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64-655: Leonard was born in Kansas City in 1905. A professional musician from the age of 17, he joined Bennie Moten 's orchestra in 1923, where he led the reed section until 1931. In 1931, he and Thamon Hayes formed the Kansas City Skyrockets, which included trumpeters Ed Lewis and James Ross, trombonist Vic Dickenson , and pianist Jesse Stone . After disputes with the Chicago local of the American Federation of Musicians

128-516: A big jukebox hit (by then, reissued as 44-0004). It remained in print (as a vinyl 45) until RCA stopping making vinyl records. By 1928, Moten's piano was showing some boogie woogie influences, but the real revolution came in 1929, after he recruited Count Basie , Walter Page , and Oran 'Hot Lips' Page . Walter Page's walking bass lines gave the music an entirely new feel compared to the 2/4 tuba of his predecessor Vernon Page, colored by Basie's understated, syncopated piano fills. Another boon to

192-523: A composer, Basie is known for writing such jazz standards as " Blue and Sentimental ", " Jumpin' at the Woodside " and " One O'Clock Jump ". William Basie was born to Lillian (Childs) and Harvey Lee Basie in Red Bank, New Jersey . His father worked as a coachman and caretaker for a wealthy judge. After automobiles replaced horses, his father became a groundskeeper and handyman for several wealthy families in

256-481: A crowd of 15,000. Count Basie and his Orchestra played at the tenth Cavalcade of Jazz concert also at Wrigley Field on June 20, 1954. He played along with The Flairs , Christine Kittrell , Lamp Lighters, Louis Jordan and His Tympany Five , Ruth Brown , and Perez Prado and his Orchestra. The big band era appeared to have ended after the war, and Basie disbanded the group. For a while, he performed in combos, sometimes stretched to an orchestra. In 1950, he headlined

320-519: A home in the new whites-only neighborhood of Addisleigh Park in 1946 on Adelaide Road and 175th Street, St. Albans, Queens . On April 11, 1983, Catherine Basie died of heart disease at the couple's home in Freeport, Grand Bahama Island. She was 67 years old. Daughter Diane Basie died October 15, 2022, of a heart attack. Count Basie died of pancreatic cancer in Hollywood, Florida , on April 26, 1984, at

384-702: A hotbed of jazz, where he lived down the block from the Alhambra Theater . Early after his arrival, he bumped into Sonny Greer , who was by then the drummer for the Washingtonians, Duke Ellington 's early band. Soon, Basie met many of the Harlem musicians who were "making the scene," including Willie "the Lion" Smith and James P. Johnson . Basie toured in several acts between 1925 and 1927, including Katie Krippen and Her Kiddies (featuring singer Katie Crippen ) as part of

448-473: A long engagement at the Grand Terrace Cafe . Right from the start, Basie's band was known for its rhythm section. Another Basie innovation was the use of two tenor saxophone players; at the time, most bands had just one. When Young complained of Herschel Evans ' vibrato, Basie placed them on either side of the alto players, and soon had the tenor players engaged in "duels". Many other bands later adapted

512-507: A long list of inspired and talented jazz soloists. Count Basie was the featured artist at the first Cavalcade of Jazz concert held at Wrigley Field on September 23, 1945, which was produced by Leon Hefflin Sr. Al Jarvis was the Emcee and other artists to appear on stage were Joe Liggins and his Honeydrippers, The Peters Sisters , Slim and Bam , Valaida Snow , and Big Joe Turner . They played to

576-442: A lot of members turn over, and the band worked many play dates with lower pay. Dance hall bookings were down sharply as swing began to fade, the effects of the musicians' strikes of 1942–44 and 1948 began to be felt, and the public's taste grew for singers . Basie occasionally lost some key soloists. However, throughout the 1940s, he maintained a big band that possessed an infectious rhythmic beat, an enthusiastic team spirit, and

640-640: A major cross-country tour, including their first West Coast dates. A few months later, Basie quit MCA and signed with the William Morris Agency, who got them better fees. On February 19, 1940, Count Basie and his Orchestra opened a four-week engagement at Southland in Boston, and they broadcast over the radio on February 20. On the West Coast, in 1942 the band did a spot in Reveille With Beverly ,

