All photos appear on this tab and here you can update the sort order of photos on memorials you manage. Stranded in Kansas City, Missouri, in 1927, Basie remained there and eventually (in 1935) assumed the leadership of a nine-piece band composed of former members of the Walter Page and Bennie Moten orchestras. 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. Breakthrough on 52d Street. 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. The impact Basie had can be seen across the country. Please ensure you have given Find a Grave permission to access your location in your browser settings. When the Page band broke up in 1929, Mr. Of course, I wanted to play real jazz. Causes of deaths for people who were 70 years and older. Then he said, 'Bill, I think I'll call you Count Basie from now on. His father was a student of the mellophone, and his mother was a pianist. Basie suffered from health issues in his later years, and died from cancer in Hollywood, Florida, on April 26, 1984. From Bill to Count. "[27] Holiday died four months later on July 17, 1959 at age 44. You can always change this later in your Account settings. His group, Count Basie and his Cherry Blossoms, was an outgrowth of Bennie Motens band in Kansas City. In 1963, he switched to the Marines and became director and arranger of the United States Marine Band, where he served under presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson. The Basie band played at President John F. Kennedy's inaugural ball, and in 1965 toured with Frank Sinatra. [1], Known for his hip, introverted style,[2] he invented or popularized much of the hipster jargon which came to be associated with the music. His third wife was Mary Berkeley. Failed to remove flower. In 1950, when big bands were falling apart, Mr. Basie cut down to an eight-piece group but by 1952 he was leading a big band once again. In his hometown of Red Bank, there is now a Count Basie Theatre and a Count Basie Field. [11] He soon left Henderson to play in the Andy Kirk band (for six months) before returning to Basie. He recorded with trumpeter Lloyd Hunter's Serenaders in 1931, and later joined pianist Count Basie's band in 1934. As manager of this memorial you can add or update the memorial using the Edit button below. Instrument (s) Drums. The funeral service will be at noon on Monday at the Abyssinian Baptist Church, 132 West 138th Street. . On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. 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 was an extremely popular figure in the jazz world for half a century. William James Basie is part of G.I. 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. Despite a brief disbandment at the beginning of the 1950s, the band survived long past the Big Band era itself and the death of Basie in 1984. The Count Basie Orchestra is a 16 to 18 piece big band, one of the most prominent jazz performing groups of the swing era, founded by Count Basie in 1935 and recording regularly from 1936. I sat on the floor watching his feet and using my hands to imitate him. For a smaller band, the Savoy Sultans had a great swing thing going. Even in Harlem, it puzzled the aware audiences at the Savoy Ballroom. During childhood, Sammy Americanized his name to Samuel Louis Nestico. There is 1 volunteer for this cemetery. Holiday toured with the Count Basie Orchestra in 1937. 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. Once more details are available, we will update this section. 0 cemeteries found in East Farmingdale, Suffolk County, New York, USA. 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. The band itself carried on into the next century, with Thad Jones, Frank Foster, and Grover Mitchell each assuming leadership for various intervals. He was sometimes known as Papa Jo Jones to distinguish him from younger drummer Philly Joe Jones. Count was 79 years old at the time of death. Lester Young also had a direct influence on the young Charlie Parker, and thus the entire be-bop movement. Your account has been locked for 30 minutes due to too many failed sign in attempts. If you see something that doesnt look right, contact us. Share this memorial using social media sites or email. In 1952 he was featured on Lester Young with the Oscar Peterson Trio, released in 1954 on Norgran. He directed music programs at Los Angeles Pierce College, Woodland Hills, California, Westinghouse Memorial High School, and Wilmerding, Pennsylvania. You are only allowed to leave one flower per day for any given memorial. Beginning in Vaudeville. This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. See the article in its original context from. Well, that was the last time I was ever introduced as Bill Basie. Homage to Lester Young (1993), a book of poetry by Vancouver writer Jamie Reid. At age 17, Nestico joined the ABC radio station WCAE in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania as a trombonist. ''I wanted my 13-piece band to work together just like those nine pieces,'' he explained. The pianist in the combo gave up his seat to Mr. Basie who sat down, tinkled a few introductory notes, looked up at the drummer, nodded at the rest of the group and, when the combo took off, the musicians were playing as brilliantly and cleanly as they had been disheveled only a few moments before. standing for detention barracks).