He began working as an arranger for Count Basie in 1967, and wrote and arranged all the music for Basie's 1968 LP Basie Straight Ahead. During childhood, Sammy Americanized his name to Samuel Louis Nestico. He worked as an orchestrator and arranger for the film The Color Purple. This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. To use this feature, use a newer browser. In 1935, he formed the Count Basie Orchestra, and in 1936 took them to Chicago for a long engagement and their first recording. By then a series of records by the Basie band had begun appearing (under a contract with Decca Records by which Mr. Basie was paid a total of $750 for 24 sides with no royalties - ''probably the most expensive blunder in Basie's history,'' said Mr. Hammond) that included hit after hit - ''Swingin' the Blues,'' ''Jumpin' at the Woodside,'' ''One O'Clock Jump'' (his theme) and many others now considered jazz classics. You never got tired of that business at the end.'' The Basie band kept working into the 1970s, with the Count in his yachting cap that he had adopted in the 1960s, but his age and changing fashion eventually caught up with him. It was on one of these broadcasts that Bill Basie became Count Basie. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. You are nearing the transfer limit for memorials managed by Find a Grave. Finally, Willard Alexander, a booking agent, in an effort to get the band on 52d Street, then the jazz center of New York, made a deal with the Famous Door, a shoebox of a room, 25 feet wide and about 50 feet long, which was having trouble doing business in the summer because it had no air-conditioning. Is that all right with you?' 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. United States, 2021 | MMWR - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Jazz critic and record producer John Hammond heard the broadcasts and promptly launched the band on its career. His solo albums eventually earned him four Grammy Award nominations, besides the awards he earned with Count Basie: in 2002 for his album This Is The Moment and for the arrangement "Kiji Takes A Ride"; in 2009 for his album Fun Time; and in 2016 for his arrangement "Good 'Swing' Wenceslas". One of jazz music's all-time greats, he won many other Grammys throughout his career and worked with a plethora of artists, including Joe Williams and Ella Fitzgerald. Your Scrapbook is currently empty. Corrections? As a result, the band got a date at the Grand Terrace in Chicago. Who are the richest people in the world? Billie Holiday - Movie, Death & Strange Fruit - Biography From around 1951, Young's level of playing declined more precipitously as his drinking increased. To preserve these articles as they originally appeared, The Times does not alter, edit or update them. With Count Basie Sources:[22][23]. [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. 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. [28] Sonny Stitt began to incorporate elements from Lester Young's approach when he made the transition to tenor saxophone. He was soon court-martialed. Here is all you want to know, and more! Basie is a member of the New Jersey Hall of Fame as well as the Blues Hall of Fame. 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 Fletcher Henderson's band was playing at the Grand Terrace just before the Basie band arrived there. Pop Tunes With a Kick, ''Of course, I wanted to play real jazz. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. He was sometimes known as Papa Jo Jones to distinguish him from younger drummer Philly Joe Jones. "[25], Young made his final studio recordings and live performances in Paris in March 1959 with drummer Kenny Clarke at the tail end of an abbreviated European tour during which he ate next to nothing and drank heavily. Live recording of Young and Potts in Washington were issued later. Are you sure that you want to report this flower to administrators as offensive or abusive? [30] Another slang term he is rumoured to have popularized was the term "bread" for money. 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. COUNT BASIE, 79, BAND LEADER AND MASTER OF SWING, DEAD, https://www.nytimes.com/1984/04/27/arts/count-basie-79-band-leader-and-master-of-swing-dead.html. Thanks for your help! Count Basie, byname of William Basie, (born August 21, 1904, Red Bank, New Jersey, U.S.died April 26, 1984, Hollywood, Florida), American jazz musician noted for his spare, economical piano style and for his leadership of influential and widely heralded big bands. Even more important was the fact that the Famous Door had national and local radio wires. 