Count Basie
1904 – 1984

Count Basie

American jazz musician and composer (1904–1984)

orchestra leaderautobiographerjazz musicianbandleaderorganist
Born
1904-08-21, Red Bank
Died
1984-04-26
Birthplace state
New Jersey

Biography

William James "Count" Basie was an American jazz pianist, organist, bandleader, and composer. In 1935, he formed the Count Basie Orchestra, and in 1936 took them to Chicago for a long engagement and their first recording. 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, his minimalist piano style, and others.

Occupation

Count Basie is recorded as a orchestra leader, a autobiographer, a jazz musician, a bandleader, a organist, a songwriter, a pianist, a musician, a conductor, a composer and a actor, born in New Jersey (1904–1984).

Connections to New Jersey

Count Basie was born in Red Bank, New Jersey in 1904. Explore other notable figures from New Jersey, historic sites connected to this era, and the full colonial and statehood history of the state using the links below.

Other notable figures from New Jersey›New Jerseyhistory ›Historic sites in New Jersey›
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Everything a full report reveals about Red Bank

Count Basie came from Red Bank. A full Aubrey report on Red Bank pulls together everything the historical record holds about that place, from the first settlers to the twentieth century:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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More notable figures from New Jersey

Other historical figures born in New Jersey, ranked by historical prominence.

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Allen Ginsberg
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James Gandolfini
James Gandolfini
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Philip Roth
Philip Roth
American novelist (1933–2018)
James Fenimore Cooper
James Fenimore Cooper
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Frequently asked about Count Basie

Who was Count Basie?
Count Basie was American jazz musician and composer (1904–1984), born in New Jersey (1904 – 1984).
When and where was Count Basie born?
Count Basie was born on 1904-08-21 in Red Bank.
When did Count Basie die?
Count died on 1984-04-26.
What was Count Basie known for?
Count Basie is recorded as a orchestra leader, a autobiographer, a jazz musician, a bandleader, a organist, a songwriter, a pianist, a musician, a conductor, a composer and a actor.
Source

Biographical content adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Source: Wikipedia.

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