Details

Synopsis Count Basie's stellar cast of musicians deliver a host of recollections, reminiscences, and revelations on life with one of the most storied outfits of the big band era in renowned jazz writer Stanley Dance's impressive oral history, THE WORLD OF COUNT BASIE. Basie's employees over the years included musicians of the caliber of vocalist Jimmy Rushing, the great saxophonist Lester Young, and the drummer Jo Jones; these and other artists' relaxed conversations with a variety of interviewers offer priceless glimpses of one night stands, historic recording sessions, dowdy, fly-blown diners, smoky, late-night jam sessions, and the performers' multi-layered relationships with other music legends. Though Young started his career with King Oliver, it's apparent that his taste for innovation remains unabated three decades on, while Jones's memories of keeping John Philip Sousa's bass drummer supplied with beer offer similar connections with the music's roots. Dance also profiles Basie himself, giving an insight into the bandleader's appreciation for his musical colleagues, as well as into his attitudes towards the everyday running of his organization. With contributions from over 30 Basie band members, as well as a selected discography, THE WORLD OF COUNT BASIE is an invaluable record of a now-vanished musical era.
| Size | | Height: | 9.3 in | | Width: | 6.3 in | | Thickness: | 1.2 in | | Weight: | 21.6 oz |
Publisher's Notes
First Line: "In 1936 the world of jazz was dominated by "big band"--a term employed to describe a group usually consisting of five or six brass, three or four reed, and four rhythm."
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