, in the process forging a distinctive sound that changed the . In September 1944, Young and Jo Jones were in Los Angeles with the Basie Band when they were inducted into the U.S. Army. The Basie band kept working into the 1970s, with the Count in his yachting cap that he had adopted in the 1960s, but his age and changing fashion eventually caught up with him. From the Grand Terrace, it moved on to New York and Roseland Ballroom (playing opposite Woody Herman's new, young band) where listeners complained that it was out of tune (not a surprising reaction since many of Mr. Basie's musicians were blowing patched-up horns and saxophones held together by rubber bands). For many of the other participants, the photo shoot was the last time they saw him alive; he was the first musician in the famous photo to pass away. Like many famous people and celebrities, Count Basie kept his personal life private. Cholera deaths in Great Britain over the long-term. While he was in his late teens, he gravitated to Harlem, where he encountered Fats Waller. All photos uploaded successfully, click on the Done button to see the photos in the gallery. Count Basie Death Fact Check, Birthday & Date of Death [34], Peter Straub's short story collection Magic Terror (2000) contains a story called "Pork Pie Hat", a fictionalized account of the life of Lester Young. Jo Jones - Wikipedia Allmusic's Scott Yanow, reviewing one of the albums, Pres and Teddy, commented: Although it has been written much too often that Lester Young declined rapidly from the mid-'40s on, the truth is that when he was healthy, Young played at his very best during the '50s, adding an emotional intensity to his sound that had not been present during the more carefree days of the '30s. A band leader and pioneer in jazz percussion, Jones anchored the Count Basie Orchestra rhythm section from 1934 to 1948. Young is a major character in English writer Geoff Dyer's 1991 fictional book about jazz, But Beautiful. Count Basie, the jazz pianist whose spare, economic keyboard style and supple rhythmic drive made his orchestra one of the most influential groups of the Big Band era, died of cancer yesterday. The best of Count Basie: Five essential albums - JAZZ.FM91 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 Gonzel White show was stranded in Kansas City, Mo., a fateful location for Mr. Basie. In the 1986 film Round Midnight, the fictional main character Dale Turner, played by Dexter Gordon, was partly based on Young incorporating flashback references to his army experiences, and loosely depicting his time in Paris and his return to New York just before his death. Are you sure that you want to report this flower to administrators as offensive or abusive? This second-generation big band differed from the early one in that it depended on arrangers for its basic style, a smooth, rolling, highly polished swing style for which Neal Hefti (''Li'l Darlin' ''), Ernie Wilkins and Frank Foster (''Shiny Stockings'') were among the most notable orchestrators. Bookmark this page and come back often for updates. This three-CD compilation celebrates the band's legendary Decca studio recordings made in New York when it was a hard-driving swing outfit on its way to becoming an American institution. 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. Arrangers Neal Hefti, Buster Harding, and Ernie Wilkins defined the new bands sound on recordings such as Lil Darlin, The Kid from Red Bank, Cute, and April in Paris and on celebrated albums such as The Atomic Mr. Basie (1957). It was on one of these broadcasts that Bill Basie became Count Basie. Jazz Musician. Count was 79 years old at the time of death. He was one of the greatest bandleaders of all-time, epitomizing the jazz of south-western America. All photos appear on this tab and here you can update the sort order of photos on memorials you manage. Duffy Jackson, a drummer whose swinging exuberance propelled him from child stardom to a prolific career behind Lionel Hampton, Ella Fitzgerald, Lena Horne and many others, died on Wednesday in Nashville, Tenn. Then, as far as this guy Ellington is concerned, you can never tell what he's going to do. Family members linked to this person will appear here. [7] Young left the family band in 1927 at the age of 18 because he refused to tour in the Southern United States, where Jim Crow laws were in effect and racial segregation was required in public facilities. Many of Basies albums of the 70s were Grammy Award winners or nominees. Your new password must contain one or more uppercase and lowercase