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). Then he said, 'Bill, I think I'll call you Count Basie from now on. No animated GIFs, photos with additional graphics (borders, embellishments. [1] He worked as a drummer and tap-dancer at carnival shows until joining Walter Page's band, the Blue Devils in Oklahoma City in the late 1920s. Count Basie | American musician | Britannica Search above to list available cemeteries. Basie was born William James Basie (with some sources listing his middle name as "Allen") on August 21, 1904, in Red Bank, New Jersey. Mr. Basie was, along with Duke Ellington and Benny Goodman, one of the pre-eminent bandleaders of the Big Band era in the 1930's and 40's. 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. It was a reunion with Holiday, with whom he had lost contact over the years. Then, as far as this guy Ellington is concerned, you can never tell what he's going to do. I thought he was kidding, shrugged my shoulders and repled, 'O.K.' . Count Bill Basie . She gave Lester the nickname "Prez" after President Franklin Roosevelt, the "greatest man around" in Billie's mind. Recordings made during this and subsequent periods suggest Young was beginning to make much greater use of a plastic reed, which tended to give his playing a somewhat heavier, breathier tone (although still quite smooth compared to that of many other players). 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. Chinese Zodiac: Count Basie was born in the Year of the Rabbit. After earning his degree, Nestico then returned to the military, where he arranged music for the United States Air Force Band (19501963), as well as leading the Glenn Miller Army Air Corps dance band, which would later become known as the Airmen of Note. There are no volunteers for this cemetery. Best Known For: One of jazz music's all-time greats, bandleader-pianist Count Basie was a primary shaper of the big-band sound that characterized mid-20th century popular music. The Basie band played at President John F. Kennedy's inaugural ball, and in 1965 toured with Frank Sinatra. Use the links under See more to quickly search for other people with the same last name in the same cemetery, city, county, etc. Becoming a Find a Grave member is fast, easy and FREE. He was a big force in music.''. His third wife was Mary Berkeley. His second great band, from the 1950s onwards, relied more on arrangements, typically from Neil Hefti and Ernie Wilkin's. As a pianist Basie. His second great band, from the 1950s onwards, relied more on arrangements, typically from Neil Hefti and Ernie Wilkin's. [6] His family moved to Minneapolis in 1919 and Young stayed there for much of the 1920s, first picking up the tenor saxophone while living there. In 1952 he was featured on Lester Young with the Oscar Peterson Trio, released in 1954 on Norgran. For many of the other participants, the photo shoot was the last time they saw him alive; he was the first musician in the famous photo to pass away. [35], On 17 March 2003, Young was added to the ASCAP Jazz Wall of Fame, along with Sidney Bechet, Al Cohn, Nat "King" Cole, Peggy Lee and Teddy Wilson. 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. The band will continue under the guidance of Aaron Woodward, an adopted son of Mr. Basie who has worked closely with the orchestra leader during the last year. He recorded with trumpeter Lloyd Hunter's Serenaders in 1931, and later joined pianist Count Basie's band in 1934. Anyone can read what you share. Death rate by cause. This browser does not support getting your location. He began his professional career as an accompanist on the vaudeville circuit. In September 1944, Young and Jo Jones were in Los Angeles with the Basie Band when they were inducted into the U.S. Army. Nestico continued to provide arrangements for Basie until Basie's death in 1984, and four of Nestico's collaborations with Basie earned Grammy . As one Basie band member put it, Count dont do nothin. Young was the subject of an opera, Prez: A Jazz Opera, that was written by Bernard Cash and Alan Plater and broadcast by BBC television in 1985. Cloudflare Ray ID: 7a2b3f35bc02472d On December 8, 1957, Young appeared with Billie Holiday, Coleman Hawkins, Ben Webster, Roy Eldridge, and Gerry Mulligan in the CBS television special The Sound of Jazz, performing Holiday's tune "Fine and Mellow." (William) Count Basie (1904-1984) was an extremely popular figure in the jazz world for half a century. Thank you for fulfilling this photo request. He went on to join Walter Page's Blue Devils in 1928, which he would see as a pivotal moment in his career, being introduced to the big-band sound for the first time. With vocals by Jimmy Rushing, the band set up shop to perform at Kansas City's Reno Club. [4][17], Nestico also had a career in music education, teaching at the University of Georgia from 1998 to 1999, where he taught orchestration and conducted the studio orchestra; after which he retired to Carlsbad, California, near San