Born in Chicago, Illinois, United States,[1] Jones moved to Alabama, where he learned to play several instruments, including saxophone, piano, and drums. After Young's clarinet was stolen in 1939, he abandoned the instrument until about 1957. In contrast to the prevailing jazz drum style exemplified by Gene Krupa's loud, insistent pounding of the bass drum on each beat, Jones often omitted bass drum playing altogether. Astrological Sign: Leo. Known as Papa Jo Jones in his later years, he is sometimes confused with another influential jazz drummer, Philly Joe Jones. Are you sure that you want to report this flower to administrators as offensive or abusive? The pianist Count Basie died at the age of 79. One of Kansas City's own, Ronald McFadden, 66, who together with his brother Lonnie, is well known for entertaining audiences in Kansas City and worldwide, died unexpectedly Monday evening. Count Basie Birthday and Date of Death Count Basie was born on August 21, 1904 and died on April 26, 1984. The band itself carried on into the next century, with Thad Jones, Frank Foster, and Grover Mitchell each assuming leadership for various intervals. Outstanding soloists such as tenor saxophonists Lucky Thompson, Paul Quinichette, and Eddie Lockjaw Davis and trumpeters Clark Terry and Charlie Shavers, figured prominently. Generation also known as The Greatest Generation. [4][7], Beginning in 1982, Nestico began releasing solo albums, with Dark Orchid" as his debut album. The story of Count Basie is very much the story of the great jazz band that he led for close to 50 years (1935-1984), an orchestra with a distinctive . Billie and Lester met at a Harlem jam session in the early 30s and worked together in the Count Basie band and in nightclubs on New York's 52nd St. At one point Lester moved into the apartment Billie shared with her mother, Sadie Fagan. As a pianist Basie was equally great and was intensely rhythmic, using as few notes as possible. The funeral service will be at noon on Monday at the Abyssinian Baptist Church, 132 West 138th Street. From around 1951, Young's level of playing declined more precipitously as his drinking increased. Swing-era bandleader noted for his theme songs One OClock Jump from 1937 and April in Paris from 1932. [13] Playing on her name, he would call her "Lady Day." 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 influential players on his instrument. (Fans distinguish the two major eras in Basie bands as the Old Testament and New Testament.) The Basie orchestra of the 1950s was a slick, professional unit that was expert at sight reading and demanding arrangements. Young left the Basie band to replace Hawkins in Fletcher Henderson's orchestra. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. 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). Occasionally the digitization process introduces transcription errors or other problems; we are continuing to work to improve these archived versions. Drummer of the Count Basie Orchestra Passed Away, Obituary - YouTube 0:00 / 0:36 Butch Miles Cause of Death? As one critic put it, they ''put wheels on all four bars of the beat,'' creating a smooth rhythmic flow over which Mr. Basie's other instrumentalists rode as though they were on a streamlined cushion. It had continued success throughout the war years, but, like all big bands, it had declined in popularity by the end of the 1940s. Counts education details are not available at this time. 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 . The impact Basie had can be seen across the country. He eventually relocated the Cherry Blossoms to Chicago, then to New York City. He was also honored by ASMAC and the Big Band Academy of America. Within less than six months, however, Mr. Basie was back at the keyboard. (William) Count Basie (1904-1984) was an extremely popular figure in the jazz world for half a century. 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. Thanks for your help! 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. Use the links under See more to quickly search for other people with the same last name in the same cemetery, city, county, etc. Your new password must contain one or more uppercase and lowercase letters, and one or more numbers or special characters. [12], In the late 1960s, Sammy worked as an arranger and orchestrator for Capitol Records. Young is a major character in English writer Geoff Dyer's 1991 fictional book about jazz, But Beautiful. The Count Basie Theatre in Redbank, New Jersey. If you notice a problem with the translation, please send a message to [emailprotected] and include a link to the page and details about the problem. She gave Lester the nickname "Prez" after President Franklin Roosevelt, the "greatest man around" in Billie's mind. His experience inspired his composition "D.B. 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]. It is also known as being the most generous and noble of signs. The top global causes of death, in order of total number of lives lost, are associated with three broad topics: cardiovascular (ischaemic heart disease, stroke), respiratory (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lower respiratory infections) and neonatal conditions - which include birth asphyxia and birth trauma, neonatal sepsis and infections, and preterm birth complications. Count Basie was a Leo and was born in the G.I. He originally wanted to be a drummer, but he grew up near Sonny Greer, who would become Duke Ellington s legendary drummer in 1919. In contrast to many of his hard-driving peers, Young played with a relaxed, cool tone and used sophisticated . That year Norman Granz gave him one and urged him to play it (with far different results at that stage in Young's lifesee below). [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. The resulting song then became both an elegy to Young, and, implicitly, Mingus as well. based on information from your browser. 