Count basie

Count Basie

  • Born in Red Bank, NJ

  • Encounters Fats Waller in Harlem

  • Arrives in Kansas City, MO

  • Joins Walter Page's Blue Devils

  • Leaves and joins Bennie Moten's Kansas City Orchestra

  • Bennie Moten dies, Count Basie organizes the Barons of Rhythm soon after

  • Period: to

    The band records "The Complete Decca Recordings" with Decca Records

  • The Count Basie Orchestra makes its first recording with Decca Records

  • Period: to

    The Reign of Count Basie

  • The Count Basie Orchestra records "One O'Clock Jump" in New York, NY

  • "Jumpin' at the Woodside," single, Decca

  • Period: to

    The band records with Columbia Records

  • Period: to

    The Count Basie Orchestra disbands due to financial difficulties

  • Band makes first tour of Europe

  • April in Paris, Verve

  • Band finishes recording "Count Basie Sings, Joe Williams Sings", Clef

  • Band records "The Atomic Mr. Basie", Roulette

  • Breakfast Dance and Barbecue, Roulette

  • One More Time, Roulette

  • Band releases "Chairman of the Board", Roulette

  • Count Basie takes home two Grammys at the Inaugural Grammy Award Ceremony

    -Best Jazz Performance, Group
    -Best Performance by a Dance Band
  • The band records "First Time! The Count Meets the Duke" (w/ Duke Ellington), Columbia

  • The orchestra visits Japan

  • Album released: "It Might As Well Be Swing" (With Frank Sinatra), Reprise

  • The Gifted Ones (w/ Dizzy Gillespie), Pablo

  • "One O'Clock Jump" is inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame

  • Count Basie receives the Grammy Trustees Award

  • Band finishes recording "Send in the Clowns" (w/ Sarah Vaughan), Pablo

  • Fancy Pants, Pablo

  • Count Basie dies at age 80 in Hollywood, FL

  • Period: to

    Thad Jones assumes leadership of the Count Basie Orchestra

  • "April in Paris" is inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame

  • After the death of Thad Jones, Frank Foster assumes leadership of the Count Basie Orchestra

  • "Everyday (I Have the Blues)" is inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame

  • Count Basie receives the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award

  • "Lester Leaps In" is inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame