Count Basie

William James " Count " Basie ( / ˈ b eɪ s i / ; 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.

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