This flower has been reported and will not be visible while under review. He married Catherine Morgan on August 21, 1942, with whom he had one child. He also starred in several films, most notably the musical short Jammin' the Blues (1944). [6], In 1933, Young settled in Kansas City, where after playing briefly in several bands, he rose to prominence with Count Basie. For a smaller band, the Savoy Sultans had a great swing thing going. Drummer of the Count Basie Orchestra Passed Away, Obituary Teach World 1.12K. Producer John Hammond heard the band's sound and helped secure further bookings. 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. Despite the presence of Lester Young and Herschel Evans in the saxophone section, Buck Clayton in the trumpet section, Jo Jones on drums, with Jimmy Rushing and, briefly, Billie Holiday as vocalists, the Basie band struggled for a year after it left Kansas City. Nestico is best known for his arrangements for the Count Basie orchestra. He went on to join Walter Page's Blue Devils in 1928, which he would see as a pivotal moment in his career, being introduced to the big-band sound for the first time. Mausoleum, South Forsythia Court, Row 57, Tier D, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/1664/count-basie. He rose to fame after taking over Bennie Moten's band in 1935. Not loud and fast, understand, but smoothly and with a definite punch. He made a habit of leaving, working, then going home. Ruling Planet: Count Basie had a ruling planet of Sun and has a ruling planet of Sun and by astrological associations Saturday is ruled by Sun. He had three sons with his first wife. There will be a viewing at Benta's Funeral Home, 630 St. Nicholas Avenue at 141st Street, on Sunday from 1 to 7 P.M. Learn about how to make the most of a memorial. He subsequently led a number of small groups that often included his brother, drummer Lee Young, for the next couple of years; live and broadcast recordings from this period exist. Flowers added to the memorial appear on the bottom of the memorial or here on the Flowers tab. It is also known as being the most generous and noble of signs. In 1952 increased demand for personal appearances allowed Basie to form a new orchestra that in many ways was as highly praised as his bands of the 1930s and 40s. Count Basies birth sign is Leo and he had a ruling planet of Sun. Generation also known as The Greatest Generation. Try again later. Jonathan David Samuel Jones (October 7, 1911 September 3, 1985)[1] was an American jazz drummer. One of jazz music's all-time greats, bandleader-pianist Count Basie was a primary shaper of the big-band sound that characterized mid-20th century popular music. Fresh out of Kansas City, the Basie band took Manhattan by storm in 1937. He would ask, "How does the bread smell?" Samuel Louis Nistico (February 6, 1924 January 17, 2021), better known as Sammy Nestico, was an American composer and arranger. 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. His autobiography, The Gift of Music, was published in 2009. Count Basie, the jazz pianist whose spare, economic keyboard style and supple rhythmic drive made his orchestra one of the most influential groups of the Big Band era, died of cancer yesterday. A group that included some Basie sidemen was on stage, playing in a ragged, desultory fashion, when Mr. Basie arrived. Your new password must contain one or more uppercase and lowercase letters, and one or more numbers or special characters. Learn more about managing a memorial . [3], For the fictional television character, see, Last edited on 26 February 2023, at 08:43, The Coleman Hawkins, Roy Eldridge, Pete Brown, Jo Jones All Stars at Newport, Mae Barnes, Jo Jones, Buck Clayton, Ray Bryant, The Oscar Peterson Trio with Sonny Stitt, Roy Eldridge and Jo Jones at Newport, Sonny Stitt Plays Arrangements from the Pen of Quincy Jones, Jazz Icons: Coleman Hawkins-Live in 62 & 64, "Book Review: The Life and Opinions of Papa Jo Jones", "Jo Jones, 73, A Jazz Drummer Influential in Swing Era, Dies", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Jo_Jones&oldid=1141690806, This page was last edited on 26 February 2023, at 08:43. The ''book'' of this early Basie band was based on blues and riffs developed on a blues structure. Red Bank, Monmouth County, New Jersey, USA. Death rate from chronic respiratory diseases. He directed music programs at Los Angeles Pierce College, Woodland Hills, California, Westinghouse Memorial High School, and Wilmerding, Pennsylvania. Though rooted in the riff style of the 1930s swing-era big bands, the Basie orchestra played with the forceful drive and carefree swing of a small combo. Even in Harlem, it puzzled the aware audiences at the Savoy Ballroom. ''Can you imagine a man who kind of romps around the piano,'' Mr. Shearing said, ''and those tiny tinkling things. That year Norman Granz gave him one and urged him to play it (with far different results at that stage in Young's lifesee below). Search above to list available cemeteries. You never got tired of that business at the end.'' 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. Drag images here or select from your computer for Count Basie memorial. In 1952 he was featured on Lester Young with the Oscar Peterson Trio, released in 1954 on Norgran. 