Count Basie

William James "Count" Basie (; August 21, 1904 – April 26, 1984) was an American jazz pianist, organist, bandleader, and composer. In 1935, Basie formed his own jazz orchestra, the Count Basie Orchestra, and in 1936 took them to Chicago for a long engagement and their first recording. He led the group for almost 50 years, creating innovations like the use of two "split" tenor saxophones, emphasizing the rhythm section, riffing with a big band, using arrangers to broaden their sound, and others. Many musicians came to prominence under his direction, including the tenor saxophonists Lester Young and Herschel Evans, the guitarist Freddie Green, trumpeters Buck Clayton and Harry "Sweets" Edison and singers Jimmy Rushing, Helen Humes, Thelma Carpenter, and Joe Williams.

Birth and Death Data: Born August 21st, 1904 (Red Bank), Died April 26, 1984 (Hollywood)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1929 - 1968

Roles Represented in DAHR: piano, leader, composer, songwriter, arranger, organ, vocalist

Notes: Also known as William Basie.

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 51-75 of 177 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor D7VB-0404 10-in. 1/3/1947 Free eats Count Basie ; Count Basie Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with vocal leader, instrumentalist, piano, composer  
Victor D7VB-0405 10-in. 1/3/1947 Brand new wagon Count Basie Orchestra ; Jimmy Rushing Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band leader, instrumentalist, piano, songwriter  
Victor D7VB-0406 10-in. 1/3/1947 Open the door, Richard! Count Basie ; Count Basie Orchestra Male vocal duet, with comic dialogue and jazz/dance band instrumentalist, piano, leader  
Victor D7VB-0522 10-in. 4/24/1947 One o'clock jump Delta Rhythm Boys Male vocal quartet, with jazz/dance band composer  
Victor D7VB-0652 10-in. 3/13/1947 One o'clock boogie Count Basie ; Count Basie Orchestra Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, piano, leader, songwriter  
Victor D7VB-0653 10-in. 3/13/1947 Meet me at no special place (and I'll be there at no particular time) Count Basie ; Count Basie Orchestra Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band leader, instrumentalist, piano  
Victor D7VB-0654 10-in. 3/13/1947 I'm drownin' in your deep blue eyes Count Basie ; Count Basie Orchestra Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band leader, instrumentalist, piano  
Victor D7VB-0655 10-in. 3/13/1947 Futile frustration Count Basie ; Count Basie Orchestra Jazz/dance band leader, instrumentalist, piano, composer  
Victor D7VB-0886 10-in. 5/20/1947 Swingin' the blues Count Basie, his Instrumentalists and Rhythm Jazz octet leader, composer, instrumentalist, piano  
Victor D7VB-0887 10-in. 5/20/1947 St. Louis boogie Count Basie ; Count Basie, his Instrumentalists and Rhythm Jazz octet leader, composer, instrumentalist, piano  
Victor D7VB-0888 10-in. 5/20/1947 Basie's basement Count Basie ; Count Basie, his Instrumentalists and Rhythm Jazz octet leader, composer, instrumentalist, piano  
Victor D7VB-0889 10-in. 5/20/1947 Backstage at Stuff's Count Basie ; Count Basie, his Instrumentalists and Rhythm Jazz octet leader, composer, instrumentalist, piano  
Victor D7VB-0890 10-in. 5/21/1947 My buddy Count Basie, his Instrumentalists and Rhythm Jazz nonet leader, instrumentalist, piano  
Victor D7VB-0891 10-in. 5/21/1947 Shine on harvest moon Count Basie ; Rhythm (Count Basie) Jazz quartet leader, instrumentalist, piano  
Victor D7VB-0893 10-in. 5/21/1947 I never knew (I could love anybody like I'm loving you) Count Basie, his Instrumentalists and Rhythm Jazz nonet leader, instrumentalist, piano  
Victor D7VB-0894 10-in. 5/21/1947 Sugar Count Basie, his Instrumentalists and Rhythm Jazz nonet leader, instrumentalist, piano  
Victor D7VB-0895 10-in. 5/22/1947 The jungle king (you ain't a doggone thing) Count Basie ; Count Basie Orchestra Male vocal solo, with vocal group and jazz/dance band leader, instrumentalist, piano  
Victor D7VB-0896 10-in. 5/22/1947 Take a little off the top Count Basie ; Count Basie Orchestra Male vocal solo, with vocal group, comic dialogue and jazz/dance band leader, instrumentalist, piano, vocalist  
Victor D7VB-0897 10-in. 5/22/1947 I ain't mad at you (you ain't mad at me) Count Basie ; Count Basie Orchestra Male vocal solo, with scat solo, vocal chorus and jazz/dance band instrumentalist, piano, leader, songwriter  
Victor D7VB-0907 10-in. 5/22/1947 House rent boogie Count Basie ; Count Basie Orchestra Jazz/dance band leader, instrumentalist, piano, songwriter  
Victor D7VB-0908 10-in. 5/22/1947 South Count Basie Orchestra Jazz/dance band leader, instrumentalist, piano  
Victor D7VB-1090 10-in. 10/19/1947 Don't you want a man like me Count Basie Orchestra ; Jimmy Rushing Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band leader, instrumentalist, piano, composer  
Victor D7VB-1091 10-in. 10/19/1947 Blue and sentimental Bob Bailey ; Count Basie Orchestra Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band leader, instrumentalist, piano, songwriter  
Victor D7VB-1092 10-in. 10/19/1947 Seventh avenue express Count Basie ; Count Basie Orchestra Jazz/dance band leader, instrumentalist, piano, composer  
Victor D7VB-1679 10-in. 10/6/1947 Blue and sentimental Luther Henderson Orchestra ; Leslie Scott Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble songwriter  
(Results 51-75 of 177 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Basie, Count," accessed May 31, 2023, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/103042.

Basie, Count. (2023). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved May 31, 2023, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/103042.

"Basie, Count." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2023. Web. 31 May 2023.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/103042

External Sources

Wikipedia: Count Basie

Discogs: Count Basie

Allmusic: Count Basie

Linked Open Data Sources

LCNAR: Basie, Count, 1904-1984 - http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n81016968

Wikidata: Count Basie - http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q107008

VIAF: http://viaf.org/viaf/46945530

MusicBrainz: Count Basie - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/0dbd6300-efdc-420b-857e-895e18fad317

Wikipedia content provided under the terms of the Creative Commons BY-SA license

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