- published: 18 Nov 2015
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William "Count" Basie (August 21, 1904 – April 26, 1984) was an American jazz pianist, organist, bandleader, and composer. His mother first taught him piano and he started performing in his teens. Dropping out of school, he learned to operate lights for vaudeville and improvised to accompany silent films at a local theater in his town of Red Bank, New Jersey. By 16, he increasingly played jazz piano at parties, resorts and other venues. In 1924, he went to Harlem, where his performing career expanded; he toured with groups to the major jazz cities of Chicago, St. Louis and Kansas City. In 1929 he joined Bennie Moten's band in Kansas City, and played with them for years, until Moten's death in 1935.
That year Basie formed his own jazz 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, and others. Many notable 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 and singers Jimmy Rushing and Joe Williams. Basie's theme songs were "One O'Clock Jump," developed in 1935 in the early days of his band, and "April In Paris".
Actors: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (actor), Ella Fitzgerald (actress), Janet Jackson (actress), Tyne Daly (actress), Charlie Watts (actor), Duke Ellington (actor), Ron Perlman (actor), Andy Garcia (actor), Dizzy Gillespie (actor), Danny Glover (actor), Jeff Goldblum (actor), Bill Cosby (actor), Billy Crystal (actor), Mickey Cottrell (miscellaneous crew), John Legend (actor),
Genres: Biography, Documentary,Actors: Nigel Bruce (actor), Leo Carrillo (actor), Jimmy Aubrey (actor), Edgar Barrier (actor), Robert Barron (actor), Bobby Barber (actor), Bobby Barber (actor), Brooks Benedict (actor), Joseph E. Bernard (actor), Joseph E. Bernard (actor), Turhan Bey (actor), Billy Bletcher (actor), Count Basie (actor), Johnny Mack Brown (actor), Lane Chandler (actor),
Genres: Comedy, Music,I'm singin' in the rain,
Just singin' in the rain,
What a glorious feeling,
I'm happy again!
I'm laughing at clouds
So dark up above,
The sun's in my heart and I'm ready for love!
Let the stormy clouds chase
Everyone from the place,
Come on with your rain,
I've got a smile on my face!
I'll walk down the lane
With a happy refrain,
Just singin', singin' in the rain!
Why am I smiling and why do I sing?
Why does December seem sunny as Spring?
Why do I get up each morning to start
Happy and head-up with joy in my heart?
Why is each new task a trifle to do?
Because I am living a life full of you!
Hey, I'm singin' in the rain,
Just singin' in the rain,
What a glorious feeling,
I'm happy again!
I'm laughing at clouds
So dark up above,
The sun's in my heart and I'm ready for love!
Let the stormy clouds chase
Everyone from the place,
Come on with your rain,
I've got a smile on my face!
I'll walk down the lane
With a happy refrain,