Count Basie
Born: 21st August 1904, Red Bank, New Jersey, U.S.
Died: 26th April 1984, Hollywood, Florida, U.S.
Nationality: American
William James "Count" Basie was an American jazz pianist, organist, bandleader, and composer. In 1935, he formed 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, plunger trombonist Al Grey, and singers Jimmy Rushing, Helen Humes, Thelma Carpenter, and Joe Williams.
Read more at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Count_Basie
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Further Reading: Count Basie
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Count Basie: Architect of Swing
20th Sep 2025
A pivotal figure in the big band and swing era, Basie became one of America’s most prominent bandleaders, earning himself the title “King of Swing”.
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The Atomic Mr. Basie
27th Jun 2019
Matt explores the origins behind the Count Basie Band's 1957 comeback album The Atomic Mr. Basie, a big band tour de force with state of the art compositions by Neal Hefti... the man who would go on to write the Batman theme!
All Genres: Count Basie
Big Band & Swing
Early Jazz & Dixieland
Easy Listening
Hard Bop
Vocal Jazz
Recent Best Sellers: Count Basie
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Nothing But The Best
Frank Sinatra, Count Basie And His Orchestra, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Nelson Riddle (conductor/piano), Nancy Sinatra Billy May, Quincy Jones, Don Costa
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Lady Day: The Complete Billie Holiday On Columbia (1933-1944)
Billie Holiday (vocal), Shirley Clay (trumpet), Charlie Teagarden (trumpet), Benny Goodman (clarinet), Jack Teagarden (trombone), Billie Holiday With Benny Goodman & His Orchestra, Dick McDonough (guitar), Buck Washington (piano), Gene Krupa (drums), Art Karle (tenor saxophone), John Kirby (bass), Ben Webster (tenor saxophone), Roy Eldridge (trumpet), Teddy Wilson (piano), Billie Holiday with Teddy Wilson & His Orchestra, John Truehart (guitar), Cozy Cole (drums), Cecil Scott (clarinet), Lawrence Lucie (guitar), Hilton Jefferson (alto saxophone), Benny Morton (trombone), Chu Berry (tenor saxophone), Dave Barbour (guitar), Johnny Hodges (alto saxophone), Tom Mace (clarinet), Richard Clarke (trumpet), Tommy Mace (clarinet), Rudy Powell (clarinet), Gordon Griffin (trumpet), Ted McRae (tenor saxophone), Harry Carney (clarinet), Jonah Jones (trumpet), Harry Carney (baritone saxophone), Billie Holiday & Her Orchestra, Bunny Berigan (trumpet), Artie Shaw (clarinet), Joe Bushkin (piano), Clyde Hart (piano), Irving Fazola (clarinet), Vido Musso (clarinet), Irving Randolph (trumpet), Teddy Wison (piano), Allan Reuss (guitar), Allen Reuss (guitar), Milt Hinton (bass guitar), John Kirby (bass guitar), Edgar Sampson (clarinet), Edgar Sampson (alto saxophone), Lester Young (tenor saxophone), Buck Clayton (trumpet), Freddie Green (guitar), Jo Jones (drums), Walter Page (bass), Vido Musso (tenor saxophone), Prince Robinson (clarinet), Allan Reus (guitar), Cecil Scott (alto saxophone), Cecil Scott (tenor saxophone), Prince Robinson (tenor saxophone), Henry 'Red' Allen (trumpet), Jimmy McLin (guitar), Cootie Williams (trumpet), Joe Thomas (tenor saxophone), Buster Bailey (clarinet), Eddie Tompkins (trumpet), Carmen Mastren (guitar), Alphonse Steele (drums), Artie Bernstein (bass), James Sherman (piano), Edmond Hall (clarinet), Claude Thornhill (piano), Cozy Cole (as Swing Roo) (drums), Babe Russin (tenor saxophone), Charlie Shavers (trumpet), Billy Kyle (piano), Danny Barker (guitar), Lester Young (clarinet), Dicky Wells (trombone), Margaret "Countess" Johnson (piano), Harry James (trumpet), Herschel Evans (tenor saxophone), Benny Carter (alto saxophone), Al Casey (guitar), Bobby Hackett (cornet), Trummy Young (trombone), Bud Freeman (tenor saxophone), Toots Mondello (alto saxophone), Milt Hinton (bass), Ted Buckner (alto saxophone), John Williams (bass), Tyree Glenn (trombone), Sonny White (piano), Ernie Powell (tenor saxophone), Ernie Powell (clarinet), Benny Carter (tenor saxophone), Kenny Kersey (piano), Tab Smith (alto saxophone), Hot Lips Page (trumpet), Stanley Payne (tenor saxophone), Kenneth Hollon (tenor saxophone), Tab Smith (soprano saxophone), Eddie Dougherty (drums), Bernard Addison (guitar), Eddy Dougherty (drums), Harry Edison (trumpet), Jack Washington (alto saxophone), Joe Sullivan (piano), Earle Warren (alto saxophone), Kermit Scott (tenor saxophone), Carl Frye (alto saxophone), Jimmy Powell (clarinet), Hal West (drums), Jimmy Powell (alto saxophone), Bill Bowen (alto saxophone), Joe Eldridge (alto saxophone), J.C. Heard (drums), Jimmy Hamilton (tenor saxophone), Don Byas (tenor saxophone), Don Redman (alto saxophone), John Collins (guitar), Kenny Clarke (drums), Georgie Auld (alto saxophone), George Auld (tenor saxophone), Bill Coleman (trumpet), Benny Carter (piano), Billie Holiday With Benny Carter & His All Star Orchestra, Yank Porter (drums), Ulysses Livingston (guitar), Benny Carter (clarinet), Georgie Auld (tenor saxophone), Leslie Johnakins (alto saxophone), Eddie Barefield (alto saxophone), Shad Collins (trumpet), Eddie Heywood (piano), Billie Holiday with Eddie Heywood & His Orchestra, Ted Sturgis (bass), Ernie Powell (alto saxophone), Grachan Moncur (bass), Lester Boone (alto saxophone), Paul Chapman (guitar), Herbert Cowans (drums), Babe Russin (clarinet), Hymie Schertzer (alto saxophone), Jimmy Hamilton (clarinet), Hymie Schertzer (clarinet), Emmett Berry (trumpet), Gene Fields (guitar), Duke Ellington & His Orchestra, Arthur Whetsol (trumpet), Barney Bigard (clarinet), Freddy Jenkins (trumpet), Barney Bigard (tenor saxophone), Lawrence Brown (trombone), Juan Tizol (trombone), Joe Nanton (trombone), Harry Carney (alto saxophone), Sonny Greer (drums), Duke Ellington (piano), Fred Guy (guitar), Duke Ellington & His Orchestra & Billie Holiday, Johnny Hodges (clarinet), Johnny Hodges (soprano saxophone), Marshall Royal (clarinet), Marshall Royal (alto saxophone), Count Basie & His Orchestra, Bobby Moore (trumpet), Ed Lewis (trumpet), George Hunt (trombone), Dan Minor (trombone), Billie Holiday & Count Basie & His Orchestra, Count Basie (piano), Jack Washington (baritone saxophone), Eddie Durham (electric guitar), Eddie Durham (trombone), Walter Page (bass guitar), Buster Bailley (clarinet), Ziggy Elman (trumpet), Cy Baker (trumpet), Jerry Jerome (tenor saxophone), Red Ballard (trombone), Vernon Brown (trombone), Art Rollini (tenor saxophone), Benny Heller (guitar), Buddy Shultz (drums), Jess Stacy (piano), Noni Bernardi (alto saxophone), Johnny Mercer (vocal), Leo Watson (vocal), Martha Tilton (vocal), Wilson Myers (bass), All-Star Jam Band, Art Tatum (piano), Billie Holiday with The All-Star Jam Band, Sidney Catlett (drums)
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Penguin Guide to Jazz, 4 Star