704-437: A musical film starring Ann Miller , and a "Command Performance" for Armed Forces Radio , with Hollywood stars Clark Gable , Bette Davis , Carmen Miranda , Jerry Colonna , and the singer Dinah Shore . Other minor movie spots followed, including Choo Choo Swing , Crazy House , Top Man , Stage Door Canteen , and Hit Parade of 1943 . They also continued to record for OKeh Records and Columbia Records. The war years caused

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768-555: A number of tunes that later became swing classics: Moten died at Kansas City's Wheatley-Provident Hospital on April 2, 1935, following a failed tonsillectomy . Nathan W. Pearson Jr. summarized Bennie Moten's influence on Kansas City's jazz legacy: "Among Kansas City musicians . . . the city, the style, and the era of its flowering are virtually synonymous with the Bennie Moten Orchestra." The complete personnel of Bennie Moten's Kansas City Orchestra, as of 1926-1927 when

832-475: A pianist, pulling together other musicians in a band. His first recordings were made (for OKeh Records ) on September 23, 1923, and were rather typical interpretations of the New Orleans style of King Oliver and others. They also showed the influence of the ragtime that was still popular in the area, as well as the stomping beat for which his band was famous. These OKeh sides (recorded 1923–1925) are some of

896-744: A television special with Fred Astaire , featuring a dance solo to " Sweet Georgia Brown ", followed in January 1961 by Basie performing at one of the five John F. Kennedy Inaugural Balls. That summer, Basie and Duke Ellington combined forces for the recording First Time! The Count Meets the Duke , each providing four numbers from their play books. During the balance of the 1960s, the band kept active with tours, recordings, television appearances, festivals, Las Vegas shows, and travel abroad, including cruises. Some time around 1964, Basie adopted his trademark yachting cap. Through steady changes in personnel, Basie led

960-480: A venue also opened to several other black entertainers. In 1959, Basie's band recorded a "greatest hits" double album The Count Basie Story ( Frank Foster , arranger), and Basie/Eckstine Incorporated , an album featuring Billy Eckstine, Quincy Jones (as arranger) and the Count Basie Orchestra. It was released by Roulette Records, then later reissued by Capitol Records. Later that year, Basie appeared on

1024-524: The Famous Door , a mid-town nightspot with a CBS network feed and air conditioning , which Hammond was said to have bought the club in return for their booking Basie steadily throughout the summer of 1938. Their fame took a huge leap. Adding to their play book, Basie received arrangements from Jimmy Mundy (who had also worked with Benny Goodman and Earl Hines ), particularly for "Cherokee", "Easy Does It", and "Super Chief". In 1939, Basie and his band made

1088-645: The Hippity Hop show; on the Keith , the Columbia Burlesque , and the Theater Owners Booking Association (T.O.B.A.) vaudeville circuits; and as a soloist and accompanist to blues singer Gonzelle White as well as Crippen. His touring took him to Kansas City , St. Louis , New Orleans , and Chicago . Throughout his tours, Basie met many jazz musicians, including Louis Armstrong . Before he

1152-670: The Second World War , and Leonard left professional music. He worked in banking and for the Internal Revenue Service and died in Los Angeles in 1983. This article about a United States jazz musician is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This article about an American clarinetist is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Bennie Moten Benjamin Moten (November 13, 1893 – April 2, 1935)

1216-574: The Universal-International short film "Sugar Chile" Robinson, Billie Holiday, Count Basie and His Sextet . He reformed his group as a 16-piece orchestra in 1952. This group was eventually called the New Testament band. Basie credited Billy Eckstine , a top male vocalist of the time, for prompting his return to Big Band. He said that Norman Granz got them into the Birdland club and promoted

1280-539: The 1940 census. He married Catherine Morgan on July 13, 1940, in the King County courthouse in Seattle, Washington. In 1942, they moved to Queens. Their only child, Diane, was born February 6, 1944. She was born with cerebral palsy and the doctors claimed she would never walk. The couple kept her and cared deeply for her, and especially through her mother's tutelage, Diane learned not only to walk but to swim. The Basies bought

1344-490: The Band. Basie also toured with Bennett, including a date at Carnegie Hall . He also recorded with Sammy Davis Jr. , Bing Crosby , and Sarah Vaughan . One of Basie's biggest regrets was never recording with Louis Armstrong , though they shared the same bill several times. In 1968, Basie and his Band recorded an album with Jackie Wilson titled Manufacturers of Soul . Count Basie introduced several generations of listeners to

