No close family anniversaries. Born in Red Bank, New Jersey on this date in 1904: William “Count” Basie, keyboardist, composer, and leader of his own band from the 1930s to the 80s. Over the decades, Basie brought several innovations to the big-band sound, including “split” sax parts, and the use of a professional arranger. Top photo taken 1974 in Hamburg by Heinrich Klaffs. Here is a state-of-the-art music video, featuring one of Basie’s signature tunes.
