Throughout the 1940s and 50s, Young occasionally played as a featured guest with the Count Basie Orchestra. 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. We will review the memorials and decide if they should be merged. The Count Basie Orchestra had a slew of hits that helped to define the big-band sound of the 1930s and '40s. He wrote many books, including The Complete Arranger, which was first published in 1993 and has since been revised and published in at least four languages. 'No,' I said, 'but I'd give my right arm to learn. [6] His family moved to Minneapolis in 1919 and Young stayed there for much of the 1920s, first picking up the tenor saxophone while living there. One famous instance of his irritable temper was in the spring of 1936, during a jam session at the Reno Club in Kansas City. ''He commented that Bill Basie was a rather ordinary name and that there were a couple of well-known bandleaders named Earl Hines and Duke Ellington. In contrast to many of his hard-driving peers, Young played with a relaxed, cool tone and used sophisticated harmonies, using what one critic called "a free-floating style, wheeling and diving like a gull, banking with low, funky riffs that pleased dancers and listeners alike". Here is all you want to know, and more! This page is updated often with latest details about Count Basie. and the bebop revolution of the mid-1940s all played a role in the death of the big-band era. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. He started out to be a drummer. Resend Activation Email, Please check the I'm not a robot checkbox, If you want to be a Photo Volunteer you must enter a ZIP Code or select your location on the map. He was 79 years old and lived in Freeport, the Bahamas. Beware, the Count is Here. Lester Willis Young (August 27, 1909 March 15, 1959), nicknamed "Pres" or "Prez", was an American jazz tenor saxophonist and occasional clarinetist. Recordings made during this and subsequent periods suggest Young was beginning to make much greater use of a plastic reed, which tended to give his playing a somewhat heavier, breathier tone (although still quite smooth compared to that of many other players). Samuel Louis Nistico (February 6, 1924 January 17, 2021), better known as Sammy Nestico, was an American composer and arranger. When we played pop tunes - and, naturally, we had to - I wanted those pops to kick! You can't have a Count Basie collection without going back to the beginning. Your new password must contain one or more uppercase and lowercase letters, and one or more numbers or special characters. A band leader and pioneer in jazz percussion, Jones anchored the Count Basie Orchestra rhythm section from 1934 to 1948. In 1952 he was featured on Lester Young with the Oscar Peterson Trio, released in 1954 on Norgran. based on information from your browser. Young left the Basie band in late 1940. In 1950, when big bands were falling apart, Mr. Basie cut down to an eight-piece group but by 1952 he was leading a big band once again. You need a Find a Grave account to continue. First commercially issued collection of Young as band leader. They had two children: Lester W. Young Jr. (born 1947) and Yvette Young (born 1957). Known as Papa Jo Jones in his later years, he is sometimes confused with another influential jazz drummer, Philly Joe Jones. From Bill to Count. From the Grand Terrace, it moved on to New York and Roseland Ballroom (playing opposite Woody Herman's new, young band) where listeners complained that it was out of tune (not a surprising reaction since many of Mr. Basie's musicians were blowing patched-up horns and saxophones held together by rubber bands). Then he joined a touring show headed by one Gonzel White, playing piano in a four-piece band. Small record labels not bound by union contracts continued to record, and Young recorded some sessions for Harry Lim's Keynote label in 1943. Meanwhile, keep on listening and tapping your feet. (Count Basie), Well, if you find a note tonight that sounds good, play the same damn note every night! (Count Basie), Copyright 2023 /The Celebrity Deaths.com/All Rights Reserved. Basie decided to form a medium-sized band in 1950, juggling combinations of all-star . Zodiac Sign: Count Basie was a Leo. Allmusic's Scott Yanow, reviewing one of the albums, Pres and Teddy, commented: Although it has been written much too often that Lester Young declined rapidly from the mid-'40s on, the truth is that when he was healthy, Young played at his very best during the '50s, adding an emotional intensity to his sound that had not been present during the more carefree days of the '30s. Occasionally the digitization process introduces transcription errors or other problems; we are continuing to work to improve these archived versions. In 1937 Basie took his group, Count Basie and His Barons of Rhythm, to New York to record their first album with Decca Records under their new name, The Count Basie Orchestra. His father was a student of the mellophone, and his mother was a pianist. Save to an Ancestry Tree, a virtual cemetery, your clipboard for pasting or Print. Among his band's best-known numbers were ''One O'Clock Jump,'' ''Jumpin' at the Woodside,'' ''Li'l Darlin' '' and ''April in Paris.''. Cloudflare Ray ID: 7a2b3f35bc02472d Count Basie was born in the Year of the Dragon. 24 part "Interview with Lester Young", conducted in the 1950s. Your account has been locked for 30 minutes due to too many failed sign in attempts. He thought he could never outmatch Greers talent, so he took up piano at 15. His third wife was Mary Berkeley. 208.109.12.159 This account has been disabled. "[25], Young made his final studio recordings and live performances in Paris in March 1959 with drummer Kenny Clarke at the tail end of an abbreviated European tour during which he ate next to nothing and drank heavily. Count Basies birth sign is Leo and he had a ruling planet of Sun. 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". He recorded less often with his big band during this era (although when he did, the results were outstanding), concentrating instead on small-group and piano-duet recordings. Nestico is best known for his arrangements for the Count Basie orchestra. Anyone can read what you share. This is a digitized version of an article from The Timess print archive, before the start of online publication in 1996. Oops, something didn't work. Young also recorded extensively in the late 1940s for Aladdin Records (1945-1947, where he had made the Cole recordings in 1942) and for Savoy (1944, 1949 and 1950), some sessions of which included Basie on piano. He worked as an orchestrator and arranger for the film The Color Purple. Try again later. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. 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. The causes of death rooted in complex mental health and substance abuse issues, such as drug overdoses and suicide, comprise a relatively small portion of deaths, but are increasing faster than most other causes. To preserve these articles as they originally appeared, The Times does not alter, edit or update them. Chinese Zodiac: Count Basie was born in the Year of the Rabbit. While growing up in the Algiers neighborhood of New Orleans, he worked from the age of five to make money for the family. The broadcast was picked up one night by John Hammond, the jazz enthusiast who had discovered Billie Holiday and helped Benny Goodman start his band. This generation experienced much of their youth during the Great Depression and rapid technological innovation such as the radio and the telephone. From around 1951, Young's level of playing declined more precipitously as his drinking increased. In August 1944, Young appeared alongside drummer Jo Jones, trumpeter Harry "Sweets" Edison, and fellow tenor saxophonist Illinois Jacquet in Gjon Mili's short film Jammin' the Blues. He was also helming one of the biggest, most renowned African American jazz groups of the day. Count Basie was born in 1900s. 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. [4][7], Beginning in 1982, Nestico began releasing solo albums, with Dark Orchid" as his debut album. Count Basies mothers name is unknown at this time and his fathers name is under review. Are you sure that you want to delete this photo? Producer John Hammond heard the band's sound and helped secure further bookings. [12], Nestico married his second wife, Shirley, in 1995, and was married to her until his death. ''I wanted my 13-piece band to work together just like those nine pieces,'' he explained. when asking how much a gig was going to pay.[31]. He rose to fame after taking over Bennie Moten's band in 1935. He was represented at the ceremony by his children Lester Young Jr and Yvette Young.[36]. The band broadcast from the Reno Club on an experimental radio station. The pianist Count Basie died at the age of 79. Mr. Basie was born in Red Bank, N.J., on Aug. 21, 1904, an only child who was christened William. When we played pop tunes, and naturally we had to, I wanted those pops to kick! In fact, the only reason I enlarged the brass was to get a richer harmonic structure. 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. Please enter your email and password to sign in. Live recording of Young and Potts in Washington were issued later. [1] Jones, Basie, guitarist Freddie Green and bassist Walter Page were sometimes billed as an "All-American Rhythm section," an ideal team. The Sun is about vitality and is the core giver of life. The pianist Count Basie died at the age of 79. During 1950 and 51, economy forced Basie to front an octet, the only period in his career in which he did not lead a big band. [34], Peter Straub's short story collection Magic Terror (2000) contains a story called "Pork Pie Hat", a fictionalized account of the life of Lester Young. Another milestone came with the 1956 album April in Paris, whose title track contained psyche-you-out endings that became a new band signature. But I wanted that bite to be just as tasty and subtle as if it were the three brass I used to use. 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. After moving to New York, he was further influenced by James P. Johnson and Fats Waller, with Waller teaching Basie organ-playing techniques. The Black Music Association honored Mr. Basie in 1982 with a gala at Radio City Music Hall. During the 1960s and '70s, Basie recorded with luminaries like Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., Jackie Wilson, Dizzy Gillespie and Oscar Peterson. During his tenure, a composition by Nestico led President Johnson to remark "You call this music?" 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). He's not limited to anything. 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. Stranded in Kansas City, Missouri, in 1927, Basie remained there and eventually (in 1935) assumed the leadership of a nine-piece band composed of former members of the Walter Page and Bennie Moten orchestras. In 1979, Jones was inducted into the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame for his contribution to the Birmingham, Alabama musical heritage. Mr. Alexander agreed to lend the club $2,500 to install an air-conditioner if it would book the Basie band. Not loud and fast, understand, but smoothly and with a definite punch. (Count Basie), Of course, there are a lot of ways you can treat the blues, but it will still be the blues. (Count Basie), Im saying: to be continued, until we meet again. Birthday: August 21, 1904 Date of Death: April 26, 1984 Age at Death: 79 Live Live Death Statistics Worldwide and The United States Count Basie - Biography Please contact Find a Grave at [emailprotected] if you need help resetting your password. Especially noteworthy were the albums featuring the duo of Basie and Oscar Peterson, with Basies economy and Petersons dexterous virtuosity proving an effective study in contrasts. One of Kansas City's own, Ronald McFadden, 66, who together with his brother Lonnie, is well known for entertaining audiences in Kansas City and worldwide, died unexpectedly Monday evening. ''And that's when the whole fire started,'' said Mr. Alexander. [11] He soon left Henderson to play in the Andy Kirk band (for six months) before returning to Basie. Previously sponsored memorials or famous memorials will not have this option. 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. Basie studied music with his mother and was later influenced by the Harlem pianists James P. Johnson and Fats Waller, receiving informal tutelage on the organ from the latter. His father was a student of the mellophone, and his mother was a pianist. Counts education details are not available at this time. The band itself carried on into the next century, with Thad Jones, Frank Foster, and Grover Mitchell each assuming leadership for various intervals. Then I sat beside him and he taught me.'' If you see something that doesnt look right, contact us. During childhood, Sammy Americanized his name to Samuel Louis Nestico. Despite a brief disbandment at the beginning of the 1950s, the band survived long past the Big Band era itself and the death of Basie in 1984. ' (Count Basie), I, of course, wanted to play real jazz.
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