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. In 2021, Nestico died in Carlsbad, California, at the age of 96. Along with Duke Ellington, Count Basie is regarded as one of the two most important and influential bandleaders in the history of jazz. While with Basie, Young made small-group recordings for Milt Gabler's Commodore Records, The Kansas City Sessions. Thanks for using Find a Grave, if you have any feedback we would love to hear from you. Basie is a member of the New Jersey Hall of Fame as well as the Blues Hall of Fame. Lena Horne, Stevie Wonder, Joe Williams, Oscar Peterson and Quincy Jones were among the stars to pay tribute. You can't have a Count Basie collection without going back to the beginning. He was also helming one of the biggest, most renowned African American jazz groups of the day. [17] Young's playing and health went into a crisis, culminating in a November 1955 hospital admission following a nervous breakdown. Duffy Jackson, a drummer whose swinging exuberance propelled him from child stardom to a prolific career behind Lionel Hampton, Ella Fitzgerald, Lena Horne and many others, died on Wednesday in Nashville, Tenn. People of this zodiac sign like to be admired, expensive things, bright colors, and dislike being ignored, facing difficulties, not being treated specially. Count Bill Basie . In contrast to many of his hard-driving peers, Young played with a relaxed, cool tone and used sophisticated . The Count Basie Orchestra had a slew of hits that helped to define the big-band sound of the 1930s and '40s. 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. Arrangers Neal Hefti, Buster Harding, and Ernie Wilkins defined the new bands sound on recordings such as Lil Darlin, The Kid from Red Bank, Cute, and April in Paris and on celebrated albums such as The Atomic Mr. Basie (1957). When the Page band broke up in 1929, Mr. To go on the road, Mr. Basie expanded his nine- piece band to 13 pieces. After moving to New York, he was further influenced by James P. Johnson and Fats Waller, with Waller teaching Basie organ-playing techniques. Count Basie Birth Name: William James Basie Occupation: Pianist Place Of Birth: Red Bank Date Of Birth: August21, 1904 Date Of Death: April 26, 1984 Cause Of Death: N/A Ethnicity: Black Nationality: American Count Basie was born on the 21st of August, 1904. [5] He grew up in a musical family. . The sponsor of a memorial may add an additional. The best-known of these appearances is the July 1957 performance at the Newport Jazz Festival, with a line-up including many of his 1940s colleagues: Jo Jones, Roy Eldridge, Illinois Jacquet and Jimmy Rushing. standing for detention barracks).[16]. Learn more about merges. At the time of his death, a feature-length documentary film titled Shadow Man: The Sammy Nestico Story was in production. Then I sat beside him and he taught me.'' cemeteries found within miles of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. He also received a distinguished alumni award from Duquesne, and in 1994 was inducted into Duquesne's "Century Club". Instrument (s) Drums. The sound was almost frightening.''. Try again. After leaving the military, Nestico became a freelance arranger. People born under this sign are energetic and excitable. [1], Samuel Luigi Nistico was born on February 6, 1924, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to Luigi Nistico, an Italian immigrant, and Frances Mangone. Found more than one record for entered Email, You need to confirm this account before you can sign in. From 1935 to his death in 1984, pianist and bandleader Count Basie led one of the most important jazz institutions of the 20th century, in the process forging a distinctive sound that changed the . He received awards from North Texas State University in 1978, 1979, and 1980. He is rumored to have refused to play with the band on Friday, December 13 of that year for superstitious reasons, spurring his dismissal[11] although Young and drummer Jo Jones would later state that his departure had been in the works for months. ''And that's when the whole fire started,'' said Mr. Alexander. [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. This memorial has been copied to your clipboard. After earning his degree, Nestico then returned to the military, where he arranged music for the United States Air Force Band (19501963), as well as leading the Glenn Miller Army Air Corps dance band, which would later become known as the Airmen of Note. .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. After Young's clarinet was stolen in 1939, he abandoned the instrument until about 1957. [3], Lester Young was born in Woodville, Mississippi, on August 27, 1909. In 1976, Mr. Basie suffered a heart attack. The top global causes of death, in order of total number of lives lost, are associated with three broad topics: cardiovascular (ischaemic heart disease, stroke), respiratory (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lower respiratory infections) and neonatal conditions - which include birth asphyxia and birth trauma, neonatal sepsis and infections, and preterm birth complications. He was 67. Count Basie, byname of William Basie, (born August 21, 1904, Red Bank, New Jersey, U.S.died April 26, 1984, Hollywood, Florida), American jazz musician noted for his spare, economical piano style and for his leadership of influential and widely heralded big bands. They hate hypocrisy and gossip and can sometimes be a bit arrogant and impatient. [14] Based in Ft. McClellan, Alabama, Young was found with marijuana and alcohol among his possessions. But the obvious talents of another young Red Bank drummer, Sonny Greer, who was Duke Ellington's drummer from 1919 to 1951, discouraged young Basie and he switched to piano. One of jazz music's all-time greats, he won many other Grammys throughout his career and worked with a plethora of artists, including Joe Williams and Ella Fitzgerald. People who are born with the Sun as the ruling planet are courageous, self-expressive and bold. He was represented at the ceremony by his children Lester Young Jr and Yvette Young.