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. Mausoleum, South Forsythia Court, Row 57, Tier D, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/1664/count-basie. To go on the road, Mr. Basie expanded his nine- piece band to 13 pieces. His autobiography (as told to Albert Murray), entitled Rifftide: The Life and Opinions of Papa Jo Jones and based on conversations between Jones and novelist Murray from 1977 to before Jones' death in 1985, was posthumously published in 2011 by the University of Minnesota Press.[2]. The best-known of these appearances is the July 1957 performance at the Newport Jazz Festival, with a line-up including many of his 1940s colleagues: Jo Jones, Roy Eldridge, Illinois Jacquet and Jimmy Rushing. ''And that's when the whole fire started,'' said Mr. Alexander. Resend Activation Email. When Bennie Moten died in 1935, the band disintegrated and Mr. Basie organized a small band to play at the Reno Club in Kansas City that became the nucleus of the band with which he gained his initial fame. He directed music programs at Los Angeles Pierce College, Woodland Hills, California, Westinghouse Memorial High School, and Wilmerding, Pennsylvania. Their famously empathetic classic recordings with Teddy Wilson date from this era. or don't show this againI am good at figuring things out. In 1958, Count Basie became the first African-American male recipient of a Grammy Award. Unostentatious as Mr. Basie appeared, his presence was a vital factor in directing his band or any group of musicians with whom he might be playing. 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. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. Breakthrough on 52d Street. When the band left for Chicago it had only 12 written arrangements in its book. Played for Kennedy and Reagan. William Basie was born at 229 Mechanic Street on August 21, 1904. He served one traumatic year in a detention barracks[15] and was dishonorably discharged in late 1945. Performance & security by Cloudflare. Jones also continued a ride rhythm on hi-hat, while it was continuously opening and closing instead of the common practice of only striking it while it was closed. Red Bank, Monmouth County, New Jersey, USA. Count Basie was born in Red Bank. Try again later. Jazz critic and record producer John Hammond heard the broadcasts and promptly launched the band on its career. I had never heard the blues played like that. You never got tired of that business at the end.'' 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. As manager of this memorial you can add or update the memorial using the Edit button below. Then, as far as this guy Ellington is concerned, you can never tell what he's going to do. [32] At Minguss request, Joni Mitchell wrote lyrics to Goodbye Pork Pie Hat which incorporated stories Mingus told Mitchell about Young; the song was featured on Mitchells 1979 album release, Mingus, a collaboration instigated by Mingus during the last year of his life as he struggled with the ALS that would kill him. The work was subsequently adapted for the theater, and was staged in November of that year at the Manhattan Theater Club, New York City, with a four-piece jazz combo led by Dwight Andrews.[33]. The sponsor of a memorial may add an additional. One night, while the band was broadcasting on a shortwave radio station in Kansas City, he was dubbed Count Basie by a radio announcer who wanted to indicate his standing in a class with aristocrats of jazz such as Duke Ellington. Are you sure that you want to remove this flower? "[4][9], After leaving the military, Nestico became a freelance arranger. [19][20][4], Nestico received honorary Doctor of Music degrees from Duquesne University and in 2005 from Shenandoah University. At the time of his death, a feature-length documentary film titled Shadow Man: The Sammy Nestico Story was in production. [12], Nestico married his second wife, Shirley, in 1995, and was married to her until his death. Throughout the 1940s and 50s, Young occasionally played as a featured guest with the Count Basie Orchestra. He thought he could never outmatch Greers talent, so he took up piano at 15. Click to reveal Well, that was the last time I was ever introduced as Bill Basie. This browser does not support getting your location. Many of the members, like Lester "Prez" Young, drifted into Basie's orbit around the time of Moten's death in 1935. You can always change this later in your Account settings. 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. You have chosen this person to be their own family member. . 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. I thought he was kidding, shrugged my shoulders and repled, 'O.K.' Biography - A Short Wiki Swing-era bandleader noted for his theme songs One O'Clock Jump from 1937 and April in Paris from 1932. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. Site contains certain content that is owned A&E Television Networks, LLC. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. There will be a viewing at Benta's Funeral Home, 630 St. Nicholas Avenue at 141st Street, on Sunday from 1 to 7 P.M. 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. 