The Count Basie Orchestra is a 16 to 18 piece big band, one of the most prominent jazz performing groups of the

swing era The swing era (also frequently referred to as the big band era) was the period (1933–1947) when big band swing music was the most popular music in the United States. Though this was its most popular period, the music had actually been aroun ...

, founded by Count Basie 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 and Lester Young in the line-up, the band in the 1950s and 1960s made use of the work of such arrangers as Neal Hefti and featured musicians such as Thad Jones and Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis. Its recordings of this era included collaborations with singers such as

Frank Sinatra Francis Albert Sinatra (; December 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998) was an American singer and actor. Nicknamed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Chairman of the Board" and later called "Ol' Blue Eyes", Sinatra was one of the most popular ...

and Ella Fitzgerald.

History

Early years

Count Basie 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 ...

, Missouri in 1927, playing on the Theater Owners Bookers Association (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 Orchestr ...

's Blue Devils, in 1929 he joined rival band leader Bennie Moten'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 Joe Keyes may refer to: * Joe Keyes (musician) * Joe Keyes (rugby league) Joseph Keyes (born 17 September 1995) is an Ireland international rugby league footballer who plays as a and for the Halifax Panthers in the Betfred Championship. He h ...

and Oran 'Hot Lips' Page on trumpet, Buster Smith and Earle Warren on alto saxophone, Lester Young 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 sec ...

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 exte ...

" to club audiences, coupling extended improvised solos with riff-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. 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 big band line-up. He also offered to transfer the group to New York City in order to play at venues such as the Roseland Ballroom. 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 Buck Clayton on trumpet and the famous blues "shouter" Jimmy Rushing, 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 pianist, composer, and leader of his eponymous jazz orchestra from 1923 through the rest of his life. Born and raised in Washington, D.C., Ellington was based ...

and Sy Oliver 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 Edward Lewis may refer to: Politicians *Edward Lewis (Devizes MP) (1650–1674), British MP for Devizes, 1669–1674 *Edward Lewis (Radnor MP), British MP for Radnor, 1761–1768, 1769–1774 and 1775–1790 *Edward Parke Custis Lewis (1837–1892 ...

and Bobby Moore replaced Keyes and Smith, and Earle Warren replaced the alto saxophonist Coughey Roberts. In March 1937 the guitarist Freddie Green arrived, replacing Claude Williams and completing what became one of the most respected

s in big band history. Billie Holiday also sang with the band during this period, although she never recorded with them for contractual reasons. Hits such as " One O'Clock Jump" and "Jumpin' at the Woodside" (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, 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 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 which originated in the Deep South of the United States around the 1860s. Blues incorporated spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts, chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads from the Afr ...

style of Jimmy Rushing.

The 1940s

The band became increasingly dependent on arrangers to provide its music. These varied from players within the band, such as Eddie Durham and Buck Clayton, to professional arrangers from outside the group, who could bring their own character to the band with each new piece. External arranger Andy Gibson 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 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 Cle ...

and veteran arranger Jimmy Mundy 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''. She was born in Brooklyn, New York, the only child of Fred and Mary C ...

replaced Helen Humes as the new female vocalist, notably recording "

I Didn't Know About You "I Didn't Know About You" is a song composed by Duke Ellington, with lyrics written by Bob Russell. Recorded in 1944 with vocal by Joya Sherrill, it was based on an instrumental first recorded by Ellington in 1942 under the title "Sentimental Lad ...

" for

Columbia Records Columbia Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music, Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the North American division of Japanese Conglomerate (company), conglomerate Sony. It was founded on Janua ...

. 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 8-piece was not to last. During the World War II years, some of the key members of the band left: the drummer

and tenor saxophone player Lester Young were both conscripted in 1944, leading to the hiring of drummers such as Buddy Rich and extra tenor saxophonists, including Illinois Jacquet,

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 Blue ...

and Lucky Thompson. The musicologist Gunther Schuller 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, i ...

, 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, 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 6 and 9 people, featuring performers such as Buddy Rich, Serge Chaloff and Buddy DeFranco.

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,

, Ella Fitzgerald 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 ...

. All relied on contributions from arrangers, some of whom are now synonymous with the Basie band: Neal Hefti, Quincy Jones and Sammy Nestico. 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 ''The Atomic Mr. Basie'' (originally called ''Basie'', also known as ''E=MC2'' and reissued in 1994 as ''The Complete Atomic Basie'') is a 1958 album by Count Basie and his orchestra. Allmusic gave it 5 stars, reviewer Bruce Eder saying: "it too ...