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First Time! The Count Meets The Duke
Duke Ellington & Count Basie, Duke Ellington (piano), Count Basie (piano), Lennie Johnson (trumpet), Louis Blackburn (trombone), Lawrence Brown (trombone), Snooky Young (trumpet), Thad Jones (trumpet), Eddie Mullens (trumpet), Juan Tizol (trombone), Sonny Cohn (trumpet), Henry Coker (trombone), Quentin Jackson (trombone), Bennie Powell (trombone), Fats Ford (trumpet), Cat Anderson (trumpet), Sonny Payne (drums), Sam Woodyard (drums), Freddie Green (guitar), Ray Nance (trumpet), Ray Nance (violin), Russell Procope (alto saxophone), Paul Gonsalves (tenor saxophone), Jimmy Hamilton (clarinet), Johnny Hodges (alto saxophone), Eddie Jones (bass), Harry Carney (bass), Aaron Bell (bass), Willie Cook (trumpet), Lonnie Johnson (trumpet), Benny Powell (trombone), Charlie Fowlkes (baritone saxophone), Frank Foster (tenor saxophone), Budd Johnson (tenor saxophone), Harry Carney (baritone saxophone), Marshall Royal (alto saxophone), Frank Wess (flute), Frank Wess (tenor saxophone), Billy Strayhorn (piano), Butter Jackson (trombone), Jimmy Hamilton (tenor saxophone), Willie Cook (piano), Cat Anderson (piano), Fats Ford (piano), Eddie Mullens (piano)
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New. Verve Records: The Sound of America
Nat King Cole (piano), J.J. Johnson (trombone), Illinois Jacquet (saxophone), Jack McVea (saxophone), Les Paul (guitar), Johnny Miller (doublebass), Lee Young (drumkit), Coleman Hawkins (saxophone), Oscar Peterson (piano), Ray Brown (bass, double bass, uprightbass, doublebass), Major Holley (bass), Bud Powell (piano), Count Basie And His Orchestra, Johnny Hodges And His Orchestra, Johnny Hodges (saxophone, altosaxophone), Lloyd Trotman (doublebass), Sonny Greer (drumkit), Leroy Lovett (piano), Al Sears (saxophone), Lawrence Brown (trombone), Emmett Berry (trumpet), Andre's All Stars, Lionel Hampton (vibraphone), Stan Getz (tenorsaxophone), Shelly Manne (drumkit), Leroy Vinnegar (uprightbass), Lou Levy (piano), Lester Young (saxophone), Teddy Wilson Quartet, Teddy Wilson (piano), Gene Ramey (doublebass), Jo Jones (drumkit), Buddy DeFranco (clarinet), Oscar Peterson Quartet, Benny Carter (saxophone, altosaxophone), Louis Armstrong (trumpet & vocals), Ella Fitzgerald (vocalist, vocals), Art Tatum (piano), Roy Eldridge (trumpet), Dizzy Gillespie (vocalist, trumpet), Sonny Stitt (tenorsaxophone), Sonny Rollins (tenorsaxophone), Charlie Persip (drumkit), Tommy Bryant (bass), Buddy Rich (drums, drumkit, vocalist), Modern Jazz Quartet (jazz ensemble), Charlie Parker (altosaxophone), Joseph Singer (frenchhorn), Eddie Brown (oboe), Sam Caplan (concertmaster, violin), Howard Kay (violin), Harry Melnikoff (violin), Sam Rand (violin), Zelly Smirnoff (violin), Isadore Zir (viola), Maurice Brown (cello), Verley Mills (harp), Bernie Leighton (piano), J.C. Heard (drumkit), Charlie Shavers (trumpet), Barney Kessel (guitar, electricguitar), Jack Kerouac, Mort Sahl (vocalist), Jonathan Winters, Shelley Berman, Count Basie (piano & bandleader), Joe Williams (vocals), Spike Jones, Carl Grayson (vocalist), Rose Murphy, Joe Mondragon (bass, bassguitar), Alvin Stoller (drumkit), Howard Roberts (guitar), Paul Smith (piano), Ben Webster (tenorsaxophone), Harry 'Sweets' Edison (trumpet), Woody Herman (clarinet & bandleader), Margaret Whiting, Mel Torme (vocals), The Marty Paich Orchestra, Marty Paich (recordingarranger, piano), Mel Lewis (drumkit), Vince Derosa (frenchhorn), Art Pepper (altosaxophone), Bill Hood (baritonesaxophone), Bill Perkins (tenorsaxophone), Al Porcino (trumpet), Stu Williamson (trumpet), Red Callender (tuba, doublebass), Anita O'Day (vocals), Bing Crosby (vocals), Buddy Bregman, Billie Holiday (vocals), Willie Smith (saxophone), Bobby Tucker (piano), Chico Hamilton (drumkit), Copyright Control (reviser), Fred Astaire (vocals), Flip Phillips (saxophone), Joe Lipman Orchestra, Duke Ellington & His Orchestra, Joe Lipman
