Deborah Silver: Deborah Silver with the Count Basie Orchestra: Basie Rocks!

by Jack Bowers
June 19, 2025

Basie Rocks! A great idea? One best left on the cutting-room floor? Or perhaps a little of both? There are reasonable arguments to be made on all sides of the equation. On the one hand, this is the one and only Count Basie Orchestra, swinging in its own exceptional way. On the other, the orchestra has joined forces on every number with Mississippi-bred pop-rock singer Deborah Silver, the latest in a series of acclaimed guest vocalists that includes Ella Fitzgerald, ...

Deborah Silver: Deborah Silver with the Count Basie Orchestra: Basie Rocks!

by Kyle Simpler
June 6, 2025

Jazz musicians frequently cover popular songs, but few do it quite like vocalist Deborah Silver. With Basie Rocks!, Silver teams up with the iconic Count Basie Orchestra for a genre-crossing collection that you truly have to hear to believe. This is a groove-charged big band album that reimagines classic rock and pop classics through the swinging lens of traditional jazz. While that premise might sound gimmicky on paper, the result is total sonic satisfaction. Produced by ...

Kenny Barron, Mitch Towne, Zhengtao Pan and The Count Basie Orchestra

by Joe Dimino
April 13, 2025

Kicking off the 901st episode of Neon Jazz, we ride in with the legendary sounds of the world-famous Count Basie Orchestra. As Kansas City gears up for the grand 90th Celebration of Count Basie at The Music Hall on April 30, 2025, we shine a spotlight on band director Scotty Barnhart and the powerhouse ensemble keeping Basie's spirit alive. We journey to the stars--literally--as we revisit the iconic tune Fly Me to the Moon, famously delivered by Count Basie and ...

Various Artists: Ella 100 Live at the Apollo

by Jim Worsley
April 26, 2020

To be taken back in time within the scope of a period piece movie has long been a staple. Some journeys feel much more real than others, but the concept is commonplace. Venturing into the past with only the audio of a CD or record is, as they might have said back in 1934, “a whole different kettle of fish." A live audience first laid eyes and ears on this 100th birthday celebration honoring the sensational Ella Fitzgerald (born on ...

Count Basie Orchestra at the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts

by Patricia Myers
February 1, 2016

Count Basie Orchestra Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts Scottsdale, Arizona December 19, 2015 The Count Basie Orchestra solidified its 80-year reputation for strong swingability, inventive solo segments and supreme section cohesion during two back-to-back concerts on a tour in support of the band's first-ever Christmas-theme album. But those seasonal charts didn't dominate the program, instead were scattered like raisins in a melodic holiday pudding. Several soloists cleverly injected Christmas-song snippets into the band's expected ...

Count Basie Orchestra: America's #1 Band: The Columbia Years

by C. Michael Bailey
October 9, 2003

The Duke Ellington Orchestra, the Count Basie Orchestra – the Count Basie Orchestra, the Duke Ellington Orchestra – which one is superior? A more contemporary example would be the fractious communities who favor the Beatles as opposed to the Rolling Stones. Personally, I have always favored the organic feel of the Stones. I give the edge to Basie for the same reason. Ellington's music was that of a composer, one carefully thought out and executed. Basie's music was from the ...

Count Basie Orchestra: Atomic Swing

by Mike Neely
February 1, 2001

Count Basie usually brings to mind a legendary rhythm section, Lester Young, Buck Clayton, and such singers as Jimmy Rushing and Billie Holiday. But after World War II, long after his most famous orchestra dissolved, Basie put together another that is among the finest big bands in the history of jazz. Count Basie: Atomic Swing provides all the evidence the most doubtful listener could demand. This is classic jazz.

Capitol Records and Roulette Jazz provide an excellent selection of Basie ...

