Count Basie
Count Basie
William James "Count" Basie was an American jazz pianist, organist, bandleader, and composer. His mother taught him to play the piano and he started performing in his teens. Dropping out of school, he learned to operate lights for vaudeville and to improvise accompaniment for silent films at a local movie theater in his home town of Red Bank, New Jersey. By 16 years old, he increasingly played jazz piano at parties, resorts and other venues. In 1924, he went to...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionPianist
Date of Birth21 August 1904
CityRed Bank, NJ
CountryUnited States of America
I decided that I would be one of the biggest new names; and I actually had some little fancy business cards printed up to announce it, 'Count Basie. Beware, the Count is Here.'
I was always willing to say, "Let's see what happens," when something came up that looked like it might help me get a little closer to where I wanted to be . . .
Oscar Peterson plays the best ivory box I've ever heard.
I, of course, wanted to play real jazz. When we played pop tunes, and naturally we had to, I wanted those pops to kick! Not loud and fast, understand, but smoothly and with a definite punch.
I'll always remember when I first heard Lester [Young]. I'd never heard anyone like him before. He was a stylist with a different sound. A sound I'd never heard before or since. To be honest with you, I didn't much like it at first.
I just think swing is a matter of some good things put together that you can really pat your foot by. I can't define it beyond that.
Freddie Green has been my right arm for thirty years. And if he leaves the band one day, I'll probably leave with him.
I don't dig that two-beat jive the New Orleans cats play. My boys and I have to have four heavy beats to the bar and no cheating.
Keep on listening & tapping your feet.
All I wanted was to be big, to be in show business and to travel ... and that's what I've been doing all my life.
I got everything I wanted. When I was young in Kansas City, I knew nothing about Frank Sinatra, Billy Eckstine, Ella Fitzgerald, of all those concert halls, of all those countries. I did not know what it was like to direct a band... All I wanted was to be big, to be in show-business, and to travel...and that's what I've been doing all my life.
If a guy is gonna to play good bop, he has to have a sort of a bop soul.
I think the band can really swing when it swings easy, when it can just play along like you are cutting butter,
If you find a note tonight that sounds good, play the same damn note every night!