This stemmed primarily from the presence in the rhythm section, from 1937 to the present, of both Mr. Basie on piano and Freddie Green on guitar. In January 1956, he recorded two Granz-produced sessions including a reunion with pianist Teddy Wilson, trumpet player Roy Eldridge, trombonist Vic Dickenson, bassist Gene Ramey, and drummer Jo Jones which were issued as The Jazz Giants '56 and Pres and Teddy albums. 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). In a partnership with Billy May, Nestico was involved in the transcription, arranging, and re-recording of 630 big band songs originally recorded in the 1930s and 1940s. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. In 2021, approximately 3,458,697 deaths occurred in the United States. We strive for accuracy and fairness.If you see something that doesn't look right,contact us! Save to an Ancestry Tree, a virtual cemetery, your clipboard for pasting or Print. Please check back soon for updates. The impact Basie had can be seen across the country. Jones also continued a ride rhythm on hi-hat, while it was continuously opening and closing instead of the common practice of only striking it while it was closed. [2][3] Nestico joined the Oliver High School beginner orchestra in 1937 as a trombonist. Your new password must contain one or more uppercase and lowercase letters, and one or more numbers or special characters. When we played pop tunes, and naturally we had to, I wanted those pops to kick! With Count Basie ''One night the announcer called me to the microphone for those usual few words of introduction,'' Mr. Basie once recalled. There is 1 volunteer for this cemetery. Zodiac Sign: Count Basie was a Leo. As one Basie band member put it, Count dont do nothin. He was soon court-martialed. On December 8, 1957, Young appeared with Billie Holiday, Coleman Hawkins, Ben Webster, Roy Eldridge, and Gerry Mulligan in the CBS television special The Sound of Jazz, performing Holiday's tune "Fine and Mellow." On a flight to New York City, he suffered from internal bleeding due to the effects of alcoholism and died in the early morning hours of March 15, 1959, only hours after arriving back in New York, at the age of 49.[26]. His piano style, which often seemed bare and simple, was an exquisitely realized condensation of the florid ''stride'' style of Fats Waller and James P. Johnson with whom Mr. Basie started. The Basie band played at President John F. Kennedy's inaugural ball, and in 1965 toured with Frank Sinatra. To view a photo in more detail or edit captions for photos you added, click the photo to open the photo viewer. At a White House reception, President Reagan said that Mr. Basie was ''among the handful of musicians that helped change the path of American music in the 30's and the 40's'' and that he had ''revolutionized jazz.''. Count Basie Birthday and Date of Death Count Basie was born on August 21, 1904 and died on April 26, 1984. First commercially issued collection of Young as band leader. He eventually relocated the Cherry Blossoms to Chicago, then to New York City. His daughter, Diane Basie, now 71 and living in Florida. Ruling Planet: Count Basie had a ruling planet of Sun and has a ruling planet of Sun and by astrological associations Saturday is ruled by Sun. [1] He participated in the Jazz at the Philharmonic concert series.[1]. (Sorry I could . Swing-era bandleader noted for his theme songs One OClock Jump from 1937 and April in Paris from 1932. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Chinese Zodiac: Count Basie was born in the Year of the Rabbit. Count Basie was born in the Year of the Dragon. Year should not be greater than current year. "Sammy Nestico | Biography, Albums, Streaming Links", "How my father pursued the American Dream", "Sammy Nestico, 'the Rolls Royce of composers and arrangers' in big-band jazz, dies at 96", "Pittsburgh Native writer/arranger/bandleader Sammy Nestico has passed, weeks short of his 97th birthday", "Massillon Museum to offer virtual Q&A with filmmaker", "Sammy Nestico, prolific composer and arranger for Count Basie, dies at 96", "Dave's WOW: Beloved American composer and arranger Sammy Nestico dies at 96", "Count Basie arranger Sammy Nestico has died The Syncopated Times", "Sammy Nestico | Album Discography | AllMusic", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sammy_Nestico&oldid=1130442453, United States Army personnel of World War II, Articles with Spanish-language sources (es), Short description is different from Wikidata, Pages using infobox musical artist with associated acts, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 30 December 2022, at 05:30. From then on, it was Count Basie.''. 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. [12], In the late 1960s, Sammy worked as an arranger and orchestrator for Capitol Records. Add to your scrapbook. ''He was a wonderful man. Basie played the vaudevillian circuit for a time until he got stuck in Kansas City, Missouri in the mid-1920s after his performance group disbanded. The legendary Billie Holiday was a vocalist with Basie for a short stint (193738), although she was unable to record with the band because of her contract with another record label; mostly, vocals were handled by Jimmy Rushing, one of the most renowned blues bawlers. The rhythm unit for the bandpianist Basie, guitarist Freddie Green (who joined the Basie band in 1937 and stayed for 50 years), bassist Walter Page, and drummer Jo Joneswas unique in its lightness, precision, and relaxation, becoming the precursor for modern jazz accompanying styles. Jazz critic and record producer John Hammond heard the broadcasts and promptly launched the band on its career. Charles Mingus dedicated an elegy to Young, "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat", only a few months after his death. I had never heard the blues played like that. He was represented at the ceremony by his children Lester Young Jr and Yvette Young.