HMR Project: History of Music & Modern Recording

Count Basie

Birth of Swing Jazz: Count Basie

Count Basie

Born William James Basie on 21 August 1904 in Red Bank, New Jersey, pianist and swing and jump band leader, Count Basie, began his musical career in Red Bank with drummer, Sonny Greer, playing at dances and resorts. About 1920 he made his way to Harlem where Greer, who had preceded him to NYC and was drumming for Duke Ellington, introduced him to his scene. Basie then began to tour the States with vaudeville acts. Returning to Harlem in 1925, his first employment of note was at a place called Leroy's where cutting contests were held for upper class clientele. Finally, in 1928 Basie joined Walter Page's Blue Devils in Tulsa. Beginning to make progress now (and beginning to be called the "Count"), he joined Bennie Moten's band the next year in Kansas City. It was with Moten that Basie started to shine as a talent to be dealt with, also making his debut issued recordings with Moten in Chicago on October 23, 1921, 'The Jones Law Blues' and 'Small Black' among several.

'The Jones Law Blues' Count Basie w Bennie Moten's Kansas City Orchestra

23 Oct 1929 in Chicago Matrix 57302-2 Victor 23357

Cornet: Ed Lewis / Booker Washington

Trombone: Thamon Hayes / Eddie Durham (valve)

Clarinet / sax: Harlan Leonard / Jack Washington / Woody Walder

Piano: Basie / Ira "Buster" Moten (accordion)

Drums: Willie McWashington

Composition: Bennie Moten / Count Basie

Basie briefly led Moten's orchestra upon the latter's eventual absence in the early thirties, renaming it the Cherry Blossoms. In 1936 he reshaped that orchestra, called it the Barons of Rhythm, and began a residency in Chicago at the Grand Terrace Ballroom. Basie's first recordings as a leader were with that orchestra credited as Jones-Smith Incorporated on November 9, 1936. They were also tenor saxophonist, Lester Young's, first four featured releases: 'Shoe Shine Boy', 'Evening', 'Boogie Woogie' and 'Oh, Lady Be Good'.

'Shoe Shine Boy' Count Basie w Jones-Smith Incorporated

9 Nov 1936 in Chicago Matrix C-1657-1 Vocalion 3441

Trumpet: Carl Smith Tenor sax: Lester Young

Piano: Basie Upright bass: Walter Page

Drums: Papa Jo Jones

Composition: Sammy Cahn / Saul Chaplin

In 1937 Basie moved his band to NYC for a residency at the Roseland Ballroom and began to record for Decca. Among early titles for that label was 'Pennies From Heaven' with vocalist, James Rushing, issued on Decca 1121 in 1937. Among Basie's many compositions were 'Swinging at The Daisy Chain' issued on Decca 1121 in 1937, 'One O'Clock Jump' issued on Decca 1363 in 1937 and 'Jumpin' at the Woodside' released on Decca 2212 in 1938. 'One O'Clock Jump', probably Basie's best-selling title overall, shot to #15 on the popularity charts followed by 'Jumpin' at the Woodside' at #10. However, 'Stop Beatin' Around the Mulberry Bush' of 1938 breached the Top Ten at #6. 'Open the Door, Richard!' topped Billboard at #1 in 1947. Music VF finds Basie placing twelve titles in the Top Ten of the Pop or R&B categories from 1938 to 1956:

   Stop Beatin' Around the Mulberry Bush   #6   1938
   Rusty Dusty Blues   #6 R&B   May 1943
   Red Bank Boogie   #6 R&B   March 1945
   Jimmy's Blues   #10 / #3 R&B   Sep 1945
   The Mad Boogie   #10   April 1946
   Blue Skies   #8   Sep 1956
   Open the Door, Richard!   #1 / #2 R&B   Feb 1947
   Free Eats   #7   April 1947
   One O'Clock Boogie   #8   June 1947
   I Ain't Mad at You   #7   Aug 1947
   Every Day (I Have the Blues)   #2 R&B   July 1955
   April in Paris   #8   Jan 1956