'' (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 Lester Young and Buck Clayton, now the focus had shifted to the arrangements, despite the presence of soloists such as trumpeter Thad Jones 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'', Gunther Schuller described the group as "perfected neo-classicism...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

The 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 the band's early hit " One O'clock Jump," and "April in Paris." The Basie band still collaborates with high-profile singers such as Ray Charles in ''

Ray Sings, Basie Swings ''Ray Sings, Basie Swings'' is an album that mixes previously unreleased Ray Charles vocal performances from 1973 with newly recorded instrumental tracks by the contemporary Count Basie Orchestra. Track listing # " Oh, What a Beautiful Morning" ...

'' (2006), and with Allyn Ferguson 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 Thad Jones, Frank Foster, Grover Mitchell, Bill Hughes, and Dennis Mackrel. The band is currently under the direction of trumpeter Scotty Barnhart.

Leaders of the Count Basie Orchestra

* Count Basie 1935–1984 * Thad Jones 1985–1986 * Frank Foster 1986–1995 * Grover Mitchell 1995–2003 * Bill Hughes 2003–Sept. 2010 * Dennis Mackrel 2010–2013 * Scotty Barnhart 2013–present

Awards and honors

* 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 * 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)

1939–1950, Columbia and RCA labels

* ''Super Chief'' (1936–1942,

Columbia Columbia may refer to: * Columbia (personification), the historical female national personification of the United States, and a poetic name for America Places North America Natural features * Columbia Plateau, a geologic and geographic region in ...

) * ''The Complete Count Basie, Volumes 1-10'' (1936–1941, CBS) * ''The Complete Count Basie, Volumes 11-20'' (1941–1951, CBS) * ''Count Basie, Volume 1: The Count and the President'' (1936–1939, CBS) * ''Count Basie, Volume 2: Lester Leaps In'' (1939–1940, CBS) * ''Count Basie, Volume 3: Don for Prez'' (1940–1941, CBS) * ''Count Basie, Volume 4: One O'Clock Jump'' (1941–1942, CBS) * ''Count Basie, Volume 5: Avenue C'' (1942, 1945–46, CBS) * ''Count Basie, Volume 6: The Orchestra and the Octet'' (1946, 1950–51, CBS) * ''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 sessions, reissued on Definitive) * ''Kansas City Powerhouse'' (1929–1932, 1947–1949, RCA/Bluebird) * ''Planet Jazz'' (1929–1932, 1947–1949, RCA/BMG)

The 1950s

* '' The Count!'' (1952 955 Clef) * '' Basie Jazz'' (1952 954 Clef) * ''

Basie Rides Again! ''Basie Rides Again!'' is an album by pianist/bandleader Count Basie recorded in 1952 and originally released on the Clef Records, Clef label in 1956.

'' (1952

956 Year 956 ( CMLVI) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Byzantine Empire * Summer – Emperor Constantine VII appoints Nikephoros Phokas to commander of the ...

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'' (1954, Roost) -

Stan Getz Stanley Getz (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 wispy, mellow timbre of ...

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 ho ...

) * '' The Greatest!! Count Basie Plays, Joe Williams Sings Standards'' with Joe Williams (1956, Verve) * '' Metronome All-Stars 1956'' (1956, Clef) with Ella Fitzgerald 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) * '' One O'Clock Jump'' with Joe Williams and Ella Fitzgerald (1957, Verve) * ''

Count Basie at Newport ''Count Basie at Newport'' is a live album by jazz musician Count Basie and his orchestra. It was originally issued as Verve MGV 8243 and included only the tracks 1-7 and 13. Tracks 9-12 originally included in ''Count Basie & Joe Williams/Dizzy ...

'' (live, 1957, Verve) * ''

'' (1958,

Roulette Roulette is a casino game named after the French word meaning ''little wheel'' which was likely developed from the Italian game Biribi''.'' In the game, a player may choose to place a bet on a single number, various groupings of numbers, the ...

) * ''

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 Discography ...

'' (1958, Roulette) * ''

No Count Sarah ''No Count Sarah'' is a 1958 studio album by the American jazz singer Sarah Vaughan. The title refers to the fact that Vaughan was accompanied by the Count Basie Orchestra, but without Count Basie. Reviewing the album for Allmusic, Scott Yanow g ...