[36]. The early Basie band was also noted for its legendary soloists and outstanding rhythm section. Among his band's best-known numbers were ''One O'Clock Jump,'' ''Jumpin' at the Woodside,'' ''Li'l Darlin' '' and ''April in Paris.''. 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. Scale for the musicians at the Reno Club, where beer was a nickel and whisky was 15 cents, was $15 a week for playing from 8 P.M. to 4 A.M., except Saturdays when it was 8 P.M. until 8 A.M. And it was a seven-day week. His playing showed reliance on a small number of clichd phrases and reduced creativity and originality, despite his claims that he did not want to be a "repeater pencil" (Young coined this phrase to describe the act of repeating one's own past ideas). His father was a student of the mellophone, and his mother was a pianist. He originally wanted to be a drummer, but he grew up near Sonny Greer, who would become Duke Ellington s legendary drummer in 1919. The jazz pianist George Shearing said that Mr. Basie's greatest trademark was the three sweet, soft notes that ended many of his great swing-era compositions. Billie and Lester met at a Harlem jam session in the early 30s and worked together in the Count Basie band and in nightclubs on New York's 52nd St. At one point Lester moved into the apartment Billie shared with her mother, Sadie Fagan. 208.109.12.159 A band leader and pioneer in jazz percussion, Jones anchored the Count Basie Orchestra rhythm section from 1934 to 1948. All photos uploaded successfully, click on the Done button to see the photos in the gallery. Due to changing fortunes and an altered musical landscape, Basie was forced to scale down the size of his orchestra at the start of the 1950s, but he soon made a comeback and returned to his big-band structure in 1952, recording new hits with vocalist Joe Williams and becoming an international figure. Another cause for the thickening of his tone around this time was a change in saxophone mouthpiece from a metal Otto Link to an ebonite Brilhart. Name: Count Basie Birth Year: 1904 Birth date: August 21, 1904 Birth State: New Jersey Birth City: Red Bank Birth Country: United States Gender: Male Best Known For: One of jazz music's all-time. His father was a student of the mellophone, and his mother was a pianist. 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. 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. The following year, she worked with Artie Shaw and his orchestra. From Bill to Count. cemeteries found in East Farmingdale, Suffolk County, New York, USA will be saved to your photo volunteer list. Photos larger than 8Mb will be reduced. Add to your scrapbook. Unostentatious as Mr. Basie appeared, his presence was a vital factor in directing his band or any group of musicians with whom he might be playing. The strengths of this sign are being creative, passionate, generous, warm-hearted, cheerful, humorous, while weaknesses can be arrogant, stubborn, self-centered, lazy and inflexible. Are you sure that you want to remove this flower? Basie decided to form a medium-sized band in 1950, juggling combinations of all-star . His mother paid 25 cents per piano lesson for him when he was young. [4][7], Beginning in 1982, Nestico began releasing solo albums, with Dark Orchid" as his debut album. Many of the members, like Lester "Prez" Young, drifted into Basie's orbit around the time of Moten's death in 1935. Discover what happened on this day. He's not limited to anything. Suffering from diabetes and chronic arthritis during his later years, Basie continued to front his big band until a month before his death in 1984. [8] The funeral service will be at noon on Monday at the Abyssinian Baptist Church, 132 West 138th Street. As a result, the band got a date at the Grand Terrace in Chicago. His first marriage was to Beatrice Tolliver, in Albuquerque, on 23 February 1930. He was one of the greatest bandleaders of all-time, epitomizing the jazz of south-western America. To use this feature, use a newer browser. Finally, Willard Alexander, a booking agent, in an effort to get the band on 52d Street, then the jazz center of New York, made a deal with the Famous Door, a shoebox of a room, 25 feet wide and about 50 feet long, which was having trouble doing business in the summer because it had no air-conditioning. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Astrological Sign: Leo. Omissions? Discography. Jones's style influenced the modern jazz drummer's tendency to play timekeeping rhythms on a cymbal, that is now known as the ride cymbal. I sat on the floor watching his feet and using my hands to imitate him. Then he joined a touring show headed by one Gonzel White, playing piano in a four-piece band. During his career, Nestico composed, arranged, or conducted albums for musicians and singers including Quincy Jones, Phil Collins, Barbra Streisand, Michael Buble, Natalie Cole, Sarah Vaughan, Toni Tennille, Frank Sinatra, and Bing Crosby. With the group becoming highly distinguished for its soloists, rhythm section and style of swing, Basie himself was noted for his understated yet captivating style of piano playing and precise, impeccable musical leadership. 