'Pennies from Heaven' Count Basie and His Orchestra

21 Jan 1937 in NYC Matrix 61543-A Decca 1121

Trumpet: Buck Clayton / Joe Keyes / Carl Smith

Trombone: George Hunt / Dan Minor

Alto sax: Caughey Roberts / Jack Washington

Tenor sax: Herschel Evans / Lester Young

Piano: Basie Guitar: Claude Williams Upright bass: Walter Page

Drums: Papa Jo Jones Vocal: James Rushing Arrangement: Don Redman

Music: Arthur Johnston Lyrics: Johnny Burke

'One O'clock Jump' Count Basie and His Orchestra

7 July 1937 in NYC Matrix 62332-A Decca 1363

Composition: Count Basie

'Sent for You Yesterday and Here You Come Today' Count Basie and His Orchestra

16 Feb 1938 in NYC Matrix 63286-A Decca 1880

Vocal: James Rushing Composition: Count Basie

'Stop Beatin' 'Round the Mulberry Bush' Count Basie and His Orchestra

22 Aug 1938 in NYC 1 of 2 takes both issued on Decca 2004

Trumpet: Buck Clayton / Ed Lewis / Harry "Sweets" Edison

Trombone: Benny Morton / Dan Minor / Dickie Wells

Reeds: Lester Young / Herschel Evans / Earl Warren / Jack Washington

Piano: Basie Guitar: Freddie Green Upright bass: Walter Page

Drums: Papa Jo Jones Vocal: James Rushing

Composition: Clay Boland / S. Bickley Reichner

'You Can Depend on Me' Count Basie Sextet

2 Feb 1939 in NYC Matrix 64978-A Decca 3882

Trumpet: Shad Collins Tenor sax: Lester Young

Piano: Basie Guitar: Freddie Green Upright bass: Walter Page

Drums: Papa Jo Jones Vocal: James Rushing

Composition: Charles Carpenter / Earl Hines / Louis Dunlap

Basie also played at the Apollo Theater and the Savoy before hiring vocalist, Helen Humes, in 1938, who remained with him for the next four years.

'It´s Torture' Count Basie and His Orchestra backing Helen Humes

8 Aug 1940 in Chicago Matrix WC-3258-A OKeh 5773

Trumpet: Buck Clayton / Ed Lewis / Harry Edison / Al Killian

Trombone: Dicky Wells / Vick Dickenson / Dan Minor

Alto sax: Earl Warren / Jack Washington (baritone)

Tenor sax: Buddy Tate / Lester Young

Piano: Basie Guitar: Freddie Green Upright bass: Walter Page

Drums: Papa Jo Jones

Composition: Basie / Jack Washington

'Who Am I?' Count Basie and His Orchestra backing Helen Humes

13 Dec 1940 in NYC Matrix 29248-1 OKeh 5987

Trumpet: Buck Clayton / Harry Edison / Al Killian / Ed Lewis

Trombone: Vic Dickenson / Dan Minor / Dicky Wells

Alto sax: Tab Smith (soprano) / Earl Warren / Jack Washington (baritone)

Tenor sax: Paul Bascomb / Buddy Tate

Piano: Basie Guitar: Freddie Green Upright bass: Walter Page

Drums: Papa Jo Jones Arrangement: Buster Harding

Music: Jule Styne Lyrics: Walter Bullock

Following World War II Basie experimented with bebop while maintaining his own jumping rhythm. His operation from 1935 to 1950 is referred to as his Old Testament Band corresponding to the shellac recording period. His New Testament Band was shaped for recording on vinyl LPs stretching from 1952 into the eighties. Basie first took his orchestra to Europe in 1958, but didn't begin to wear his trademark yachting cap until 1964.

'Open the Door, Richard!' Count Basie and His Orchestra

3 Jan 1947 in Los Angeles Matrix D7VB406-1 Victor 20-2127 Billboard #1

Trumpet: Emmett Berry / Ed Lewis / Snooky Young / Harry Edison

Trombone: Ted Donnelly / George Matthews / Eli Robinson / Bill Johnson

Alto sax: Preston Love / Rudy Rutherford (clarinet)