[16]. Jazz Musician. I had never heard the blues played like that. Jonathan David Samuel Jones (October 7, 1911 September 3, 1985)[1] was an American jazz drummer. He was represented at the ceremony by his children Lester Young Jr and Yvette Young.[36]. When we played pop tunes, and naturally we had to, I wanted those pops to kick! He was also honored by ASMAC and the Big Band Academy of America. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Mausoleum, South Forsythia Court, Row 57, Tier D, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/1664/count-basie. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. 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. 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. [4][12], Nestico published nearly 600 numbers for school groups and many for professional big bands. You need a Find a Grave account to continue. This second-generation big band differed from the early one in that it depended on arrangers for its basic style, a smooth, rolling, highly polished swing style for which Neal Hefti (''Li'l Darlin' ''), Ernie Wilkins and Frank Foster (''Shiny Stockings'') were among the most notable orchestrators. One of the band's most popular arrangements, ''April in Paris,'' was written in 1955 by Wild Bill Davis, a jazz organist who had originally developed it for his own small group. She gave Lester the nickname "Prez" after President Franklin Roosevelt, the "greatest man around" in Billie's mind. People who are born with the Sun as the ruling planet are courageous, self-expressive and bold. Sorry! His father, Harvey Lee Basie, was a coachman and caretaker; his mother, Lillian Childs Basie, was a laundress, taking in washing and ironing. 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). He originally wanted to be a drummer, but he grew up near Sonny Greer, who would become Duke Ellington s legendary drummer in 1919. Drummer of the Count Basie Orchestra Passed Away, Obituary - YouTube 0:00 / 0:36 Butch Miles Cause of Death? Jazz Stars in the Band. Death rate by cause. Basie then formed the Barons of Rhythm with some of his bandmates from Moten's group, including saxophonist Lester Young. [1] The two died only a few days apart. cemeteries found within kilometers of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. This generation experienced much of their youth during the Great Depression and rapid technological innovation such as the radio and the telephone. We will review the memorials and decide if they should be merged. 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. Young played clarinet as well as tenor in these sessions. He rose to fame after taking over Bennie Moten's band in 1935. [8] He thought he could never outmatch Greers talent, so he took up piano at 15. Drummer of the Count Basie Orchestra Passed Away, Obituary Teach World 1.12K. Even more important was the fact that the Famous Door had national and local radio wires. 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. 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. [4][5][6][7] After leaving the military, he completed a degree in music education at Duquesne University. The story of Count Basie is very much the story of the great jazz band that he led for close to 50 years (1935-1984), an orchestra with a distinctive . Please enter your email and password to sign in. [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. They had two children: Lester W. Young Jr. (born 1947) and Yvette Young (born 1957). Close this window, and upload the photo(s) again. 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. 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! [4] to Lizetta Young (ne Johnson), and Willis Handy Young, originally from Louisiana. As a pianist Basie was equally great and was intensely rhythmic, using as few notes as possible. "[4][9], After leaving the military, Nestico became a freelance arranger. 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 was one of the greatest bandleaders of all-time, epitomizing the jazz of south-western America. The Count Basie Theatre in Redbank, New Jersey. Red Bank, Monmouth County, New Jersey, USA. Occupation (s) Musician. Mr. Basie's band, more than any other, was the epitome of swing, of jazz that moved with a built-in flowing intensity. Your Scrapbook is currently empty. People of this zodiac sign like to be admired, expensive things, bright colors, and dislike being ignored, facing difficulties, not being treated specially. In 1981, Mr. Basie was honored along with Cary Grant, Helen Hayes and other stars as a recipient of Washington's Kennedy Center honors for achievement in the performing arts. I thought you might like to see a memorial for Count Basie I found on Findagrave.com. He made many studio recordings under Granz's supervision as well, including more trio recordings with Nat King Cole. He left home permanently in 1932 when he became a member of the Blue Devils led by Walter Page. His piano style, which often seemed bare and simple, was an exquisitely realized condensation of the florid ''stride'' style of Fats Waller and James P. Johnson with whom Mr. Basie started. He started out to be a drummer. 