letters, and one or more numbers or special characters. He was famous for being a Pianist. In 2021, Nestico died in Carlsbad, California, at the age of 96. [3], For the fictional television character, see, Last edited on 26 February 2023, at 08:43, The Coleman Hawkins, Roy Eldridge, Pete Brown, Jo Jones All Stars at Newport, Mae Barnes, Jo Jones, Buck Clayton, Ray Bryant, The Oscar Peterson Trio with Sonny Stitt, Roy Eldridge and Jo Jones at Newport, Sonny Stitt Plays Arrangements from the Pen of Quincy Jones, Jazz Icons: Coleman Hawkins-Live in 62 & 64, "Book Review: The Life and Opinions of Papa Jo Jones", "Jo Jones, 73, A Jazz Drummer Influential in Swing Era, Dies", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Jo_Jones&oldid=1141690806, This page was last edited on 26 February 2023, at 08:43. Basie studied music with his mother and was later influenced by the Harlem pianists James P. Johnson and Fats Waller, receiving informal tutelage on the organ from the latter. He was a fine pianist and leader of one of the greatest jazz bands in history. Use Escape keyboard button or the Close button to close the carousel. The greatest overall compatibility with Leo is Aquarius, Gemini. His experience inspired his composition "D.B. Breakthrough on 52d Street. Count Basie - Wikipedia Basie is a member of the New Jersey Hall of Fame as well as the Blues Hall of Fame. If you have questions, please contact [emailprotected]. Mausoleum, South Forsythia Court, Row 57, Tier D, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/1664/count-basie. ABC World News Tonight feature on death of Count Basie on - YouTube In addition to his artistry on the drums, Jones was known for his irascible, combative temperament. I wanted those three trumpets and two trombones to bite with real guts. Directing With a Glance Mr. Basie, a short, stocky, taciturn but witty man who liked to wear a yachting cap offstage, presided over the band at the piano with apparent utmost casualness. and the bebop revolution of the mid-1940s all played a role in the death of the big-band era. [4] Lester had two siblings a brother, Leonidas Raymond, known as Lee Young, who became a drummer, and a sister, Irma Cornelia. Count Basie, 79, Band Leader and Master of Swing, Dead Close this window, and upload the photo(s) again. Throughout the 1960s, Basies recordings were often uninspired and marred by poor choice of material, but he remained an exceptional concert performer and made fine records with singers Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, and Frank Sinatra. [1], Known for his hip, introverted style,[2] he invented or popularized much of the hipster jargon which came to be associated with the music. Thanks for using Find a Grave, if you have any feedback we would love to hear from you. During childhood, Sammy Americanized his name to Samuel Louis Nestico. [4][5][6][7] After leaving the military, he completed a degree in music education at Duquesne University. In fact, the only reason I enlarged the brass was to get a richer harmonic structure. Despite the presence of Lester Young and Herschel Evans in the saxophone section, Buck Clayton in the trumpet section, Jo Jones on drums, with Jimmy Rushing and, briefly, Billie Holiday as vocalists, the Basie band struggled for a year after it left Kansas City. Please enter your email and password to sign in. [18] In 1956, he recorded two LPs with his 1930s collaborators Teddy Wilson and Jo Jones. You may not upload any more photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 20 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 5 photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 30 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 15 photos to this memorial. His second great band, from the 1950s onwards, relied more on arrangements, typically from Neil Hefti and Ernie Wilkin's. Discography. Young's playing style influenced many other tenor saxophonists, including Stan Getz, as well as Zoot Sims, Al Cohn, Warne Marsh, as well as baritone saxophonist Gerry Mulligan and alto saxophonists Lee Konitz, and Paul Desmond. Pop Tunes With a Kick, ''Of course, I wanted to play real jazz. The band itself carried on into the next century, with Thad Jones, Frank Foster, and Grover Mitchell each assuming leadership for various intervals. In December 1943, Young returned to the Basie fold for a 10-month stint, cut short by his being drafted into the army during World War II. After earning his degree, Nestico then returned to the military, where he arranged music for the United States Air Force Band (19501963), as well as leading the Glenn Miller Army Air Corps dance band, which would later become known as the Airmen of Note. He rose to fame after taking over Bennie Moten's band in 1935. As manager of this memorial you can add or update the memorial using the Edit button below. She gave Lester the nickname "Prez" after President Franklin Roosevelt, the "greatest man around" in Billie's mind. Lester Willis Young (August 27, 1909 March 15, 1959), nicknamed "Pres" or "Prez", was an American jazz tenor saxophonist and occasional clarinetist. They had two children: Lester W. Young Jr. (born 1947) and Yvette Young (born 1957). Young's solo was brilliant, acclaimed by some observers as an unparalleled marvel of economy, phrasing and extraordinarily moving emotion; Nat Hentoff, one of the show's producers, later commented, "Lester got up, and he played the purest blues I have ever heard in the control room we were all crying. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Learn more about managing a memorial . His playing in the Basie band was characterized by a relaxed style which contrasted sharply with the more forceful approach of Coleman Hawkins, the dominant tenor sax player of the day. You are only allowed to leave one flower per day for any given memorial. 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. In 1958, Count Basie became the first African-American male recipient of a Grammy Award. Are you adding a grave photo that will fulfill this request? He worked as an orchestrator and arranger for the film The Color Purple. During this period Young accompanied the singer Billie Holiday in a couple of studio sessions (19371941) and also made a small set of recordings with Nat "King" Cole (their first of several collaborations) in June 1942. Due to changing fortunes and an altered musical landscape, Basie was forced to scale down the size of his orchestra at the start of the 1950s, but he soon made a comeback and returned to his big-band structure in 1952, recording new hits with vocalist Joe Williams and becoming an international figure. Translation on Find a Grave is an ongoing project. During a radio broadcast of the band's performance, the announcer wanted to give Basie's name some pizazz, keeping in mind the existence of other bandleaders like .css-47aoac{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-thickness:0.0625rem;text-decoration-color:inherit;text-underline-offset:0.25rem;color:#A00000;-webkit-transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;}.css-47aoac:hover{color:#595959;text-decoration-color:border-link-body-hover;}Duke Ellington and Earl Hines. Please contact Find a Grave at [emailprotected] if you need help resetting your password. cemeteries found within kilometers of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. George Wein, producer of the festival, announced yesterday that this year's festival would be dedicated to Mr. Basie and that the June 30 program would be enlarged as a ''Salute to Count Basie.''. Your account has been locked for 30 minutes due to too many failed sign in attempts. This account already exists, but the email address still needs to be confirmed. Biography - Count Basie - Rutgers University The legendary Billie Holiday was a vocalist with Basie for a short stint (193738), 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 bandpianist Basie, guitarist Freddie Green (who joined the Basie band in 1937 and stayed for 50 years), bassist Walter Page, and drummer Jo Joneswas unique in its lightness, precision, and relaxation, becoming the precursor for modern jazz accompanying styles. Please enter your email address and we will send you an email with a reset password code. With Mr. Basie's 13 men in full cry at one end of this elongated closet, the sound ricocheting off the walls and rocketing down from the low ceiling, no listener could escape the exhilarating power of the band. Unexpected Death of Ronald McFadden's Shocks Jazz Scene, Community William J. "Count" Basie Biography - Count Basie Theatre Within less than six months, however, Mr. Basie was back at the keyboard. Discover what happened on this day. Linda Lipnack Kuehl - Wikipedia Thank you for fulfilling this photo request. On December 8, 1957, Young appeared with Billie Holiday, Coleman Hawkins, Ben Webster, Roy Eldridge, and Gerry Mulligan in the CBS television special The Sound of Jazz, performing Holiday's tune "Fine and Mellow." Failed to report flower. Then he said, 'Bill, I think I'll call you Count Basie from now on. From Bill to Count. At age 17, Nestico joined the ABC radio