[36]. Please enter your email and password to sign in. They hate hypocrisy and gossip and can sometimes be a bit arrogant and impatient. Young played clarinet as well as tenor in these sessions. Flowers added to the memorial appear on the bottom of the memorial or here on the Flowers tab. You are nearing the transfer limit for memorials managed by Find a Grave. In 1981 OyamO (Charles F. Gordon) published the book The Resurrection of Lady Lester, subtitled "A Poetic Mood Song Based on the Legend of Lester Young", depicting Young's life. To help it through the Grand Terrace engagement, Fletcher Henderson, who had provided Benny Goodman with the arrangements that enabled his band to break through a year earlier, lent Mr. Basie some of his arrangements. [1] Jones had a major influence on later drummers such as Buddy Rich, Kenny Clarke, Roy Haynes, Max Roach, and Louie Bellson. Page, a bassist, Jimmy Rushing, the blues singer, both of whom would be key members of Mr. Basie's band. In 1958, Basie became the first African American male recipient of a Grammy Award. ''When they let you in the door,'' Ralph Gleason, the jazz critic, reported, ''it was like jumping into the center of a whirlwind. In the 1986 film Round Midnight, the fictional main character Dale Turner, played by Dexter Gordon, was partly based on Young incorporating flashback references to his army experiences, and loosely depicting his time in Paris and his return to New York just before his death. Born in Chicago, Illinois, United States,[1] Jones moved to Alabama, where he learned to play several instruments, including saxophone, piano, and drums. He also received a distinguished alumni award from Duquesne, and in 1994 was inducted into Duquesne's "Century Club". [1] Jones, Basie, guitarist Freddie Green and bassist Walter Page were sometimes billed as an "All-American Rhythm section," an ideal team. 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. This relationship is not possible based on lifespan dates. Throughout the 1960s, Basies recordings were often uninspired and marred by poor choice of material, but he remained an exceptional concert performer and made fine records with singers Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, and Frank Sinatra. Homage to Lester Young (1993), a book of poetry by Vancouver writer Jamie Reid. He made many studio recordings under Granz's supervision as well, including more trio recordings with Nat King Cole. Discover what happened on this day. People born under this sign are energetic and excitable. Found more than one record for entered Email, You need to confirm this account before you can sign in. The story of Count Basie is very much the story of the great jazz band that he led for close to 50 years (1935-1984), an orchestra with a distinctive . They had two children: Lester W. Young Jr. (born 1947) and Yvette Young (born 1957). After earning his degree, Nestico then returned to the military, where he arranged music for the United States Air Force Band (19501963), as well as leading the Glenn Miller Army Air Corps dance band, which would later become known as the Airmen of Note. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. In 1935, Basie formed his own jazz orchestra, the Count Basie Orchestra, and in 1936 took them to Chicago for a long engagement and their first recording. It continues . Occasionally the digitization process introduces transcription errors or other problems; we are continuing to work to improve these archived versions. Another milestone came with the 1956 album April in Paris, whose title track contained psyche-you-out endings that became a new band signature. Learn more about merges. [4][7], Beginning in 1982, Nestico began releasing solo albums, with Dark Orchid" as his debut album. Ronald McFadden, consummate entertainer, tap dancer and musician, died unexpectedly this week, shortly after a performance in downtown Kansas City. In 1958, Count Basie became the first African-American male recipient of a Grammy Award. Swing-era bandleader noted for his theme songs One OClock Jump from 1937 and April in Paris from 1932. He served one traumatic year in a detention barracks[15] and was dishonorably discharged in late 1945. JUMP TO: Count Basies biography, facts, family, personal life, zodiac, videos and related celebs. Singer Joe Williams, whose authoritative, blues-influenced vocals can be heard on hit recordings such as Every Day I Have the Blues and Alright, Okay, You Win, was also a major component in the bands success. A pianist, Count Basie played vaudeville before eventually forming his own big band and helping to define the era of swing with hits like "One O'Clock Jump" and "Blue Skies." Count Basie, the jazz pianist