Count Basie gained his early musical fame as star pianist with the great Benny Moten Orchestra, one of the middle wests famous swing outfits. When Moten died in 1935, Basie went out on his own with his first band,building it around most of the ace musicians of the Moten crew. The new Basie band played in and around Kansas City and in 1937 came to the attention of Benny Goodman, who was amazed at the terrific jazz played by this unknown combination. Benny and his personal manager the noted band-booking executive, Willard Alexander,who was always on the look out for new talent,decided to do something about Basie.
Together with swing critic John Hammond, Goodman and Alexander journeyed to the Reno Club in Kansas City. There Basies performances were sensationally outstanding. He was immediately signed by Willard Alexander,and the rest is musical history. Overnight,Count Basie became Americas swing sensation.
Count Basie rates as one of worlds outstanding composers of jazz. With Basie at the piano the orchestra soon ranked high among the nations top ten bands. Basie and his orchestra were booked into leading dance spots and theatres,where they left a trail of broken attendance and box office records.Recordings,radio and motion picture appearances-all these have tended to keep Count Basie at the top in his profession year after year.
"Never play a note unless you can improve the silence" This well describes the piano style of the great man.
http://youtu.be/GQi4jglT0Vo
For in depth biography http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Count_Basie
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