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1408-486: The Basie Orchestra in the mid-1970s, and Fitzgerald and Basie also met on the 1979 albums A Classy Pair , Digital III at Montreux , and A Perfect Match , the last two also recorded live at Montreux. In addition to Quincy Jones , Basie was using arrangers such as Benny Carter (Kansas City Suite) , Neal Hefti ( The Atomic Mr Basie ) , and Sammy Nestico (Basie-Straight Ahead) . Frank Sinatra recorded for

1472-462: The Basie band a boost and wider recognition. Soon after, Benny Goodman recorded their signature " One O'Clock Jump " with his band. A few months later, Holiday left for Artie Shaw 's band. Hammond introduced Helen Humes , whom Basie hired; she stayed with Basie for four years. When Eddie Durham left for Glenn Miller 's orchestra, he was replaced by Dicky Wells . Basie's 14-man band began playing at

1536-515: The Basie orchestra, in a charity benefit for the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children . Sinatra later said of this concert "I have a funny feeling that those two nights could have been my finest hour, really. It went so well; it was so thrilling and exciting". Basie also recorded with Tony Bennett in the late 1950s. Their albums together included In Person and Strike Up

1600-499: The Big Band sound and left an influential catalog. Basie is remembered by many who worked for him as being considerate of musicians and their opinions, modest, relaxed, fun-loving, dryly witty, and always enthusiastic about his music. In his autobiography, he wrote, "I think the band can really swing when it swings easy , when it can just play along like you are cutting butter." Count Basie made most of his albums with his big band. See

1664-567: The Blues) " becoming a huge hit. With Billy Eckstine on the album Basie/Eckstine Incorporated , in 1959. Ella Fitzgerald made some memorable recordings with Basie, including the 1963 album Ella and Basie! . With the New Testament Basie band in full swing, and arrangements written by a youthful Quincy Jones , this album proved a swinging respite from her Songbook recordings and constant touring she did during this period. She even toured with

1728-636: The Palace Theater in Red Bank, where doing occasional chores gained him free admission to performances. He quickly learned to improvise music appropriate to the acts and the silent movies . Though a natural at the piano, Basie preferred drums. Discouraged by the obvious talents of Sonny Greer , who also lived in Red Bank and became Duke Ellington 's drummer in 1919, Basie switched to piano exclusively at age 15. Greer and Basie played together in venues until Greer set out on his professional career. By then, Basie

1792-463: The Reno Club and often performed for a live radio broadcast. During a broadcast the announcer wanted to give Basie's name some style, so he called him "Count". It positioned him with Earl Hines , as well as Duke Ellington. Basie's new band played at the Reno Club and sometimes were broadcast on local radio. Late one night with time to fill, the band started improvising. Basie liked the results and named

1856-756: The Woodside Hotel in Harlem their base (they often rehearsed in its basement). Soon, they were booked at the Roseland Ballroom for the Christmas show. Basie recalled a review, which said something like, "We caught the great Count Basie band which is supposed to be so hot he was going to come in here and set the Roseland on fire. Well, the Roseland is still standing". Compared to the reigning band of Fletcher Henderson , Basie's band lacked polish and presentation. The producer John Hammond continued to advise and encourage

1920-681: The addition of tenor saxophonist Ben Webster . When the band voted Moten out, Basie took over for several months, calling the group Count Basie and his Cherry Blossoms. When his own band folded, he rejoined Moten with a newly re-organized band. A year later, Basie joined Bennie Moten's band, and played with them until Moten died in 1935 from a failed tonsillectomy. The band tried to stay together but failed. Basie then formed his own nine-piece band, Barons of Rhythm, with many former Moten members including Walter Page (bass), Freddie Green (guitar), Jo Jones (drums), Lester Young (tenor saxophone) and Jimmy Rushing (vocals). The Barons of Rhythm were regulars at

1984-408: The age of 79. Basie hitched his star to some of the most famous vocalists of the 1950s and 1960s, which helped keep the Big Band sound alive and added greatly to his recording catalog. Jimmy Rushing sang with Basie in the late 1930s. Joe Williams toured with the band and was featured on the 1957 album One O'Clock Jump , and 1956's Count Basie Swings, Joe Williams Sings , with " Every Day (I Have

