It's the birthday of jazz pianist and bandleader Count Basie, born William James Basie in Red Bank, New Jersey (1904). One night in 1936, when they were still small-time performers, Basie and his nine-piece band were being played on a radio station in Kansas City, and the radio announcer wanted to say something to show that William Basie was in the same league as Duke Ellington, so he called him Count Basie. The jazz critic and producer John Hammond heard that broadcast, and he got a hold of Count Basie and told him to expand to a full big band lineup and move to New York. Basie led the Count Basie Orchestra for almost 50 years, until his death in 1984.
Bill (Second Avenue)
THANKS for stopping by, I do my best to acknowledge when someone leaves a comment,you do not have to be a member here & everyone is welcome. Ps: This site is monitored but not actively posting on a regular basis. Mostly these are stories & some photos saved from a defunct site known as Verdun Connections which was on MSN Groups initially then on a social network called Multiply.
6 comments:
Amazing. What a legacy he has left.... Still sounds just as good today, if not better, compared to some of the music of today!!!
Nice background to a legend, interesting how people got their nick names.....Thanks Bill ,how's the surf & sun state these days......You guys just missed a hurricane a few weeks ago ,wasn't it ? or was it one of the other islands ? Mother Nature likes to let everyone know whse really in control every once in a while, sort of makes us appreciate what's really here........
HF&RV
A great orchestra it was. Almost 40 years ago (yikes!) I saw the Count Basie orchestra and Ella Fitzgerald at Place des Arts in Montreal. What a night ! Also......a favourite record (cd) of mine is Frank Sinatra Live at the Sands with the Count Basie orchestra. I'll have to put that on the "box" tonight. Thanks Bill.
BobB
Bob,.here's the best I could do on short notice..lol
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5ZZTRwI2g0
Frank Sinatra & Count Basie orchestra in May of 1966..........Cheers !! HF&RV
Btw: it's at the Sands too
Hey thanks Les. I peeked but I can't crank it up right now.....I'm in an office. I'll give it a listen this evening. but I suspect it's the same gig as the record. Looking forward to it.
Thanks again
BobB
Les. Just had a listen to Frank. Great stuff. It is definitely the same gig as the record. Love the comment at the beginning..."how did all these people get into my room?". He makes it seem so effortless and easy. Just so good. Thanks again.
BobB
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