station WCAE in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania as a trombonist. Who are the richest people in the world? Young is described as playing the clarinet in a "liquid, nervous style. His piano style, which often seemed bare and simple, was an exquisitely realized condensation of the florid ''stride'' style of Fats Waller and James P. Johnson with whom Mr. Basie started. He subsequently led a number of small groups that often included his brother, drummer Lee Young, for the next couple of years; live and broadcast recordings from this period exist. Quickly see who the memorial is for and when they lived and died and where they are buried. By the time he was ten, he had learned the basics of the trumpet, violin, and drums, and joined the Young Family Band touring with carnivals and playing in regional cities in the Southwest[6][2], In his teens he and his father clashed, and he often left home for long periods. Through Mr. Waller, Mr. Basie got a job as accompanist with a vaudeville act called Katie Crippen and Her Kids. He was a fine pianist and leader of one of the greatest jazz bands in history. The pianist Count Basie died at the age of 79. When jazz record producer Norman Granz formed his Pablo label in the 1970s, several established jazz artists, including Basie, signed on in order to record unfettered by commercial demands. The causes of death rooted in complex mental health and substance abuse issues, such as drug overdoses and suicide, comprise a relatively small portion of deaths, but are increasing faster than most other causes. Another cause for the thickening of his tone around this time was a change in saxophone mouthpiece from a metal Otto Link to an ebonite Brilhart. Resend Activation Email, Please check the I'm not a robot checkbox, If you want to be a Photo Volunteer you must enter a ZIP Code or select your location on the map. Count Basie, the jazz pianist whose spare, economic keyboard style and supple rhythmic drive made his orchestra one of the most influential groups of the Big Band era, died of cancer yesterday morning at Doctors' Hospital in Hollywood, Fla. For memorials with more than one photo, additional photos will appear here or on the photos tab. This memorial has been copied to your clipboard. Jones died of pneumonia in New York City at the age of 73. You can always change this later in your Account settings. An email has been sent to the person who requested the photo informing them that you have fulfilled their request, There is an open photo request for this memorial. He is survived by a daughter, Diane Basie of Freeport. In January 1956, he recorded two Granz-produced sessions including a reunion with pianist Teddy Wilson, trumpet player Roy Eldridge, trombonist Vic Dickenson, bassist Gene Ramey, and drummer Jo Jones which were issued as The Jazz Giants '56 and Pres and Teddy albums. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. [21][22] Both hold a PhD in Education, according to drummer Roy Haynes, who was interviewed as part of an attempt to create a film biography of Young. Singer Joe Williams, whose authoritative, blues-influenced vocals can be heard on hit recordings such as Every Day I Have the Blues and Alright, Okay, You Win, was also a major component in the bands success. Not loud and fast, understand, but smoothly and with a definite punch. Is that all right with you?' This stemmed primarily from the presence in the rhythm section, from 1937 to the present, of both Mr. Basie on piano and Freddie Green on guitar. Duffy Jackson, with bassist Jim Furgeson, at Rudy's Jazz Room in Nashville. The Blue Devils was the first big band I ever had a chance to get close to and really listen to, and it was the greatest thing I had ever heard. Verify and try again. [6], In 1933, Young settled in Kansas City, where after playing briefly in several bands, he rose to prominence with Count Basie. William James " Count " Basie ( / besi /; August 21, 1904 - April 26, 1984) [1] was an American jazz pianist, organist, bandleader, and composer. On a flight to New York City, he suffered from internal bleeding due to the effects of alcoholism and died in the early morning hours of March 15, 1959, only hours after arriving back in New York, at the age of 49.[26]. Lester Young also had a direct influence on the young Charlie Parker, and thus the entire be-bop movement. Please complete the captcha to let us know you are a real person. [4] to Lizetta Young (ne Johnson), and Willis Handy Young, originally from Louisiana.
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