'' with

Sarah Vaughan Sarah Lois Vaughan (March 27, 1924 – April 3, 1990) was an American jazz singer. Nicknamed "Sassy" and "Jazz royalty, The Divine One", she won two Grammy Awards, including the Lifetime Achievement Award, and was nominated for a total of nine ...

(1958,

EmArcy EmArcy Records is a jazz record label founded in 1954 by 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, Clifford Brown ...

) * ''

Sing Along with Basie ''Sing Along with Basie'' is an album by vocalese jazz group Lambert, Hendricks & Ross with Joe Williams and the Count Basie Orchestra recorded in 1958 and originally released on the Roulette label.Kitora, R.Count Basie Discography Retrieved Nov ...

'' with Joe Williams and Lambert, Hendricks & Ross (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) * '' Not Now, I'll Tell You When'' (1958, Roulette) * '' Welcome to the Club'' with Nat King Cole (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! ''In Person!'' is a 1959 album by Tony Bennett, accompanied by the Count Basie Orchestra. The album was originally intended to be a live recording of a November 1958 performance at Philadelphia's Latin Casino, but the mono recording of the concer ...

'' (with Tony Bennett, 1959, Columbia) * ''

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

'' (1959, Roulette) * '' Strike Up the Band'' with Tony Bennett (1959, Roulette) * '' Everyday I Have the Blues'' with Joe Williams (1959, Roulette) * '' Dance Along with Basie'' (1959, Roulette)

The 1960s

* '' I Gotta Right to Swing'' with

Sammy Davis, Jr. Samuel George Davis Jr. (December 8, 1925 – May 16, 1990) was an American singer, dancer, actor, comedian, film producer and television director. At age three, Davis began his career in vaudeville with his father Sammy Davis Sr. and the ...

(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 ''Kansas City Suite'' (subtitled ''The Music of Benny Carter'') is an album by pianist, composer and bandleader Count Basie featuring tracks recorded in 1960 and originally released on the Roulette label.Kitora, R.Count Basie Discography - 1960-1 ...

'' composed by Benny Carter (1960, Roulette) * ''

Count Basie/Sarah Vaughan ''Count Basie/Sarah Vaughan'' is a 1961 album by the American jazz singer Sarah Vaughan, accompanied by the Count Basie Orchestra, with arrangements by Frank Foster, Thad Jones and Ernie Wilkins. According to James Gavin's liner notes to the 199 ...

'' 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.Duke Ellington Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington (April 29, 1899 – May 24, 1974) was an American jazz pianist, composer, and leader of his eponymous jazz orchestra from 1923 through the rest of his life. Born and raised in Washington, D.C., Ellington was based ...

(1961, Columbia) * '' The Legend'' composed by Benny Carter (1961, Roulette) * ''

Basie at Birdland ''Basie at Birdland'' is a 1961 live album by the Count Basie Orchestra that was recorded at Birdland in New York City. Reception The Allmusic review by Michael G. Nastos gave the album four stars, stating, "This has always been one of the more ...

'' (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 Count Basie Orchestra, his orchestra recorded between 1960 and 1962. The album contains a collaboration by Frank Foster (jazz musician), Frank Foster, a well known member from Basie's big band. A ...

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

(1962, Reprise) * ''

On My Way & Shoutin' Again! ''On My Way & Shoutin' Again!'' is an album released by pianist, composer and bandleader Count Basie featuring compositions by Neal Hefti recorded in 1962 and originally released on the Verve label.This Time by Basie! ''This Time by Basie'' (subtitled ''Hits of the 50's & 60's'') is an album released by pianist, composer and bandleader Count Basie featuring jazz versions of contemporary hits recorded in 1963 and originally released on the Reprise label. Recept ...

'' (1963, Reprise) * '' More Hits of the 50's and 60's'' (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 and his orchestra, with arrangements by Quincy Jones and Benny Carter. It was later reissued with slightly different cover art as ''On the Sunny Side of the ...

'' with Ella Fitzgerald (1963, Verve) * ''

Basie Land ''Basie Land'' is a 1964 studio album by Count Basie and his orchestra, of music composed and arranged by Billy Byers. Track listing # "Basie Land" – 2:16 # "Big Brother" – 3:43 # "Count Me In" – 4:32 # "Wanderlust" – 2:38 # "Instan ...

'' (1964, Verve) * '' It Might as Well Be Swing'' with Frank Sinatra (1964, Reprise) * '' Pop Goes the Basie'' (1965, Reprise) * ''

Basie Picks the Winners ''Basie Picks the Winners'' is a 1965 studio album by Count Basie and his orchestra. Track listing # " Watermelon Man" ( Herbie Hancock) – 3:11 # " That's All" (Alan Brandt, Bob Haymes) – 3:20 # "I Won't Cry Anymore" (Al Frisch, Fred Wis ...

