Masters Of Jazz - Count Basie (4/4)

Count Basie introduced several generations of listeners to the Big Band sound and left an influential catalog. Basie is remembered by many who worked for him as being considerate of musicians and their opinions, modest, relaxed, fun-loving, dryly witty, and always enthusiastic about his music. As he summed up the key to his understated style, in his autobiography, "I think the band can really swing when it swings easy, when it can just play along like you are cutting butter".
Other cultural connections include Jerry Lewis using "Blues in Hoss' Flat" from Basie's Chairman of the Board album, as the basis for his own "Chairman of the Board" routine in the movie The Errand Boy, in which Lewis pantomimed the movements of a corporate executive holding a board meeting. (In the early 1980s, Lewis revived the routine during the live broadcast of one of his Muscular Dystrophy Association telethons). Blues in Hoss' Flat, composed by Basie band member Frank Foster, was also the longtime theme song of San Francisco and New York radio DJ Al "Jazzbeaux" Collins. In addition, Basie is one of the producers of the "world's greatest music" that Brenda Fricker's "Pigeon Lady" character claims to have heard in Carnegie Hall in 1992's Home Alone 2: Lost in New York. Drummer Neil Peart of the Canadian rock band Rush recorded a version of "One O'Clock Jump" with the Buddy Rich Big Band, and has used it at the end of his drum solos on the 2002 Vapor Trails Tour and Rush's 30th Anniversary Tour.
The Count Basie Theatre and Count Basie Field in his hometown of Red Bank, New Jersey were named in his honor. The street on which he lived, Mechanic Street has the honorary title of Count Basie Way.
On September 26, 2009, Edgecombe Avenue and 160th Street in Washington Heights, Manhattan, were renamed as Paul Robeson Boulevard and Count Basie Place. The corner is the location of 555 Edgecombe Avenue, also known as the Paul Robeson Home, a National Historic Landmark building where Count Basie and Paul Robeson lived.
(extract from Wikipedia 2011)

[@gailobrien9380]

Thank you for posting this...and this interview with my dad, Grover Mitchell!❤️

[@peterizzo6527]

Right on Phil, Basie was a charming man and a genius. His musical taste was so refined and swinging, absolutely timeless. We are so lucky to have his work to enjoy and inspire us.

[@laraeejohnson7880]

that segment with garland and basie is electric and part two with the people black and white dancing in the park that s also great never seen that before.

[@DanteBrewster]

Excellent show

[@philpryor7524]

Always chairing and presiding, never controlling, demanding, Basie contributed enormously to USA arts, to big bands, to jazz, to blues, to life as a considerate gentleman.

[@raissastephenson3864]

I loved this, first heard Basie watching Al "Jazzbeaux" Collins around 1960. Blues in Hoss Flat is by far my favorite Basie piece. Heartbreak story: We went to Disneyland in the early 80's and my wife and I took a walk in the early evening by the entrance, and the marquee said that Count Basie was playing. I thought we will have to see him when we go in the park the next day. Next day we arrive, and no Basie. I could have cried.

[@exapplerrelppaxe7952]

Enjoyable documentary. Great success story. I was glued to my computer screen.