Diego. This three-CD compilation celebrates the band's legendary Decca studio recordings made in New York when it was a hard-driving swing outfit on its way to becoming an American institution. Count Basie, byname of William Basie, (born August 21, 1904, Red Bank, New Jersey, U.S.died April 26, 1984, Hollywood, Florida), American jazz musician noted for his spare, economical piano style and for his leadership of influential and widely heralded big bands. ', ''The next day he invited me to sit in the pit and start working the pedals. Mr. Basie's wife, Catherine, died in April 1983. Count Basie - nndb.com Failed to report flower. [9] One of Young's key influences was Frankie Trumbauer, who came to prominence in the 1920s with Paul Whiteman and played the C-melody saxophone (between the alto and tenor in pitch).[10]. He served one traumatic year in a detention barracks[15] and was dishonorably discharged in late 1945. [1], Samuel Luigi Nistico was born on February 6, 1924, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to Luigi Nistico, an Italian immigrant, and Frances Mangone. He received awards from North Texas State University in 1978, 1979, and 1980. Young's solo was brilliant, acclaimed by some observers as an unparalleled marvel of economy, phrasing and extraordinarily moving emotion; Nat Hentoff, one of the show's producers, later commented, "Lester got up, and he played the purest blues I have ever heard in the control room we were all crying. Count Basie: The Man and His Music, Pt. 2 : NPR - NPR.org Omissions? Are you sure that you want to remove this flower? Nestico is best known for his arrangements for the Count Basie orchestra. Young played clarinet as well as tenor in these sessions. [12], Nestico married his second wife, Shirley, in 1995, and was married to her until his death. The sponsor of a memorial may add an additional. He earned the nickname, "Count," because of his stylish way of playing the piano. 'No,' I said, 'but I'd give my right arm to learn. Jazz Stars in the Band. The sound was almost frightening.''. Basie played the vaudevillian circuit for a time until he got stuck in Kansas City, Missouri in the mid-1920s after his performance group disbanded. 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. recording ban by the American Federation of Musicians, Lester Young with the Oscar Peterson Trio, The President Plays with the Oscar Peterson Trio, Lady Day: The Complete Billie Holiday on Columbia, "Lester 'Pres' Young in Minneapolis: The Formative Years", "Frankie Trumbauer - Biography & History", "Lester Young - Biography, Albums, & Streaming Radio - AllMusic", "Stories of Standards: Lester Leaps In by Lester Young", "Lester Young With the Oscar Peterson Trio - Lester Young | Songs, Reviews, Credits", "Young, Lester, Jr. (2008/01/31) | Oral History", "Lester Young: 'The Prez' Still Rules At 100", "Seven Music Greats Added to ASCAP Jazz Wall of Fame", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Lester_Young&oldid=1142318678, Short description is different from Wikidata, Pages using infobox musical artist with associated acts, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0. He originally wanted to be a drummer, but he grew up near Sonny Greer, who would become Duke Ellington s legendary drummer in 1919. 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]. 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. You need a Find a Grave account to continue. cemeteries found in East Farmingdale, Suffolk County, New York, USA will be saved to your photo volunteer list. This memorial has been copied to your clipboard. When we played pop tunes, and naturally we had to, I wanted those pops to kick! Scale for the musicians at the Reno Club, where beer was a nickel and whisky was 15 cents, was $15 a week for playing from 8 P.M. to 4 A.M., except Saturdays when it was 8 P.M. until 8 A.M. And it was a seven-day week. 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". Then I sat beside him and he taught me.'' William James "Count" Basie (; August 21, 1904 - April 26, 1984) was an American jazz pianist, organist, bandleader, and composer. 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. In 2009, Nestico said in an interview "I didn't answer, although I didn't think [Johnson's] concept of music was worth a damn. Count Basie (1904-1984) - Find a Grave Memorial He began working as an arranger for Count Basie in 1967, and wrote and arranged all the music for Basie's 1968 LP Basie Straight Ahead. Young's career after World War II was far more prolific and lucrative than in the pre-war years in terms of recordings made, live performances, and annual income. He eventually relocated the Cherry Blossoms to Chicago, then to New York City. At a White House reception, President Reagan said that Mr. Basie was ''among the handful of musicians that helped change the path of American music in the 30's and the 40's'' and that he had ''revolutionized jazz.''