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New Releases: Count Basie
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New. Verve Records: The Sound of America
Nat King Cole (piano), J.J. Johnson (trombone), Illinois Jacquet (saxophone), Jack McVea (saxophone), Les Paul (guitar), Johnny Miller (doublebass), Lee Young (drumkit), Coleman Hawkins (saxophone), Oscar Peterson (piano), Ray Brown (bass, double bass, uprightbass, doublebass), Major Holley (bass), Bud Powell (piano), Count Basie And His Orchestra, Johnny Hodges And His Orchestra, Johnny Hodges (saxophone, altosaxophone), Lloyd Trotman (doublebass), Sonny Greer (drumkit), Leroy Lovett (piano), Al Sears (saxophone), Lawrence Brown (trombone), Emmett Berry (trumpet), Andre's All Stars, Lionel Hampton (vibraphone), Stan Getz (tenorsaxophone), Shelly Manne (drumkit), Leroy Vinnegar (uprightbass), Lou Levy (piano), Lester Young (saxophone), Teddy Wilson Quartet, Teddy Wilson (piano), Gene Ramey (doublebass), Jo Jones (drumkit), Buddy DeFranco (clarinet), Oscar Peterson Quartet, Benny Carter (saxophone, altosaxophone), Louis Armstrong (trumpet & vocals), Ella Fitzgerald (vocalist, vocals), Art Tatum (piano), Roy Eldridge (trumpet), Dizzy Gillespie (vocalist, trumpet), Sonny Stitt (tenorsaxophone), Sonny Rollins (tenorsaxophone), Charlie Persip (drumkit), Tommy Bryant (bass), Buddy Rich (drums, drumkit, vocalist), Modern Jazz Quartet (jazz ensemble), Charlie Parker (altosaxophone), Joseph Singer (frenchhorn), Eddie Brown (oboe), Sam Caplan (concertmaster, violin), Howard Kay (violin), Harry Melnikoff (violin), Sam Rand (violin), Zelly Smirnoff (violin), Isadore Zir (viola), Maurice Brown (cello), Verley Mills (harp), Bernie Leighton (piano), J.C. Heard (drumkit), Charlie Shavers (trumpet), Barney Kessel (guitar, electricguitar), Jack Kerouac, Mort Sahl (vocalist), Jonathan Winters, Shelley Berman, Count Basie (piano & bandleader), Joe Williams (vocals), Spike Jones, Carl Grayson (vocalist), Rose Murphy, Joe Mondragon (bass, bassguitar), Alvin Stoller (drumkit), Howard Roberts (guitar), Paul Smith (piano), Ben Webster (tenorsaxophone), Harry 'Sweets' Edison (trumpet), Woody Herman (clarinet & bandleader), Margaret Whiting, Mel Torme (vocals), The Marty Paich Orchestra, Marty Paich (recordingarranger, piano), Mel Lewis (drumkit), Vince Derosa (frenchhorn), Art Pepper (altosaxophone), Bill Hood (baritonesaxophone), Bill Perkins (tenorsaxophone), Al Porcino (trumpet), Stu Williamson (trumpet), Red Callender (tuba, doublebass), Anita O'Day (vocals), Bing Crosby (vocals), Buddy Bregman, Billie Holiday (vocals), Willie Smith (saxophone), Bobby Tucker (piano), Chico Hamilton (drumkit), Copyright Control (reviser), Fred Astaire (vocals), Flip Phillips (saxophone), Joe Lipman Orchestra, Duke Ellington & His Orchestra, Joe Lipman
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New. The Roulette Years - Classic Albums 1958-59 (2cd)
Count Basie and His Orchestra
2 CDs: $15.75