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2048-489: The area. Both of his parents had some type of musical background. His father played the mellophone , and his mother played the piano ; in fact, she gave Basie his first piano lessons. She took in laundry and baked cakes for sale for a living. She paid 25 cents a lesson for Count Basie's piano instruction. The best student in school, Basie dreamed of a traveling life, inspired by touring carnivals which came to town. He finished junior high school but spent much of his time at

2112-456: The audience into shouts of encouragement and appreciation and casual beads of perspiration to drop from Chick's brow onto the brass cymbals, the Count maintained an attitude of poise and self-assurance. He constantly parried Chick's thundering haymakers with tantalizing runs and arpeggios which teased more and more force from his adversary. The publicity over the big band battle, before and after, gave

2176-457: The band broke up. In 1939, Leonard formed Harlan Leonard and his Rockets, which featured a young Myra Taylor . This band quickly became a leading band in Kansas City and toured nationally. Charlie Parker played in this band for five weeks, but he was fired by Leonard for lack of discipline. The band featured arrangements by its piano player Tadd Dameron that bore suggestions of the transition between swing and bebop . The band broke up during

2240-675: The band into the 1980s. Basie made a few more movie appearances, such as in the Jerry Lewis film Cinderfella (1960) and the Mel Brooks movie Blazing Saddles (1974), playing a revised arrangement of "April in Paris". In 1982 Basie and his orchestra were the featured entertainment for the 50th Anniversary celebrations of the Pittsburgh Steelers at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center . Basie

2304-559: The band name of Jones-Smith Incorporated; the sides were "Shoe Shine Boy", "Evening", "Boogie Woogie", and "Oh Lady Be Good". After Vocalion became a subsidiary of Columbia Records in 1938, "Boogie Woogie" was released in 1941 as part of a four-record compilation album entitled Boogie Woogie (Columbia album C44). When he made the Vocalion recordings, Basie had already signed with Decca Records , but did not have his first recording session with them until January 1937. By then, Basie's sound

2368-507: The band was adding Jimmy Rushing as their primary vocalist. Moten continued to be one of Victor's most popular orchestras through 1930. Their song " Kansas City Shuffle " was recorded during this time. (The band recorded prolifically, and many of their records were issued in Victor's regular series, not specifically marketed to the Black community as some other bands were.) Their final session showed

2432-508: The band was at the peak of its early popularity, was: Count Basie William James " Count " Basie ( / ˈ b eɪ s i / ; August 21, 1904 – April 26, 1984) 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

2496-696: The band winged every number without sheet music using "head arrangements". He met Fats Waller , who was playing organ at the Lincoln Theater accompanying silent movies, and Waller taught him how to play that instrument. (Basie later played organ at the Eblon Theater in Kansas City). As he did with Duke Ellington, Willie "the Lion" Smith helped Basie out during the lean times by arranging gigs at " house-rent parties ", introducing him to other leading musicians, and teaching him some piano technique. In 1928, Basie

2560-449: The band, and they soon came up with some adjustments, including softer playing, more solos, and more standards. They paced themselves to save their hottest numbers for later in the show, to give the audience a chance to warm up. His first official recordings for Decca followed, under contract to agent MCA, including " Pennies from Heaven " and " Honeysuckle Rose ". Hammond introduced Basie to Billie Holiday , whom he invited to sing with

2624-463: The band. (Holiday did not record with Basie, as she had her own record contract and preferred working with small combos). The band's first appearance at the Apollo Theater followed, with the vocalists Holiday and Jimmy Rushing getting the most attention. Durham returned to help with arranging and composing, but for the most part, the orchestra worked out its numbers in rehearsal, with Basie guiding

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2688-480: The bands" with Chick Webb 's group. Basie had Holiday, and Webb countered with the singer Ella Fitzgerald . As Metronome magazine proclaimed, "Basie's Brilliant Band Conquers Chick's"; the article described the evening: Throughout the fight, which never let down in its intensity during the whole fray, Chick took the aggressive, with the Count playing along easily and, on the whole, more musically scientifically. Undismayed by Chick's forceful drum beating, which sent

2752-563: The development of swing music, and at one performance at the Pearl Theatre in Philadelphia in December 1932, the theatre opened its door to allow anybody in who wanted to hear the band perform. During a stay in Chicago, Basie recorded with the band. He occasionally played four-hand piano and dual pianos with Moten, who also conducted. The band improved with several personnel changes, including