'' (1965, Verve) * ''

Our Shining Hour ''Our Shining Hour'' is a 1965 studio album by Sammy Davis Jr., accompanied by the Count Basie Orchestra, arranged by Quincy Jones. In 1973, MGM Records released ''Sammy Davis Jr. and Count Basie'' with an identical track listing created using ...

'' with Sammy Davis, Jr. (1965, Verve) * ''

Arthur Prysock and Count Basie ''Arthur Prysock and Count Basie'' is a 1965 studio album by Arthur Prysock and Count Basie and his orchestra. Track listing # "I Could Have Told You" (Carl Sigman, Jimmy Van Heusen) – 3:44 # "Ain't No Use" (Leroy Kirkland, Sidney Wyche) � ...

'' with Arthur Prysock (1965, Verve) * '' Basie Meets Bond'' (1966, United Artists) * ''

Live at the Sands (Before Frank) ''Live at the Sands (Before Frank)'' is a live album by the pianist and bandleader Count Basie with performances recorded in Las Vegas in 1966 at the same concerts that produced Frank Sinatra's 1966 album ''Sinatra at the Sands''. It was released ...

'' (live, 1966 998 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'' (1967, Brunswick) * '' The Happiest Millionaire'' (1967, Coliseum) * '' Half a Sixpence'' (1967, Dot) * '' The Board of Directors'' with The Mills Brothers (1968, Dot) * '' Manufacturers of Soul'' with

Jackie Wilson Jack Leroy Wilson Jr. (June 9, 1934 – January 21, 1984) was an American singer and performer of the 1950s and 60s. He was a prominent figure in the transition of rhythm and blues into soul. Nicknamed "Mr. Excitement", he was considered a mas ...

(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 Katherine Laverne Starks (July 21, 1922 – November 3, 2016), known professionally as Kay Starr, was an American singer who enjoyed considerable success in the late 1940s and 1950s. She was of Iroquois and Irish heritage. Starr performed multip ...

(1968, Paramount) * '' Standing Ovation'' (live, 1969, Dot) * ''

Basic Basie ''Basic Basie'' is an album by pianist and bandleader Count Basie featuring performances recorded in Chicago in 1969 and released on the MPS label. It was released in the U.S. in 1972 on the Groove Merchant label as ''Evergreens''.

'' (1969, MPS) * ''

Basie on the Beatles ''Basie on the Beatles'' is an album by pianist and bandleader Count Basie featuring performances recorded in late 1969 and released on the short-lived Happy Tiger label.Edwards, D., Callahan, M. & Eyries, PHappy Tiger Album Discography accessed N ...

'' (1970, Happy Tiger) * '' High Voltage'' (1970, MPS) * ''

Afrique Afrique is Africa in French. It may also refer to: * Afrique (impressionist) (1907-1961), South African singer and impressionist, born Alexander Witkin * ''Afrique'' (album), a 1971 album by Count Basie * Afrique, an American R&B-jazz studio band ...

'' (1971, Flying Dutchman) * ''

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. Since it is often uttered by service employee ...

'' (1971, Daybreak) * ''

Bing 'n' Basie ''Bing 'n' Basie'' is a 1972 vinyl album recorded for Daybreak Records by Bing Crosby, accompanied by Count Basie and his Orchestra. The orchestral tracks were laid down over three days at the end of February and the beginning of March, 1972 at ...

'' with

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

(1972, Daybreak) * ''The Songs of Bessie Smith'' with Teresa Brewer (1973, Flying Dutchman)

The 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 singer from Kansas City, Missouri. According to songwriter Doc Pomus, "Rock and roll would have never happened without him." His greatest fame was due to ...

(live, 1972) * ''

Jazz at Santa Monica Civic '72 ''Jazz at Santa Monica '72'' is a 1972 live album by the American jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald, recorded at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium accompanied by a jazz trio led by the pianist Tommy Flanagan, and the Count Basie Orchestra. This concert ...

'' with Ella Fitzgerald (live, 1972) * '' Fun Time'' (live, 1975) * ''

Basie Big Band Basie Big Band is a 1975 studio album by Count Basie and his orchestra. Track listing # "Front Burner" – 5:54 # "Freckle Face" – 6:26 # "Orange Sherbet" – 3:42 # "Soft as Velvet" – 3:51 # "The Heat's On" – 2:47 # "Midnight Freight" ...

