His father worked as a coachman and caretaker for a wealthy judge. William Basie was born to Harvey Lee and Lillian Basie in Red Bank, New Jersey. 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 and singers Jimmy Rushing and Joe Williams.
He led the group for almost 50 years, creating innovations like the use of two "split" tenor saxophones, emphasizing the rhythm section, riffing with a big band, using arrangers to broaden their sound, and others. In 1935, Basie formed his own jazz orchestra, the Count Basie Orchestra, and in 1936 took them to Chicago for a long engagement and their first recording. In 1929 he joined Bennie Moten's band in Kansas City, and played with them until Moten's death in 1935.
In 1924, he went to Harlem, where his performing career expanded he toured with groups to the major jazz cities of Chicago, St. By age 16, he increasingly played jazz piano at parties, resorts and other venues.
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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. His mother taught him to play the piano and he started performing in his teens.
William James " Count" Basie (August 21, 1904 – April 26, 1984) was an American jazz pianist, organist, bandleader, and composer.
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