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. Straub was inspired by Young's appearance on the 1957 CBS-TV show The Sound of Jazz, which he watched repeatedly, wondering how such a genius could have ended up "this present shambles, this human wreckage, hardly able to play at all". 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. I said the minute the brass got out of hand and blared and screeched instead of making every note mean something, there'd be some changes made. Live recording of Young and Potts in Washington were issued later. He became an accompanist to the blues singers Clara Smith and Maggie Jones and he worked in a 14th Street dance hall. Your Scrapbook is currently empty. Wayne Shorter, then of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, composed a tribute, called "Lester Left Town". "Ivey-Divey" was one of Lester Young's common eccentric phrases. Jones performed regularly in later years at the West End jazz club at 116th and Broadway in New York City. His father Harvey was a mellophonist and his mother Lillian was a pianist who gave her son his first lessons. [1] Jones had a major influence on later drummers such as Buddy Rich, Kenny Clarke, Roy Haynes, Max Roach, and Louie Bellson. His father was a student of the mellophone, and his mother was a pianist. He made a habit of leaving, working, then going home. Sorry! 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. There is 1 volunteer for this cemetery. I wanted those three trumpets and two trombones to bite with real guts. In 1935, he formed the Count Basie Orchestra, and in 1936 took them to Chicago for a long engagement and their first recording. 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. You are nearing the transfer limit for memorials managed by Find a Grave. This classic session finds the great tenor in particularly expressive form.[19]. [4][12], Nestico published nearly 600 numbers for school groups and many for professional big bands. Failed to remove flower. Recorded on a home recorder. He was represented at the ceremony by his children Lester Young Jr and Yvette Young.[36]. Generation. I sat on the floor watching his feet and using my hands to imitate him. Page, a bassist, Jimmy Rushing, the blues singer, both of whom would be key members of Mr. Basie's band. 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. This generation experienced much of their youth during the Great Depression and rapid technological innovation such as the radio and the telephone. Early "in person" recordings. In 1958, Basie became the first African American male recipient of a Grammy Award. 'No,' I said, 'but I'd give my right arm to learn. A band leader and pioneer in jazz percussion, Jones anchored the Count Basie Orchestra rhythm section from 1934 to 1948. 24 part "Interview with Lester Young", conducted in the 1950s. Pop Tunes With a Kick, ''Of course, I wanted to play real jazz. [2][3] Nestico joined the Oliver High School beginner orchestra in 1937 as a trombonist. His father was a railroad worker. Death rate by cause. [1] Jones, Basie, guitarist Freddie Green and bassist Walter Page were sometimes billed as an "All-American Rhythm section," an ideal team. One day he asked me whether I played the organ. 1956 was a relatively good year for Lester Young, including a tour of Europe with Miles Davis and the Modern Jazz Quartet and a successful residency at Olivia Davis' Patio Lounge in Washington, DC, with the Bill Potts Trio. Are you sure that you want to delete this photo? Basies autobiography, Good Morning Blues, written with Albert Murray, was published posthumously in 1985. Page, Mr. Basie and Mr. Rushing all joined Bennie Moten's orchestra, the leading big band in the Southwest, which became even stronger with their presence. He wrote many books, including The Complete Arranger, which was first published in 1993 and has since been revised and published in at least four languages. Name: Count Basie Birth Year: 1904 Birth date: August 21, 1904 Birth State: New Jersey Birth City: Red Bank Birth Country: United States Gender: Male Best Known For: One of jazz music's all-time. He was a fine pianist and leader of one of the greatest jazz bands in history. Jones's style influenced the modern jazz drummer's tendency to play timekeeping rhythms on a cymbal, that is now known as the ride cymbal. Charles Mingus dedicated an elegy to Young, "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat", only a few months after his death. [14] Based in Ft. McClellan, Alabama, Young was found with marijuana and alcohol among his possessions. Zodiac Sign: Count Basie was a Leo. Some of their notable songs included "One O'Clock Jump"the orchestra's signature tune which Basie composed himself and "Jumpin' at the Woodside.". [11] He soon left Henderson to play in the Andy Kirk band (for six months) before returning to Basie. Of course, I wanted to play real jazz. The sound was almost frightening.''. There is a problem with your email/password. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Mr. Basie's band, more than any other, was the epitome of swing, of jazz that moved with a built-in flowing intensity. When we played pop tunes - and, naturally, we had to - I wanted those pops to kick! 