'' (1975) * '' I Told You So'' (1976) * ''

Prime Time Prime time or the peak time is the block of broadcast programming taking place during the middle of the evening for a television show. 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" (Merce ...

'' (live, 1978) * ''

A Classy Pair ''A Classy Pair'' is a 1979 studio album by the American jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald, accompanied by the Count Basie Orchestra, with arrangements by Benny Carter. This was Fitzgerald and Basie's second studio recording after '' Ella and Basie!'' ...

'' 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 protagonis ...

'' (live, 1979) * '' A Perfect Match'' with Ella Fitzgerald (live, 1979) * '' Digital III at Montreux'' (live, 1979) * ''

Kansas City Shout ''Kansas City Shout'' is a 1980 studio album by Count Basie and his orchestra with singer Big Joe Turner and saxophonist/vocalist Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson. Track listing # "Just a Dream (On My Mind)" ( Big Bill Broonzy) – 3:44 # "Blues for Joe ...

'' 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) * ''

Diane Schuur & the Count Basie Orchestra ''Diane Schuur & the Count Basie Orchestra'' is a 1987 live album by Diane Schuur, accompanied by the Count Basie Orchestra, arranged by Frank Foster. Three years after Count Basie's death, the Count Basie Orchestra is featured here as a ghos ...

'' with Diane Schuur (live, 1987, GRP) * ''The Legend, the Legacy'' (1990, Denon) * '' Big Boss Band'' with George Benson (1990, Warner Bros.) * ''

Freddie Freeloader "Freddie Freeloader" is a composition by Miles Davis and is the second track on his 1959 album ''Kind of Blue''. The piece takes the form of a twelve-bar blues in B, but the chord over the final two bars of each chorus is an A7, not the tradition ...

'' with Jon Hendricks (1990, Denon) * ''The Count Basie Orchestra Live at El Morocco'' (live, 1992, Telarc) * ''Corner Pocket'' (live, 1992, LaserLight) * ''Joe Williams and the Count Basie Orchestra'' with Joe Williams (live, 1993, Telarc) * ''Basie's Bag'' (live, 1994, Telarc) * ''Jazzin' '' with Tito Puente & India (1996, RMM) * '' Live at Manchester Craftsmen's Guild'' (live, 1996, Blue Jackel) * ''

At Long Last ''At Long Last'' is a 1998 studio album by Rosemary Clooney, accompanied by the Count Basie Orchestra. This was Clooney's first recording with the Basie band. Clooney had previously made an album with Duke Ellington, ''Blue Rose (Rosemary Cloone ...

'' 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", " Mambo Italiano", ...

(1998, Concord Jazz) * ''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 *Mamas, a name for female associates of the Hells Angels Places *Mama, Russia, an urban-type settlement ...

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

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

(live, compilation) (2006, Reprise) 4-CD + DVD * ''

A Swingin' Christmas (Featuring The Count Basie Big Band) ''A Swingin' Christmas'' is a Christmas album by Tony Bennett, released in 2008, that features the Count Basie Big Band. Bennett's daughter Antonia duets with him on one track. The album received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Traditional Po ...

'' with Tony Bennett (2008, Columbia) * ''Swinging, Singing, Playing'' (2009, Mack Avenue) * ''

A Very Swingin' Basie Christmas! ''A Very Swingin' Basie Christmas!'' is a 2015 Christmas album by the Count Basie Orchestra, directed by Scotty Barnhart, and released by Concord Records. The album was recorded between August 2014 and July 2015. Track listing # "Jingle Bells" (Pi ...

'' (2015, Concord) * ''Standing Room Only'' with Frank Sinatra (live, compilation, 2018, Capitol) * ''

All About That Basie ''All About That Basie'' is an album by the Count Basie Orchestra, released on September 7, 2018. On the album, the Count Basie Orchestra, now under the leadership of trumpeter Scotty Barnhart, remakes classic swing and blues classics with guest ...

'' (2018, Concord) * ''Live at Birdland'' (2021, Candid)

References

* 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'', Vol. 23, No. 1. Utah: Utah State University, February 1992.

External links

Count Basie Orchestra - Official website

Mack Avenue Artist Page

CNN 2010 Interview

{{DEFAULTSORT:Basie, Count American jazz ensembles from Missouri Big bands Count Basie Musical groups established in 1936 Summit Records artists Pablo Records artists