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. A system error has occurred. You never got tired of that business at the end.'' It featured such jazzmen as tenor saxophonists Lester Young (regarded by many as the premier tenor player in jazz history) and Herschel Evans, trumpeters Buck Clayton and Harry Sweets Edison, and trombonists Benny Morton and Dicky Wells. He was soon court-martialed. [1] He participated in the Jazz at the Philharmonic concert series.[1]. So he called the pianist "Count," with Basie not realizing just how much the name would catch on as a form of recognition and respect in the music world. You have chosen this person to be their own family member. Beware, the Count is Here. 'No,' I said, 'but I'd give my right arm to learn. [21][22] Both hold a PhD in Education, according to drummer Roy Haynes, who was interviewed as part of an attempt to create a film biography of Young. A brother, James, died when William was a young boy. His autobiography (as told to Albert Murray), entitled Rifftide: The Life and Opinions of Papa Jo Jones and based on conversations between Jones and novelist Murray from 1977 to before Jones' death in 1985, was posthumously published in 2011 by the University of Minnesota Press.[2]. Young's playing style influenced many other tenor saxophonists, including Stan Getz, as well as Zoot Sims, Al Cohn, Warne Marsh, as well as baritone saxophonist Gerry Mulligan and alto saxophonists Lee Konitz, and Paul Desmond. [4] In 1939, he wrote his first arrangement. .css-m6thd4{-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;display:block;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;font-family:Gilroy,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif;font-size:1.125rem;line-height:1.2;font-weight:bold;color:#323232;text-transform:capitalize;}@media (any-hover: hover){.css-m6thd4:hover{color:link-hover;}}Rock Icon KISS Is Saying Goodbye (For Real), Rihanna and 10 Other Great Pregnant Performances, Burt Bacharachs Legacy: 5 Notable Collaborations, 2023 Grammy Awards: Six Winners Who Made History. In December 1943, Young returned to the Basie fold for a 10-month stint, cut short by his being drafted into the army during World War II. Drag images here or select from your computer for Count Basie memorial. Cholera deaths in Great Britain over the long-term. Duffy Jackson, with bassist Jim Furgeson, at Rudy's Jazz Room in Nashville. Count Basie was born in 1900s. Jazz Musician. 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. Fletcher Henderson's band was playing at the Grand Terrace just before the Basie band arrived there. In contrast to many of his hard-driving peers, Young played with a relaxed, cool tone and used sophisticated . The following year, she worked with Artie Shaw and his orchestra. Add to your scrapbook. He sold newspapers and shined shoes. A band leader and pioneer in jazz percussion, Jones anchored the Count Basie Orchestra rhythm section from 1934 to 1948. After Young's clarinet was stolen in 1939, he abandoned the instrument until about 1957. Coming to prominence while a member of Count Basie's orchestra, Young was one of the most influential players on his instrument. Recorded on a home recorder. Please contact Find a Grave at [emailprotected] if you need help resetting your password. It had continued success throughout the war years, but, like all big bands, it had declined in popularity by the end of the 1940s. Lester married three times. The band flopped at a Pittsburgh hotel that had never booked a jazz band before. 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. 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. He also starred in several films, most notably the musical short Jammin' the Blues (1944). From the Grand Terrace, it moved on to New York and Roseland Ballroom (playing opposite Woody Herman's new, young band) where listeners complained that it was out of tune (not a surprising reaction since many of Mr. Basie's musicians were blowing patched-up horns and saxophones held together by rubber bands). Causes of deaths for children between 5 and 14. 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. Although they were recorded in New York (in 1938, with a reunion in 1944), they are named after the group, the Kansas City Seven, and comprised Buck Clayton, Dicky Wells, Basie, Young, Freddie Green, Rodney Richardson, and Jo Jones. Generation also known as The Greatest Generation. when asking how much a gig was going to pay.[31]. Failed to delete memorial. 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. In 1981 OyamO (Charles F. Gordon) published the book The Resurrection of Lady Lester, subtitled "A Poetic Mood Song Based on the Legend of Lester Young", depicting Young's life. 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. Nestico continued to provide arrangements for Basie until Basie's death in 1984, and four of Nestico's collaborations with Basie earned Grammy Awards. Becoming a Find a Grave member is fast, easy and FREE. Please reset your password. He was known for being a Pianist. You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. Samuel Louis Nistico (February 6, 1924 January 17, 2021), better known as Sammy Nestico, was an American composer and arranger. based on information from your browser. Oops, some error occurred while uploading your photo(s). 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.''