RIP, Count Basie (1904-1984)

Jazz pianist, bandleader, and composer William "Count" Basie died of pancreatic cancer on April 26, 1984, at the age of 79 in Hollywood, Florida. He is buried next to his wife Catherine in the Pinelaw Memorial Park in Suffolk County, New York.

Basie was one of the best known bandleaders of the swing era. As jazz critic William Ruhlmann notes, Basie's bands were "characterized by a light, swinging rhythm section that he led from the piano, lively ensemble work, and generous soloing. [Basie's] instrument was his band, which was considered the epitome of swing and became broadly influential on jazz."

In his book, The 101 Best Jazz Albums, Len Lyons recommends two recordings of Count Basie:

• The Best of Count Basie (MCA MCA2-4050, 2 LPs)
• 16 Men Swinging (Verve V-2-2517, 2 LPs)

Unfortunately, these are only available in vinyl. Jim Determan, who has updated Lyons's list of albums for CD, recommends instead the following titles:

• Count Basie: The Complete Decca Recordings (Available at Amazon.com.)
• Count Basie: April in Paris (Available at Amazon.com.)
• Count Basie: Count Basie Swings, Joe Williams Sings (Available at Amazon.com.)

Here is the Count Basie band playing "April in Paris":

Robert
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