Tenor sax: Buddy Tate / Paul Gonsalves Baritone sax: Jack Washington

Piano: Basie Guitar: Freddie Green Upright bass: Walter Page

Drums: Papa Jo Jones Vocals: Harry Edison / Bill Johnson

Music: John Mason / Don Howell Lyrics: Jack McVea / Frank Clarke

'Spasmodic' Count Basie and His Orchestra

14 Sep 1948 WOR radio broadcast from the Royal Roost in NYC

Issued on Spotlite Records SPJ134 in 1976

Trumpet: Clark Terry / Jimmy Nottingham / Harry Edison / Emmett Berry

Trombone: Bill Johnson / George Matthews / Ted Donnelly / Dickie Wells

Alto sax: Charles Q. Price / Earl Warren

Tenor sax: Wardell Gray / Paul Gonsalves Baritone sax: Jack Washington

Piano: Basie Guitar: Freddie Green Upright bass: Singleton "Cookie" Palmer

Drums: Rossiere "Shadow" Wilson

Composition: Jimmy Giuffre

'Little White Lies' Count Basie Octet

3 Nov 1950 in NYC 2nd of 2 takes CBS 54168 / Neatwork RP2066

Trumpet: Clark Terry Clarinet: Buddy DeFranco

Tenor sax: Wardell Gray Baritone sax: Serge Chaloff

Piano: Basie Guitar: Freddie Green Upright bass: Jimmy Lewis

Drums: Gus Johnson

Composition: Walter Donaldson

'Every Tub' Count Basie Orchestra

6 May 1951 WNEW radio broadcast of 'Make Believe Ballroom' In NYC Sabie 5302

Trumpet: Cydner "Paul" Campbell / Clark Terry / Lammar Wright

Trombone: Bennie Green / Jimmy Wilkins / Mitchell "Booty" Wood

Alto sax: Marshall Royal (clarinet) / Ernie Wilkins

Tenor sax: Wardell Gray / Paul Quinichette Baritone sax: Charlie Fowlkes

Piano: Basie Guitar: Freddie Green Upright bass: Jimmy Lewis

Drums: Gus Johnson

Composition: Basie

'Lover Man' Count Basie Orchestra backing Billie Holiday

25 Sep 1954 at Carnegie Hall in NYC Issued on Roulette RE-127 in 1975

Music: Jimmy Davis Lyrics: Ram Ramirez / James Sherman

'Blues in Frankie's Flat' Count Basie Orchestra

Taped live sometime 1960 in Milan

Trumpet: Thad Jones / Snooky Young / Sonny Cohn / Joe Newman

Trombone: Benny Powell / Al Grey / Henry Coker

Sax: Billy Mitchell / Frank Wess / Marshall Royal / Frank Foster / Charlie Fowlkes

Piano: Basie Guitar: Freddie Green Upright bass: Eddie Jones

Drums: Sonny Payne

Composition: Basie / Frank Foster

'Cute' Count Basie Orchestra

Taped live sometime 1960 in Milan

Trumpet: Thad Jones / Snooky Young / Sonny Cohn / Joe Newman

Trombone: Benny Powell / Al Grey / Henry Coker

Sax: Billy Mitchell / Frank Wess (flute) / Marshall Royal / Frank Foster / Charlie Fowlkes

Piano: Basie Guitar: Freddie Green Upright bass: Eddie Jones

Drums: Sonny Payne

Composition: Neil Hefti

'Who Me?' Count Basie Orchestra

Taped live sometime 1961 at the Juan-les-Pins Jazz Festival

Trumpet: Snookey Young Piano: Basie Drums: Sonny Payne

Composition: Frank Foster

'April in Paris' Count Basie Orchestra Television

Taped in London by BBC Four on 18 Sep 1965

Aired on 'Show of the Week' 11 Nov 1965

Trumpet: Wallace Davenport / Sonny Cohn / Al Aarons / Phil Guilbeau

Trombone: Grover Mitchell / Henderson Chambers / Al Grey / Bill Hughes

Reeds: Marshal Royal / Bobby Plater / Eric Dixon / Eddie Lockjaw Davis / Charlie Fowlkes

Piano: Basie Guitar: Freddie Green Upright bass: Norman Keenan

Drums: Rufus Jones

Composition: Yip Harburg / Vernon Duke

'I Needs to Be Bee'd' Count Basie Orchestra Television

Taped in London by BBC Four on 18 Sep 1965

Aired on 'Show of the Week' 11 Nov 1965

Trumpet: Wallace Davenport / Sonny Cohn / Al Aarons / Phil Guilbeau

Trombone: Grover Mitchell / Henderson Chambers / Al Grey / Bill Hughes

Reeds: Marshal Royal / Bobby Plater / Eric Dixon / Eddie Lockjaw Davis / Charlie Fowlkes

Piano: Basie Guitar: Freddie Green Upright bass: Norman Keenan

Drums: Rufus Jones

Composition: Basie

'All of Me' Count Basie Orchestra

Taped live in Stockholm on 12 Nov 1968

Composition: Gerald Marks / Seymour Simons

'Scott's Place' Count Basie Orchestra

9 Aug 1971 in Hollywood toward the album 'Have a Nice Day' on Daybreak DR2005

Trumpet: Paul Cohen / George Minger / Sonny Cohn / Waymon Reed

Trombone: Al Grey / Bill Hughes / Grover Mitchell / John Watson Sr. / Melvin Wanzo

Sax:

Bobby "Jersey Bounce" Plater / Curtis Peagler / Eddie Lockjaw Davis / Eric Dixon / J.C. Williams

Piano: Basie Guitar: Freddie Green Upright bass: Norman Keenan

Drums: Harold Jones

Composition / arrangement: Sammy Nestico

'Whirlybird' Count Basie Orchestra

Taped live on 13 July 1979 at the North Sea Jazz Festival in Rotterdam

Trumpet: Sonny Cohn / Pete Minger / Ray Brown / Paul Cohen

Trombone: Bill Hughes / Mel Wanzo / Mitchell Wood Jr. / Dennis Wilson

Sax: Eric Dixon / Charlie Fowlkes / Kenny Hing / Bobby Plater / Danny Turner

Piano: Basie Guitar: Freddie Green Upright bass: John Clayton

Drums: Butch Miles

Composition: Neal Hefti

Basie's final recordings may have been in Los Angeles in March of 1984. Tom Lord cites Chris Sheridan's 'Count Basie: A Bio-Discography' published by Greenwood Press in 1986, but doesn't list any of reportedly numerous titles. Prior to that Basie put away the album, 'Fancy Pants', in December of 1983 following a few other albums the same year: 'Me and You', '88 Basie Street' and 'Mostly Blues and Some Others'.