. His playing in the Basie band was characterized by a relaxed style which contrasted sharply with the more forceful approach of Coleman Hawkins, the dominant tenor sax player of the day. He recorded less often with his big band during this era (although when he did, the results were outstanding), concentrating instead on small-group and piano-duet recordings. He flicked out tightly economical, single-finger passages, directing his musicians with a glance, a lift of an eyebrow or a note hit gently but positively in passing. [29], Lester Young is said to have popularized use of the term "cool" to mean something fashionable. [12], Nestico wrote hundreds of arrangements for school band and jazz band programs. The Sun is about vitality and is the core giver of life. (Fans distinguish the two major eras in Basie bands as the Old Testament and New Testament.) The Basie orchestra of the 1950s was a slick, professional unit that was expert at sight reading and demanding arrangements. Whereas other pianists were noted for technical flash and dazzling dexterity, Basie was known for his use of silence and for reducing his solo passages to the minimum amount of notes required for maximum emotional and rhythmic effect. Is that all right with you?' Please check your email and click on the link to activate your account. Corrections? On a flight to New York City, he suffered from internal bleeding due to the effects of alcoholism and died in the early morning hours of March 15, 1959, only hours after arriving back in New York, at the age of 49.[26]. His mother paid 25 cents per piano lesson for him when he was young. I wanted those three trumpets and two trombones to bite with real guts. 24 part "Interview with Lester Young", conducted in the 1950s. ''And that's when the whole fire started,'' said Mr. Alexander. He was also helming one of the biggest, most renowned African American jazz groups of the day. Not loud and fast, understand, but smoothly and with a definite punch.''. Previously sponsored memorials or famous memorials will not have this option. Are you sure that you want to remove this flower? Failed to report flower. Count Basies mothers name is unknown at this time and his fathers name is under review. The Blue Devils was the first big band I ever had a chance to get close to and really listen to, and it was the greatest thing I had ever heard. To help it through the Grand Terrace engagement, Fletcher Henderson, who had provided Benny Goodman with the arrangements that enabled his band to break through a year earlier, lent Mr. Basie some of his arrangements. He got used to seeing me, as though I were part of the show. This flower has been reported and will not be visible while under review. Please enter your email address and we will send you an email with a reset password code. You can't have a Count Basie collection without going back to the beginning. Basie studied music with his mother and was later influenced by the Harlem pianists James P. Johnson and Fats Waller, receiving . Many of the members, like Lester "Prez" Young, drifted into Basie's orbit around the time of Moten's death in 1935. 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. Jones was the 1985 recipient of an American Jazz Masters fellowship awarded by the National Endowment for the Arts. He is survived by a daughter, Diane Basie of Freeport. In contrast to the prevailing jazz drum style exemplified by Gene Krupa's loud, insistent pounding of the bass drum on each beat, Jones often omitted bass drum playing altogether. Count Basie was born on the 21st of August, 1904. One of Kansas City's own, Ronald McFadden, 66, who together with his brother Lonnie, is well known for entertaining audiences in Kansas City and worldwide, died unexpectedly Monday evening. Count Basie Birthday and Date of Death Count Basie was born on August 21, 1904 and died on April 26, 1984. By the time he was ten, he had learned the basics of the trumpet, violin, and drums, and joined the Young Family Band touring with carnivals and playing in regional cities in the Southwest[6][2], In his teens he and his father clashed, and he often left home for long periods. When jazz record producer Norman Granz formed his Pablo label in the 1970s, several established jazz artists, including Basie, signed on in order to record unfettered by commercial demands. First commercially issued collection of Young as band leader. The ''book'' of this early Basie band was based on blues and riffs developed on a blues structure. [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. 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." But it sure sounds good.. 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. During a radio broadcast of the band's performance, the announcer wanted to give Basie's name some pizazz, keeping in mind the existence of other bandleaders like .css-47aoac{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-thickness:0.0625rem;text-decoration-color:inherit;text-underline-offset:0.25rem;color:#A00000;-webkit-transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;}.css-47aoac:hover{color:#595959;text-decoration-color:border-link-body-hover;}Duke Ellington and Earl Hines. One famous instance of his irritable temper was in the spring of 1936, during a jam session at the Reno Club in Kansas City.