whose spare, economic keyboard style and supple rhythmic drive made his orchestra one of the most influential groups of the Big Band era, died of cancer yesterday. In the early 1990s after Count Basie's death, leader Frank Foster was auditioning a young drummer for the Basie Band. Which memorial do you think is a duplicate of Count Basie (1664)? The key factor in popularizing it was a series of repetitions of the final few bars when, as the orchestra seemingly came to the end of the piece, Mr. Basie held up a finger and called out, ''One mo' time! *How USAFacts measures death. Count Basie was born on the 21st of August, 1904. This three-CD compilation celebrates the band's legendary Decca studio recordings made in New York when it was a hard-driving swing outfit on its way to becoming an American institution. In contrast to many of his hard-driving peers, Young played with a relaxed, cool tone and used sophisticated . Death rate from cardiovascular disease. Bookmark this page and come back often for updates. Count Basie was an extremely popular figure in the jazz world for half a century. and the bebop revolution of the mid-1940s all played a role in the death of the big-band era. Foster asked the drummer to come back for another audition in six months after the young man had listened to every recording he could find of Sonny Payne drumming with Count Basie. During the 1960s and '70s, Basie recorded with luminaries like Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., Jackie Wilson, Dizzy Gillespie and Oscar Peterson. Their famously empathetic classic recordings with Teddy Wilson date from this era. '', Soloists were less prominent in this second edition of the Basie band although it included some of the major jazz musicians of the post-50's years, such as Thad Jones, Joe Newman, Al Grey, Eddie (Lockjaw) Davis, Frank Wess, Jimmy Forrest and the blues singer Joe Williams. The funeral service will be at noon on Monday at the Abyssinian Baptist Church, 132 West 138th Street. The pianist Count Basie died at the age of 79. He was also honored by ASMAC and the Big Band Academy of America. People who are born with the Sun as the ruling planet are courageous, self-expressive and bold. Coming to prominence while a member of Count Basie's orchestra, Young was one of the most influential players on his instrument. One night, while the band was broadcasting on a shortwave radio station in Kansas City, he was dubbed Count Basie by a radio announcer who wanted to indicate his standing in a class with aristocrats of jazz such as Duke Ellington. [28] Sonny Stitt began to incorporate elements from Lester Young's approach when he made the transition to tenor saxophone. I thought you might like to see a memorial for Count Basie I found on Findagrave.com. 'No,' I said, 'but I'd give my right arm to learn. He made a habit of leaving, working, then going home. He was one of the greatest bandleaders of all-time, epitomizing the jazz of south-western America. Young's solo was brilliant, acclaimed by some observers as an unparalleled marvel of economy, phrasing and extraordinarily moving emotion; Nat Hentoff, one of the show's producers, later commented, "Lester got up, and he played the purest blues I have ever heard in the control room we were all crying. In 1963, he switched to the Marines and became director and arranger of the United States Marine Band, where he served under presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson. This browser does not support getting your location. [5] He grew up in a musical family. GREAT NEWS! 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. Learn more about managing a memorial . I decided that I would be one of the biggest new names; and I actually had some little fancy business cards printed up to announce it, Count Basie. Directing With a Glance Mr. Basie, a short, stocky, taciturn but witty man who liked to wear a yachting cap offstage, presided over the band at the piano with apparent utmost casualness. Nestico is best known for his arrangements for the Count Basie orchestra. [11] He soon left Henderson to play in the Andy Kirk band (for six months) before returning to Basie. Young was the subject of an opera, Prez: A Jazz Opera, that was written by Bernard Cash and Alan Plater and broadcast by BBC television in 1985. His father was a teacher and band leader. 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. For a smaller band, the Savoy Sultans had a great swing thing going. He's not limited to anything. After moving to New York, he was further influenced by James P. Johnson and Fats Waller, with Waller teaching Basie organ-playing techniques. Drummer of the Count Basie Orchestra Passed Away, Obituary - YouTube 0:00 / 0:36 Butch Miles Cause of Death? Please contact Find a Grave at [emailprotected] if you need help resetting your password. Please reset your password. With vocals by Jimmy Rushing, the band set up shop to perform at Kansas City's Reno Club. A few of his songs were inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame as well, including "April in Paris" and "Everyday I Have the Blues.". He became an accompanist to the blues singers Clara Smith and Maggie Jones and he worked in a 14th Street dance hall. Don Byron recorded the album Ivey-Divey in gratitude for what he learned from studying Lester Young's work, modeled after a 1946 trio date with Buddy Rich and Nat King Cole. While he never abandoned the cane reed, he used the plastic reed a significant share of the time from 1943 until the end of his life. The Basie orchestra had several hit recordings during the late 1930s and early 40s, among them Jumpin at the Woodside, Every Tub, Lester Leaps In, Super Chief, Taxi War Dance, Miss Thing, Shorty George, and One OClock Jump, the bands biggest hit and theme song. Basie ultimately earned nine Grammy Awards over the course of his career, but he made history when he won his first, in 1958, as the first African American man to receive a Grammy. Even in Harlem, it puzzled the aware audiences at the Savoy Ballroom. