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Count Basie and His Orchestra

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Artist

Count Basie and His Orchestra · Count Basie arrived in Kansas City in 1927, played with Walter Page and Bennie Moten and, after Moten's death in 1935, started his own group. That nine-piece band, with Lester Young on tenor sax, Jo Jones on drums and Walter Page on bass, among others, brought the Kansas City jam session to the clubs: long improvised solos over riffs from the band. In 1936 the producer John Hammond heard the group on the radio. He had Basie expand it into a big band and brought him to New York.

Music and breakthrough

In January 1937 the orchestra made its first records for Decca. One O'Clock Jump from 1937 and Jumpin' at the Woodside from 1938 followed, which made the orchestra famous nationally and internationally. They were so-called head arrangements: not written out, but built from riffs that the musicians knew by heart. With the guitarist Freddie Green one of the best-known rhythm sections in big band history was complete, and the singer Jimmy Rushing brought the blues.

Influence

After a short break in the early 1950s Basie built a new orchestra, with arrangers such as Neal Hefti, Quincy Jones and Sammy Nestico. Albums such as The Atomic Mr. Basie from 1958 and April in Paris showed a tighter and fuller ensemble, in which the arrangements became more important than the soloists. The orchestra worked with Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald and Joe Williams, and has continued to exist since Basie's death in 1984.

Listening

Listening tip. Listen to One O'Clock Jump and notice how the band answers the soloists with short riffs. Can you hear how the rhythm section keeps swinging along calmly while the soloists are given room?

Discography

Studio albums

In School of Rock

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See also

Categories: ArtistsSwing and big band