. [8] He became a member of the Bostonians, led by Art Bronson, and chose tenor saxophone over alto as his primary instrument. See the article in its original context from. Lester married three times. Photos larger than 8Mb will be reduced. While growing up in the Algiers neighborhood of New Orleans, he worked from the age of five to make money for the family. At age 17, Nestico joined the ABC radio station WCAE in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania as a trombonist. Count Basie Birth Name: William James Basie Occupation: Pianist Place Of Birth: Red Bank Date Of Birth: August21, 1904 Date Of Death: April 26, 1984 Cause Of Death: N/A Ethnicity: Black Nationality: American Count Basie was born on the 21st of August, 1904. He was one of the greatest bandleaders of all-time, epitomizing the jazz of south-western America. Mr. Basie's band, more than any other, was the epitome of swing, of jazz that moved with a built-in flowing intensity. Jazz Musician. Flowers added to the memorial appear on the bottom of the memorial or here on the Flowers tab. Count Basies mothers name is unknown at this time and his fathers name is under review. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. Site contains certain content that is owned A&E Television Networks, LLC. Basie suffered from health issues in his later years, and died from cancer in Hollywood, Florida, on April 26, 1984. A band leader and pioneer in jazz percussion, Jones anchored the Count Basie Orchestra rhythm section from 1934 to 1948. He was one of the greatest bandleaders of all-time, epitomizing the jazz of south-western America. Count was 79 years old at the time of death. Mr. Basie's musicians had been playing ''head'' arrangements in Kansas City - treatments of the blues or pop tunes that were worked out on the stand. Discography. In his hometown of Red Bank, there is now a Count Basie Theatre and a Count Basie Field. 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. To view a photo in more detail or edit captions for photos you added, click the photo to open the photo viewer. After Young's clarinet was stolen in 1939, he abandoned the instrument until about 1957. Discover what happened on this day. (Sorry I could . I sat on the floor watching his feet and using my hands to imitate him. 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 In 1937 Basie took his group, Count Basie and His Barons of Rhythm, to New York to record their first album with Decca Records under their new name, The Count Basie Orchestra. Your new password must contain one or more uppercase and lowercase letters, and one or more numbers or special characters. "[12] As well as the Kansas City Sessions, his clarinet work from 193839 is documented on recordings with Basie, Billie Holiday, Basie small groups, and the organist Glenn Hardman. The 1950s band showcased the sound and style Basie was to employ for the remainder of his career, although there were to be occasionaland successfulexperiments such as Afrique (1970), an album of African rhythms and avant-garde compositions that still managed to remain faithful to the overall Basie sound. or don't show this againI am good at figuring things out. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate, or jump to a slide with the slide dots. 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 morning at Doctors' Hospital in Hollywood, Fla. In 2021, Nestico died in Carlsbad, California, at the age of 96. Mausoleum, South Forsythia Court, Row 57, Tier D, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/1664/count-basie. This page is updated often with latest details about Count Basie. He also starred in several films, most notably the musical short Jammin' the Blues (1944). Are you sure that you want to delete this photo? The ''book'' of this early Basie band was based on blues and riffs developed on a blues structure. is military terminology referring to "Government Issue" or "General Issue". Jones was the 1985 recipient of an American Jazz Masters fellowship awarded by the National Endowment for the Arts. Count Basies birth sign is Leo and he had a ruling planet of Sun. Basie decided to form a medium-sized band in 1950, juggling combinations of all-star . Basie began his career as a stride pianist, reflecting the influence of Johnson and Waller, but the style most associated with him was characterized by spareness and precision. "[27] Holiday died four months later on July 17, 1959 at age 44. Here is all you want to know, and more! Page, a bassist, Jimmy Rushing, the blues singer, both of whom would be key members of Mr. Basie's band. [1] Jones had a major influence on later drummers such as Buddy Rich, Kenny Clarke, Roy Haynes, Max Roach, and Louie Bellson. Most Common Causes of Death in The US - USAFacts Unlike many white musicians, who were placed in band outfits such as the ones led by Glenn Miller and Artie Shaw, Young was assigned to the regular army where he was not allowed to play his saxophone. 