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. The pianist in the combo gave up his seat to Mr. Basie who sat down, tinkled a few introductory notes, looked up at the drummer, nodded at the rest of the group and, when the combo took off, the musicians were playing as brilliantly and cleanly as they had been disheveled only a few moments before. 0 cemeteries found in East Farmingdale, Suffolk County, New York, USA. He rose to fame after taking over Bennie Moten's band in 1935. Discography. (Fans distinguish the two major eras in Basie bands as the Old Testament and New Testament.) The Basie orchestra of the 1950s was a slick, professional unit that was expert at sight reading and demanding arrangements. [21], This list is incomplete. COVID-19 was reported as the underlying cause or a contributing cause in an estimated 460,513 (13.3%) of those deaths (111.4 deaths per 100,000). Omissions? Young is described as playing the clarinet in a "liquid, nervous style. "Ivey-Divey" was one of Lester Young's common eccentric phrases. [35], On 17 March 2003, Young was added to the ASCAP Jazz Wall of Fame, along with Sidney Bechet, Al Cohn, Nat "King" Cole, Peggy Lee and Teddy Wilson. During the 1940's, many of the great jazz musicians of the decade passed through the band, among them Illinois Jacquet, Don Byas, Wardell Gray, Paul Quinichette, Lucky Thompson, J. J. Johnson, Paul Gonsalves and Clark Terry. Like many famous people and celebrities, Count Basie kept his personal life private. Resend Activation Email. Try again later. Count Basie was born in Red Bank. He sold newspapers and shined shoes. or don't show this againI am good at figuring things out. Basie benefited greatly from his association with Granz and made several recordings during the 70s that rank among his best work. Pop Tunes With a Kick, ''Of course, I wanted to play real jazz. He was a fine pianist and leader of one of the greatest jazz bands in history. The Basie band kept working into the 1970s, with the Count in his yachting cap that he had adopted in the 1960s, but his age and changing fashion eventually caught up with him. [8], During World War II, Nestico joined the United States Army and served for five years. 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. When the Page band broke up in 1929, Mr. [4][9][10][11][12], Nestico had a long career in the film and television industry. The top global causes of death, in order of total number of lives lost, are associated with three broad topics: cardiovascular (ischaemic heart disease, stroke), respiratory (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lower respiratory infections) and neonatal conditions - which include birth asphyxia and birth trauma, neonatal sepsis and infections, and preterm birth complications. During a radio broadcast of the band's performance, the announcer wanted to give Basie's name some pizazz, keeping in mind the existence of other bandleaders like .css-47aoac{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-thickness:0.0625rem;text-decoration-color:inherit;text-underline-offset:0.25rem;color:#A00000;-webkit-transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;}.css-47aoac:hover{color:#595959;text-decoration-color:border-link-body-hover;}Duke Ellington and Earl Hines. The strengths of this sign are being creative, passionate, generous, warm-hearted, cheerful, humorous, while weaknesses can be arrogant, stubborn, self-centered, lazy and inflexible. In 1952 he was featured on Lester Young with the Oscar Peterson Trio, released in 1954 on Norgran. Causes of deaths for people who were 70 years and older. [12], Nestico wrote hundreds of arrangements for school band and jazz band programs. 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. Despite the presence of Lester Young and Herschel Evans in the saxophone section, Buck Clayton in the trumpet section, Jo Jones on drums, with Jimmy Rushing and, briefly, Billie Holiday as vocalists, the Basie band struggled for a year after it left Kansas City. Lester Willis Young (August 27, 1909 March 15, 1959), nicknamed "Pres" or "Prez", was an American jazz tenor saxophonist and occasional clarinetist. He was famous for being a Pianist. To add a flower, click the Leave a Flower button. William Basie was born at 229 Mechanic Street on August 21, 1904. Samuel Louis Nistico (February 6, 1924 January 17, 2021), better known as Sammy Nestico, was an American composer and arranger. During his tenure, a composition by Nestico led President Johnson to remark "You call this music?" Weve updated the security on the site. 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). The sound was almost frightening.''