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Count Basie

Acting

Born: 1904-08-21
Died: 1984-04-26
From: Red Bank, New Jersey, USA
Gender: Male
Popularity: 0.3

Also Known As

William James Basie

Biography

William James "Count" Basie (/ˈbeɪsi/; August 21, 1904 – April 26, 1984) 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. 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, plunger trombonist Al Grey, and singers Jimmy Rushing, Helen Humes, Dennis Rowland, Thelma Carpenter, and Joe Williams. As a composer, Basie is known for writing such jazz standards as "Blue and Sentimental", "Jumpin' at the Woodside" and "One O'Clock Jump". Description above from the Wikipedia article Count Basie, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Awards & Nominations19 won · 9 nominated

🏆 Won

Kansas Music Hall of Fame

2011
🏆 Won

New Jersey Hall of Fame

2010
🏆 Won

Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award

2002
🏆 Won

Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award

2001
🏆 Won

Presidential Medal of Freedom

1985
🏆 Won

Grammy Award for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album

88 Basie Street

1984
Nominated

Grammy Award for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album

88 Basie Street

1984
🏆 Won

NEA Jazz Masters

1983
🏆 Won

star on Hollywood Walk of Fame

1982
🏆 Won

Grammy Award for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album

Warm Breeze

1982
Nominated

Grammy Award for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album

Warm Breeze

1982
🏆 Won

Kennedy Center Honors

1981
🏆 Won

Grammy Trustees Award

1981
🏆 Won

Grammy Award for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album

On the Road

1980
🏆 Won

Grammy Trustees Award

1980
Nominated

Grammy Award for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album

On the Road

1980
🏆 Won

Grammy Award for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album

Prime Time

1977
Nominated

Grammy Award for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album

Prime Time

1977
🏆 Won

Grammy Award for Best Jazz Performance

Basie & Zoot

1976
Nominated

Grammy Award for Best Jazz Performance

Basie & Zoot

1976
🏆 Won

Grammy Award for Best Performance by an Orchestra – for Dancing

1963
Nominated

Grammy Award for Best Performance by an Orchestra – for Dancing

1963
🏆 Won

Grammy Award for Best Performance by an Orchestra – for Dancing

1960
Nominated

Grammy Award for Best Performance by an Orchestra – for Dancing

1960
🏆 Won

Grammy Award for Best Performance by an Orchestra – for Dancing

The Atomic Mr. Basie

1958
🏆 Won

Grammy Award for Best Jazz Instrumental Album

The Atomic Mr. Basie

1958
Nominated

Grammy Award for Best Jazz Instrumental Album

The Atomic Mr. Basie

1958
Nominated

Grammy Award for Best Performance by an Orchestra – for Dancing

The Atomic Mr. Basie

1958

Acting45 titles

Music Inn
10.0
Movie

Music Inn

2007Documentary
Count Basie At Carnegie Hall
10.0
Movie

Count Basie At Carnegie Hall

1981Drama
Rat Pack
9.0
Movie

Rat Pack

2022Documentary
Top Man
9.0
Movie

Top Man

1943Comedy
Frank Sinatra Spectacular
9.0
Movie

Frank Sinatra Spectacular

1965Drama
The Big Show
9.0
Series

The Big Show

1980Comedy
The Judy Garland Show
8.2
Series

The Judy Garland Show

1963-1964Comedy
The Last of the Blue Devils
8.0
Movie

The Last of the Blue Devils

1979Drama
Norman Granz’ Jazz in Montreaux presents Ella and Basie '79—"The Perfect Match"
8.0
Movie

Norman Granz’ Jazz in Montreaux presents Ella and Basie '79—"The Perfect Match"

1979Drama
Policy Man
8.0
Movie

Policy Man

1938Thriller
Astaire Time
8.0
Movie

Astaire Time

1960Drama
Bluesland: A Portrait in American Music
7.5
Movie

Bluesland: A Portrait in American Music

1993Documentary
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
7.5
Series

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

1962-1992Documentary
Sid & Judy
7.4
Movie

Sid & Judy

2019Documentary
The Kennedy Center Honors
7.4
Series

The Kennedy Center Honors

1978 - ...Drama
Blazing Saddles
7.2
Movie

Blazing Saddles

1974Action
Ebony Parade
7.0
Movie

Ebony Parade

2024Comedy
Take Me Back, Baby
7.0
Movie

Take Me Back, Baby

1941Drama
Count Basie: Through His Own Eyes
7.0
Movie

Count Basie: Through His Own Eyes

2020Documentary
Rhythm and Blues Revue
6.8
Movie

Rhythm and Blues Revue

1955Documentary
Billie
6.8
Movie

Billie

2020Documentary
Charlie Parker: Bird Songs
6.8
Movie

Charlie Parker: Bird Songs

2022Documentary
ABC Stage 67
6.8
Series

ABC Stage 67

1966 - ...Drama
The Ed Sullivan Show
6.8
Series

The Ed Sullivan Show

1948-1971Comedy
Startime
6.8
Series

Startime

1959-1960Comedy
The Merv Griffin Show
6.6
Series

The Merv Griffin Show

1962-1986Documentary
Louis Armstrong's Black & Blues
6.5
Movie

Louis Armstrong's Black & Blues

2022Documentary
Piano Blues
6.5
Movie

Piano Blues

2003Drama
The Dinah Shore Chevy Show
6.4
Series

The Dinah Shore Chevy Show

1956-1963Documentary
Stage Door Canteen
6.3
Movie

Stage Door Canteen

1943Comedy
Air Mail Special
6.2
Movie

Air Mail Special

1941Drama
The Steve Allen Show
6.2
Series

The Steve Allen Show

1956-1960Comedy
Cinderfella
6.1
Movie

Cinderfella

1960Comedy
The Harlem Renaissance
6.0
Movie

The Harlem Renaissance

2004Documentary
Crazy House
6.0
Movie

Crazy House

1943Drama
The Mike Douglas Show
5.8
Series

The Mike Douglas Show

1961 - ...Comedy
Jamboree!
5.4
Movie

Jamboree!

1957Drama
The Hollywood Palace
5.0
Series

The Hollywood Palace

1964-1970Comedy
Made in Paris
4.9
Movie

Made in Paris

1966Comedy
Jazz Icons: Count Basie Live in '62
0
Movie

Jazz Icons: Count Basie Live in '62

2006Drama
Frank Sinatra: The Man and His Music
0
Movie

Frank Sinatra: The Man and His Music

1981Drama
Judy Garland Duets
0
Movie

Judy Garland Duets

2005Drama
Improvisation
0
Movie

Improvisation

2004Drama
Basie Boogie
0
Movie

Basie Boogie

1950Drama
Jazz Legends in Their Own Words
0
Movie

Jazz Legends in Their Own Words

2014Documentary

Sound1 title

Killer Diller
5.3
Movie

Killer Diller

1948Comedy

Crew1 title

Sentimental Journey
0
Movie

Sentimental Journey

2006Drama