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 76-100 of 177 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor D7VB-2168 10-in. 12/8/1947 Guest in a nest Count Basie ; Count Basie Orchestra Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, piano, leader  
Victor D7VB-2169 10-in. 12/8/1947 Your red wagon Count Basie Orchestra ; Jimmy Rushing Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band instrumentalist, piano, leader  
Victor D7VB-2170 10-in. 12/8/1947 Money is honey Count Basie Orchestra ; Jimmy Rushing Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band instrumentalist, piano, leader  
Victor D7VB-2171 10-in. 12/9/1947 Just a minute Count Basie ; Count Basie Orchestra Jazz/dance band leader, instrumentalist, piano, composer  
Victor D7VB-2172 10-in. 12/9/1947 Baby, don't be mad at me Count Basie Orchestra ; Jeanne Taylor Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band instrumentalist, piano, leader  
Victor D7VB-2173 10-in. 12/9/1947 I've only myself to blame Count Basie Orchestra ; Jeanne Taylor Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band instrumentalist, piano, leader  
Victor D7VB-2186 10-in. 12/12/1947 Robbin's nest Count Basie ; Count Basie Orchestra Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, piano, leader  
Victor D7VB-2187 10-in. 12/12/1947 Hey, pretty baby Count Basie Orchestra ; Jimmy Rushing Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band leader, instrumentalist, piano  
Victor D7VB-2188 10-in. 12/12/1947 It's Monday every day Count Basie Orchestra ; Jeanne Taylor Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band leader, instrumentalist, piano  
Victor D7VB-2189 10-in. 12/12/1947 Bye, bye, baby Count Basie Orchestra ; Jimmy Rushing Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band composer, leader, instrumentalist, piano  
Victor D7VB-2190 10-in. 12/12/1947 Ready, set, go! Count Basie Orchestra ; Jeanne Taylor Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band leader, instrumentalist, piano  
Victor D7VB-2890 10-in. 12/19/1947 Mutton leg Illinois Jacquet Orchestra Instrumental ensemble composer  
Victor D7VB-3092 10-in. 12/30/1947 Good bait Dizzy Gillespie Orchestra ; Dizzy Gillespie Jazz/dance band composer  
Columbia CO35730 10-in. 2/4/1946 Lazy lady blues Count Basie ; Count Basie Orchestra ; Jimmy Rushing Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Brunswick KC613 10-in. 11/10/1929 Squabblin’ Original Blue Devils ; Walter Page Jazz/dance band, with vocal composer  
Decca 61542 10-in. 1/21/1937 Honeysuckle rose Count Basie Orchestra instrumentalist, piano  
Decca 61543 10-in. 1/21/1937 Pennies from heaven Count Basie Orchestra instrumentalist, piano  
Decca 61544 10-in. 1/21/1937 Swinging at the Daisy Chain Count Basie Orchestra instrumentalist, piano  
Decca 61545 10-in. 1/21/1937 Roseland shuffle Count Basie Orchestra instrumentalist, piano  
Decca 62078 10-in. 3/26/1937 Exactly like you Count Basie Orchestra instrumentalist, piano  
Decca 62079 10-in. 3/26/1937 Boo-Hoo Count Basie Orchestra instrumentalist, piano  
Decca 62080 10-in. 3/26/1937 The glory of love Count Basie Orchestra instrumentalist, piano  
Decca 62081 10-in. 3/26/1937 Boogie woogie (I may be wrong) Count Basie Orchestra instrumentalist, piano  
Decca 62331 10-in. 7/7/1937 Smarty Count Basie Orchestra instrumentalist, piano  
Decca 62332 10-in. 7/7/1937 One o'clock jump Count Basie Orchestra instrumentalist, piano  
(Results 76-100 of 177 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Basie, Count," accessed May 30, 2023, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/103042.

Basie, Count. (2023). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved May 30, 2023, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/103042.

"Basie, Count." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2023. Web. 30 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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