. The jazz pianist George Shearing said that Mr. Basie's greatest trademark was the three sweet, soft notes that ended many of his great swing-era compositions. A band leader and pioneer in jazz percussion, Jones anchored the Count Basie Orchestra rhythm section from 1934 to 1948. A system error has occurred. Unostentatious as Mr. Basie appeared, his presence was a vital factor in directing his band or any group of musicians with whom he might be playing. Lester Young also had a direct influence on the young Charlie Parker, and thus the entire be-bop movement. 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. We will continue to update information on Count Basies parents. I mean, he'll concert you all, and then he'll swing you all, too, you understand, when he's ready to. Well, that was the last time I was ever introduced as Bill Basie. In 1952 increased demand for personal appearances allowed Basie to form a new orchestra that in many ways was as highly praised as his bands of the 1930s and 40s. Young's playing style influenced many other tenor saxophonists, including Stan Getz, as well as Zoot Sims, Al Cohn, Warne Marsh, as well as baritone saxophonist Gerry Mulligan and alto saxophonists Lee Konitz, and Paul Desmond. The Count Basie Orchestra had a slew of hits that helped to define the big-band sound of the 1930s and '40s. At the time of his death, a feature-length documentary film titled Shadow Man: The Sammy Nestico Story was in production. Count was 79 years old at the time of death. 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. Young was the subject and inspiration of Prez. Live recording of Young and Potts in Washington were issued later. Count Basies mothers name is unknown at this time and his fathers name is under review. Name: Count Basie Birth Year: 1904 Birth date: August 21, 1904 Birth State: New Jersey Birth City: Red Bank Birth Country: United States Gender: Male Best Known For: One of jazz music's all-time. Wayne Shorter, then of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, composed a tribute, called "Lester Left Town". Family members linked to this person will appear here. If you see something that doesnt look right, contact us. His father was a railroad worker. If you have questions, please contact [emailprotected]. ''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. 1956 was a relatively good year for Lester Young, including a tour of Europe with Miles Davis and the Modern Jazz Quartet and a successful residency at Olivia Davis' Patio Lounge in Washington, DC, with the Bill Potts Trio. 24 part "Interview with Lester Young", conducted in the 1950s. Jazz Musician. Through Mr. Waller, Mr. Basie got a job as accompanist with a vaudeville act called Katie Crippen and Her Kids. The Count Basie Orchestra is a 16 to 18 piece big band, one of the most prominent jazz performing groups of the swing era, founded by Count Basie in 1935 and recording regularly from 1936. With the group becoming highly distinguished for its soloists, rhythm section and style of swing, Basie himself was noted for his understated yet captivating style of piano playing and precise, impeccable musical leadership. Count Basie was a Leo and was born in the G.I. Basie began his career as a stride pianist, reflecting the influence of Johnson and Waller, but the style most associated with him was characterized by spareness and precision. He was 67. When jazz record producer Norman Granz formed his Pablo label in the 1970s, several established jazz artists, including Basie, signed on in order to record unfettered by commercial demands. Outstanding soloists such as tenor saxophonists Lucky Thompson, Paul Quinichette, and Eddie Lockjaw Davis and trumpeters Clark Terry and Charlie Shavers, figured prominently. Click to reveal Cholera deaths in Great Britain over the long-term. William James Basie is part of G.I. 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. He earned the nickname, "Count," because of his stylish way of playing the piano. Basie suffered from health issues in his later years, and died from cancer in Hollywood, Florida, on April 26, 1984. The ''book'' of this early Basie band was based on blues and riffs developed on a blues structure. Lester Willis Young (August 27, 1909 - March 15, 1959), nicknamed "Pres" or "Prez", was an American jazz tenor saxophonist and occasional clarinetist.. Coming to prominence while a member of Count Basie's orchestra, Young was one of the most influential players on his instrument. This account already exists, but the email address still needs to be confirmed. based on information from your browser. 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 Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). His second great band, from the 1950s onwards, relied more on arrangements, typically from Neil Hefti and Ernie Wilkin's. To use this feature, use a newer browser. 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. Fletcher Henderson's band was playing at the Grand Terrace just before the Basie band arrived there. Sorry! Jazz Stars in the Band. This generation experienced much of their youth during the Great Depression and rapid technological innovation such as the radio and the telephone. The early Basie band was also noted for its legendary soloists and outstanding rhythm section.