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. Biography - Count Basie - Rutgers University Drag images here or select from your computer for Count Basie memorial. 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. He made many studio recordings under Granz's supervision as well, including more trio recordings with Nat King Cole. There is a problem with your email/password. We strive for accuracy and fairness.If you see something that doesn't look right,contact us! . In 2021, approximately 3,458,697 deaths occurred in the United States. 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. His father was a teacher and band leader. 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. From then on, it was Count Basie.''. ABC World News Tonight feature on death of Count Basie on - YouTube Along with Duke Ellington, Count Basie is regarded as one of the two most important and influential bandleaders in the history of jazz. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. There was a memorable concert at Town Hall several years ago when a number of musicians, including Mr. Basie, were scheduled to perform in a variety of combinations. He made a habit of leaving, working, then going home. when asking how much a gig was going to pay.[31]. The key factor in popularizing it was a series of repetitions of the final few bars when, as the orchestra seemingly came to the end of the piece, Mr. Basie held up a finger and called out, ''One mo' time! [1] Jones took a brief break for two years when he was in the military, but he remained with Basie until 1948. [18] In 1956, he recorded two LPs with his 1930s collaborators Teddy Wilson and Jo Jones. Suffering from diabetes and chronic arthritis during his later years, Basie continued to front his big band until a month before his death in 1984. His father, Harvey Lee Basie, was a coachman and caretaker; his mother, Lillian Childs Basie, was a laundress, taking in washing and ironing. Foster asked the drummer to come back for another audition in six months after the young man had listened to every recording he could find of Sonny Payne drumming with Count Basie. The funeral service will be at noon on Monday at the Abyssinian Baptist Church, 132 West 138th Street. His first marriage was to Beatrice Tolliver, in Albuquerque, on 23 February 1930. Homage to Lester Young (1993), a book of poetry by Vancouver writer Jamie Reid. Count Basie was a Leo and was born in the G.I. Share this memorial using social media sites or email. He subsequently led a number of small groups that often included his brother, drummer Lee Young, for the next couple of years; live and broadcast recordings from this period exist. [4][7], Beginning in 1982, Nestico began releasing solo albums, with Dark Orchid" as his debut album. In the early 1990s after Count Basie's death, leader Frank Foster was auditioning a young drummer for the Basie Band. [13] Playing on her name, he would call her "Lady Day." Count Basie, 79, Band Leader and Master of Swing, Dead During 1950 and 51, economy forced Basie to front an octet, the only period in his career in which he did not lead a big band. "Ivey-Divey" was one of Lester Young's common eccentric phrases. ). Recorded on a home recorder. Red Bank, Monmouth County, New Jersey, USA. Lester Willis Young (August 27, 1909 March 15, 1959), nicknamed "Pres" or "Prez", was an American jazz tenor saxophonist and occasional clarinetist. During this period Young accompanied the singer Billie Holiday in a couple of studio sessions (19371941) and also made a small set of recordings with Nat "King" Cole (their first of several collaborations) in June 1942. In addition, he played trombone, in the big bands of Tommy Dorsey, Woody Herman, Gene Krupa, and Charlie Barnet. The following year, she worked with Artie Shaw and his orchestra. Swing-era bandleader noted for his theme songs One OClock Jump from 1937 and April in Paris from 1932. During his last years, he had difficulty walking and rode out on the stage on a motorized wheelchair which he sometimes drove with joyful abandon. You have chosen this person to be their own family member. Ronald McFadden, consummate entertainer, tap dancer and musician, died unexpectedly this week, shortly after a performance in downtown Kansas City. Death rate from chronic respiratory diseases. Though rooted in the riff style of the 1930s swing-era big bands, the Basie orchestra played with the forceful drive and carefree swing of a small combo.
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