2816-457: The early stages of what became known as the "Basie sound," four years before Basie recorded under his own name. (They made 10 recordings at Victor's Camden, New Jersey, studios on December 13, 1932, during a time when the band was suffering significant financial hardship.) By this time Ben Webster and Rushing had joined Moten's band, but Moten himself did not play on these sessions. These sides were mostly arranged by Eddie Durham , and they include

2880-625: The first time with Basie on 1962's Sinatra-Basie and for a second studio album on 1964's It Might as Well Be Swing , which was arranged by Quincy Jones . Jones also arranged and conducted 1966's live Sinatra at the Sands which featured Sinatra with Count Basie and his orchestra stayed at the Sands Hotel in Las Vegas at Sinatra's request. In May 1970, Sinatra performed in London's Royal Festival Hall with

2944-457: The level of those led by Duke Ellington or Fletcher Henderson . Where the Blue Devils were "snappier" and more "bluesy", the Moten band was more refined and respected, playing in the " Kansas City stomp " style. In addition to playing piano, Basie was co-arranger with Eddie Durham , who notated the music. Their " Moten Swing ", which Basie claimed credit for, was an invaluable contribution to

3008-592: The listener who remembers 1938 and the youngster who has never before heard a big band like this." In 1957, Basie sued the jazz venue Ball and Chain in Miami over outstanding fees, causing the closure of the venue. In 1958, the band made its first European tour. Jazz was especially appreciated in France, The Netherlands, and Germany in the 1950s; these countries were the stomping grounds for many expatriate American jazz stars who were either resurrecting their careers or sitting out

3072-471: The live album Count Basie at Newport . " April in Paris " (arrangement by Wild Bill Davis) was a best-selling instrumental and the title song for the hit album. The Basie band made two tours in the British Isles and on the second, they put on a command performance for Queen Elizabeth II , along with Judy Garland , Vera Lynn , and Mario Lanza . He was a guest on ABC 's The Pat Boone Chevy Showroom ,

3136-602: The more valuable acoustic jazz 78s of the era; they are treasured records in many serious jazz collections. They signed with Victor Records in 1926, and were influenced by the more sophisticated style of Fletcher Henderson . More often than not, their pieces featured a hard stomp beat that was extremely popular in Kansas City. By 1927, Moten's orchestra contained many names associated with Kansas City music, and included Harlan Leonard (alto sax), Jack Washington (alto and baritone sax), Ed Lewis and Lamar Wright (trumpets) and Willie McWashington (drums). His orchestra featured

3200-676: The new band through recordings on the Mercury , Clef , and Verve labels. By 1956, Basie's recordings were also showcased by Ben Selvin within the RCA Thesaurus transcription library. The jukebox era had begun, and Basie shared the exposure along with early rock'n'roll and rhythm and blues artists. Basie's new band was more of an ensemble group, with fewer solo turns, and relying less on "head" and more on written arrangements. Basie added touches of bebop "so long as it made sense", and he required that "it all had to have feeling". Basie's band

3264-476: The other band members. He called Basie "Holy Man", "Holy Main", and just plain "Holy". Basie favored blues , and he would showcase some of the most notable blues singers of the era after he went to New York: Billie Holiday , Jimmy Rushing , Big Joe Turner , Helen Humes , and Joe Williams . He also hired arrangers who knew how to maximize the band's abilities, such as Eddie Durham and Jimmy Mundy . When Basie took his orchestra to New York in 1937, they made

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3328-465: The piece " One O'Clock Jump ". According to Basie, "we hit it with the rhythm section and went into the riffs , and the riffs just stuck. We set the thing up front in D-flat, and then we just went on playing in F." It became his signature tune. At the end of 1936, Basie and his band, now billed as Count Basie and His Barons of Rhythm, moved from Kansas City to Chicago, where they honed their repertoire at

3392-451: The proceedings. There were often no musical notations made. Once the musicians found what they liked, they usually were able to repeat it using their "head arrangements" and collective memory . Next, Basie played at the Savoy , which was noted more for lindy-hopping , while the Roseland was a place for fox-trots and congas . In early 1938, the Savoy was the meeting ground for a "battle of

3456-529: The split tenor arrangement. In that city in October 1936, the band had a recording session which the producer John Hammond later described as "the only perfect, completely perfect recording session I've ever had anything to do with". Hammond first heard Basie's band on the radio and went to Kansas City to check them out. He invited them to record, in performances which were Lester Young's earliest recordings. Those four sides were released on Vocalion Records under