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. The legendary Billie Holiday was a vocalist with Basie for a short stint (193738), although she was unable to record with the band because of her contract with another record label; mostly, vocals were handled by Jimmy Rushing, one of the most renowned blues bawlers. The rhythm unit for the bandpianist Basie, guitarist Freddie Green (who joined the Basie band in 1937 and stayed for 50 years), bassist Walter Page, and drummer Jo Joneswas unique in its lightness, precision, and relaxation, becoming the precursor for modern jazz accompanying styles. 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. Try again later. Are you adding a grave photo that will fulfill this request? This page is updated often with latest details about Count Basie. The 1994 documentary about the 1958 Esquire "A Great Day in Harlem" photograph of jazz musicians in New York, contains many remembrances of Young. To view a photo in more detail or edit captions for photos you added, click the photo to open the photo viewer. His second great band, from the 1950s onwards, relied more on arrangements, typically from Neil Hefti and Ernie Wilkin's. Oops, something didn't work. Include gps location with grave photos where possible. His solo albums eventually earned him four Grammy Award nominations, besides the awards he earned with Count Basie: in 2002 for his album This Is The Moment and for the arrangement "Kiji Takes A Ride"; in 2009 for his album Fun Time; and in 2016 for his arrangement "Good 'Swing' Wenceslas". Page, a bassist, Jimmy Rushing, the blues singer, both of whom would be key members of Mr. Basie's band. [4][17], Nestico also had a career in music education, teaching at the University of Georgia from 1998 to 1999, where he taught orchestration and conducted the studio orchestra; after which he retired to Carlsbad, California, near San Diego. He received an Honorary Doctorate from the Berklee College of Music. Page, Mr. Basie and Mr. Rushing all joined Bennie Moten's orchestra, the leading big band in the Southwest, which became even stronger with their presence. ). Resend Activation Email. Updates? 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. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. We will continue to update information on Count Basies parents. Jones died of pneumonia in New York City at the age of 73. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Count-Basie, All About Jazz - Biography of Count Basie, Long Island Music Hall of Fame - Biography of William Count Basie, African American Registry - Biography of Count Basie, BlackHistoryNow - Biography of Count Basie, National Endowment for the Arts - Biography of William "Count" Basie, Count Basie - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up). 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." He was sometimes known as Papa Jo Jones to distinguish him from younger . They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. [4] In 1939, he wrote his first arrangement. You may not upload any more photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 20 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 5 photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 30 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 15 photos to this memorial. He was one of the first drummers to promote the use of brushes on drums, and shifting the role of timekeeping from the bass drum to the hi-hat cymbal. It was a reunion with Holiday, with whom he had lost contact over the years. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. Click to reveal 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. Count Basie was born in the Year of the Dragon. Biography - A Short Wiki Swing-era bandleader noted for his theme songs One O'Clock Jump from 1937 and April in Paris from 1932. Count Basie, the jazz pianist whose spare, economic keyboard style and supple rhythmic drive made his orchestra one of the most influential groups of the Big Band era, died of cancer yesterday morning at Doctors' Hospital in Hollywood, Fla. 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. 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]. A system error has occurred. 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. In 2021, approximately 3,458,697 deaths occurred in the United States. Count Basie AKA William Allen Basie Born: 21-Aug - 1904 Birthplace: Red Bank, NJ Died: 26-Apr - 1984 Location of death: Hollywood, FL Cause of death: Cancer - Pancreatic Remains: Buried, Pinelawn Memorial Park, Farmingdale, NY Gender: Male Race or Ethnicity: Black Sexual orientation: Straight Occupation: Pianist, Jazz Musician ''He was the only leader in the business who ever went out of his way to help me,'' Mr. Basie said later. [4][9][10][11][12], Nestico had a long career in the film and television industry. He conducted and recorded his arrangements with several leading European Radio Jazz Orchestras, including the BBC Big Band in London, Germany's SWR Big Band and NDR Big Band and the DR Big Band, as well as the Boston Pops Orchestra in America. 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. Quickly see who the memorial is for and when they lived and died and where they are buried. In 1958, Basie became the first African American male recipient of a Grammy Award. A pianist, Count Basie played vaudeville before eventually forming his own big band and helping to define the era of swing with hits like "One O'Clock Jump" and "Blue Skies." To add a flower, click the Leave a Flower button. Causes of deaths for children between 5 and 14.