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. The Sun is about vitality and is the core giver of life. The jazz pianist George Shearing said that Mr. Basie's greatest trademark was the three sweet, soft notes that ended many of his great swing-era compositions. Mr. Basie and his orchestra were scheduled to appear at the Kool Jazz Festival on June 30 in a program that would reunite them with many of the jazz stars who have passed through the Basie band. He conducted and recorded his arrangements with several leading European Radio Jazz Orchestras, including the BBC Big Band in London, Germany's SWR Big Band and NDR Big Band and the DR Big Band, as well as the Boston Pops Orchestra in America. Photos larger than 8Mb will be reduced. He was one of the first drummers to promote the use of brushes on drums, and shifting the role of timekeeping from the bass drum to the hi-hat cymbal. During the 1940's, many of the great jazz musicians of the decade passed through the band, among them Illinois Jacquet, Don Byas, Wardell Gray, Paul Quinichette, Lucky Thompson, J. J. Johnson, Paul Gonsalves and Clark Terry. Save to an Ancestry Tree, a virtual cemetery, your clipboard for pasting or Print. Basie is a member of the New Jersey Hall of Fame as well as the Blues Hall of Fame. You can't have a Count Basie collection without going back to the beginning. Cholera deaths in Great Britain over the long-term. For a year he played piano accompaniment to silent movies and then joined Walter Page's Blue Devils in Tulsa, Okla., a band that included, in addition to Mr. He was 79 years old and lived in Freeport, the Bahamas. 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. 0 cemeteries found in East Farmingdale, Suffolk County, New York, USA. Among his band's best-known numbers were ''One O'Clock Jump,'' ''Jumpin' at the Woodside,'' ''Li'l Darlin' '' and ''April in Paris.''. For memorials with more than one photo, additional photos will appear here or on the photos tab. With vocals by Jimmy Rushing, the band set up shop to perform at Kansas City's Reno Club. His father was a student of the mellophone, and his mother was a pianist. Not loud and fast, understand, but smoothly and with a definite punch. 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. She was also in physical decline, near the end of her career, yet they both gave moving performances. His group, Count Basie and his Cherry Blossoms, was an outgrowth of Bennie Motens band in Kansas City. William James "Count" Basie (; August 21, 1904 - April 26, 1984) was an American jazz pianist, organist, bandleader, and composer. Learn about how to make the most of a memorial. Holiday always insisted their relationship was strictly platonic. In 1952 increased demand for personal appearances allowed Basie to form a new orchestra that in many ways was as highly praised as his bands of the 1930s and 40s. Young played clarinet as well as tenor in these sessions. Count Bill Basie . Instrument (s) Drums. ''He commented that Bill Basie was a rather ordinary name and that there were a couple of well-known bandleaders named Earl Hines and Duke Ellington. In the early 1990s after Count Basie's death, leader Frank Foster was auditioning a young drummer for the Basie Band. Count Basie AKA William Allen Basie Born: 21-Aug - 1904 Birthplace: Red Bank, NJ Died: 26-Apr - 1984 Location of death: Hollywood, FL Cause of death: Cancer - Pancreatic Remains: Buried, Pinelawn Memorial Park, Farmingdale, NY Gender: Male Race or Ethnicity: Black Sexual orientation: Straight Occupation: Pianist, Jazz Musician Your account has been locked for 30 minutes due to too many failed sign in attempts. From then on, it was Count Basie.''. Mr. Hammond spread the word about the Basie band, went to Kansas City to hear it and support it and brought it to the attention of booking agents. He was also helming one of the biggest, most renowned African American jazz groups of the day. When the Page band broke up in 1929, Mr. While he was in his late teens, he gravitated to Harlem, where he encountered Fats Waller. 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. This account already exists, but the email address still needs to be confirmed. After moving to New York, he was further influenced by James P. Johnson and Fats Waller, with Waller teaching Basie organ-playing techniques. Drummer of the Count Basie Orchestra Passed Away, Obituary Teach World 1.12K. [4][9][10][11][12], Nestico had a long career in the film and television industry. His studio recordings are relatively sparse during the 1942 to 1943 period, largely due to the recording ban by the American Federation of Musicians. All Rights Reserved. Is that all right with you?' In addition to his artistry on the drums, Jones was known for his irascible, combative temperament. 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 This memorial has been copied to your clipboard. Whos the richest Pianist in the world? You are only allowed to leave one flower per day for any given memorial. ', ''The next day he invited me to sit in the pit and start working the pedals. Then he said, 'Bill, I think I'll call you Count Basie from now on. "[27] Holiday died four months later on July 17, 1959 at age 44. After leaving the military, Nestico became a freelance arranger. He got used to seeing me, as though I were part of the show. [12] The Airmen of Note, the premier jazz ensemble of the USAF, sponsor an annual competition, the "Sammy Nestico Award" for composers and arrangers of big band music, named in his honor. GREAT NEWS! The email does not appear to be a valid email address. [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. Try again later. Not loud and fast, understand, but smoothly and with a definite punch.''. He was sometimes known as Papa Jo Jones to distinguish him from younger drummer Philly Joe Jones. In 1976, Mr. Basie suffered a heart attack. He left home permanently in 1932 when he became a member of the Blue Devils led by Walter Page.
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