3520-421: The standard Kansas City style at the time: smooth sax chorus over tinkling piano and a bass drum beat. Moten's popular 1928 recording of " South " on Victor V-38021 (itself a remake of the first version on OKeh from late 1924) stayed in Victor's catalog over the years. (It was reissued as 24893 in 1935, as Victor phased out any remaining V-38000 series that were still in the catalog.) In the late 1940s, it became

3584-511: The use of two "split" tenor saxophones, emphasizing the rhythm section, riffing with a big band, using arrangers to broaden their sound, his minimalist piano style, 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 . As

3648-495: The years of racial divide in the United States. Neal Hefti began to provide arrangements, including " Li'l Darlin' ". By the mid-1950s, Basie's band had become one of the preeminent backing big bands for some of the most prominent jazz vocalists of the time. They also toured with the "Birdland Stars of 1955", whose lineup included Sarah Vaughan , Erroll Garner , Lester Young , George Shearing , and Stan Getz . In 1957, Basie

3712-502: Was 20 years old, he toured extensively on the Keith and TOBA vaudeville circuits as a solo pianist, accompanist, and music director for blues singers, dancers, and comedians. This provided an early training that was to prove significant in his later career. Back in Harlem in 1925, Basie gained his first steady job at Leroy's, a place known for its piano players and its " cutting contests ". The place catered to "uptown celebrities", and typically

3776-415: Was a Prince Hall Freemason as a member of Wisdom Lodge No. 102 in Chicago as well as a Shriner . Basie was a member of Omega Psi Phi fraternity. On July 21, 1930, Basie married Vivian Lee Winn, in Kansas City, Missouri. They were divorced sometime before 1935. Some time in or before 1935, the now single Basie returned to New York City, renting a house at 111 West 138th Street, Manhattan, as evidenced by

3840-553: Was an American jazz pianist and band leader born and raised in Kansas City, Missouri , United States. He led his Kansas City Orchestra, the most important of the regional, blues-based orchestras active in the Midwest in the 1920s, and helped to develop the riffing style that would come to define many of the 1930s big bands. The jazz standard " Moten Swing " bears his name. Moten started making music from an early age and developed as

3904-424: Was characterized by a "jumping" beat and the contrapuntal accents of his own piano. His personnel around 1937 included: Lester Young and Herschel Evans (tenor sax), Freddie Green (guitar), Jo Jones (drums), Walter Page (bass), Earle Warren (alto sax), Buck Clayton and Harry Edison (trumpet), Benny Morton and Dickie Wells (trombone). Lester Young, known as "Prez" by the band, came up with nicknames for all

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3968-638: Was in Tulsa and heard Walter Page and his Famous Blue Devils , one of the first big bands , which featured Jimmy Rushing on vocals. A few months later, he was invited to join the band, which played mostly in Texas and Oklahoma . It was at this time that he began to be known as "Count" Basie (see Jazz royalty ). The following year, in 1929, Basie became the pianist with the Bennie Moten band based in Kansas City, inspired by Moten's ambition to raise his band to match

4032-590: Was playing with pick-up groups for dances, resorts, and amateur shows, including Harry Richardson's "Kings of Syncopation". When not playing a gig, he hung out at the local pool hall with other musicians, where he picked up on upcoming play dates and gossip. He got some jobs in Asbury Park at the Jersey Shore , and played at the Hong Kong Inn until a better player took his place. Around 1920, Basie went to Harlem ,

4096-857: Was sharing Birdland with such bebop musicians as Charlie Parker , Dizzy Gillespie , and Miles Davis . Behind the occasional bebop solos, he always kept his strict rhythmic pulse, "so it doesn't matter what they do up front; the audience gets the beat". Basie also added flute to some numbers, a novelty at the time that became widely copied. Soon, his band was touring and recording again. The new band included: Paul Campbell, Tommy Turrentine , Johnny Letman , Idrees Sulieman , and Joe Newman (trumpet); Jimmy Wilkins, Benny Powell , Matthew Gee (trombone); Paul Quinichette and Floyd "Candy" Johnson (tenor sax); Frank Wess (tenor sax and flute); Marshal Royal and Ernie Wilkins (alto sax); and Charlie Fowlkes (baritone sax). DownBeat magazine reported: "(Basie) has managed to assemble an ensemble that can thrill both

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