Count Basie Orchestra Headlines The 2025 Pittsfield CityJazz Festival runs from April 24 to May 4

Source: Ed Bride Associates
April 23, 2025

Berkshires Jazz, Inc. has announced the lineup for the nineteenth annual Pittsfield CityJazz Festival, which runs from Apr. 24-May 4 in various locations throughout the city. Starting with an open jam session and ending with a jazz brunch, the events include the popular Jazz Crawl, the jazz prodigy concert, and headline concerts featuring the Count Basie Orchestra and vocalist Dawning Holmes with Grammy-winning pianist Jeff Holmes and special guest Avery Sharpe, plus a special evening with pianist Ben Kohn. The ...
read more

Bill Hughes, bandleader and director of the Legendary Count Basie Orchestra Announces Retirement

Source: Dawn Singh Publicity
September 7, 2010

Trombonist, Bill Hughes, bandleader and director of the Legendary Count Basie Orchestra, has announced his retirement on September 12, 2010. Hired by William “Count" Basie himself, Hughes first joined the Orchestra in 1953 and devoted nearly his entire career to the band. He assumed leadership of the band in 2003 following the passing of his musical companion and fellow trombonist, Grover Mitchell. William Henry Hughes was born in Dallas, Texas, on March 28, 1930, and graduated from Armstrong High School ...
read more

Jazz This Week: Count Basie Orchestra, John Patitucci, Jeff Beck, Curtis Roads and Bryan O'Reilly, Steve Tyrell, and More

Source: St. Louis Jazz Notes by Dean Minderman
May 2, 2010

It's going to be another busy weekend for jazz and creative music in St. Louis, with shows on tap ranging from classic big-band swing to experimental electronics, along with several stops in between. Let's go to the highlights:Starting tonight, bassist John Patitucci (pictured) leads his trio for two sets per night through Saturday at Jazz at the Bistro. Considered one of the top bass players in jazz since the mid-1980s, Patitucci has played St. Louis before, most recently ...
read more

Legendary Count Basie Orchestra Announces New Management

Source: Dawn Singh Publicity
December 29, 2009

In agreement with the Trust of William J. Basie and for the first time since 1984, the Legendary Count Basie Orchestra is under new management. Artist Management Productions, LLC will represent the Count Basie Orchestra with its new management team including Bill Hughes, Director; Dee Askew, Booking Manager; Clarence Banks, Manager; Doug Lawrence, Operations Director. “The Count Basie Orchestra has continued to tour consistently over the past 74 years and now, thanks to our new management team, we have even ...
read more

Tony Bennett at the Apollo with Count Basie Orchestra

Source: Michael Ricci
December 18, 2008

Tony Bennett performed standards and holiday songs on Tuesday night with the Count Basie Orchestra at the Apollo Theater. Poise in the wind of uncertainty is a very old idea in American pop. Basically outdated and nearly archaeological, its the default disposition of all songs that cycle constantly through cocktail-hour soundtracks, songs from a disappearing race of sanguine, moral-romantic heroes. When Tony Bennett, now 82, enacts that kind of poise onstage, whats impressive isnt that hes doing it at all ...
read more

New Orleans Award-Winning Jazz Photographer Steven Forster Unveils "Musical Legends Remixed" with Ella Fitzgerald, the Count Basie Orchestra, Quincy Jones and Much More at Robert Bruno Gallery November 3rd 6-9 P.M.

Source: Michael Ricci
October 16, 2007

New Orleans Award-winning Jazz Photographer Steven Forster has announced that he will unveil the exhibition of his legends series of jazz and musical giants including Ella Fitzgerald, The Count Basie Orchestra, Fats Domino, Quincy Jones, Queen Latifah, Shirley Horn, Al Hirt and more at the Robert Bruno Gallery in New Orleans for the month of November 2007. The First Lady of Song Ella Fitzgerald will be among many giants Forster photographed in New Orleans including The Count Basie Orchestra, Fats ...
read more

Count Basie Orchestra Performs with Special Guest Nnenna Freelon and Paquito D'Rivera Quintet at the Kimmel Center, September 28

Source: Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts
September 28, 2007

Kimmel Center Presents Mellon Jazz Sponsored by The Bank of New York Mellon

Timeless jazz performers, Nnenna Freelon with the Count Basie Orchestra, and the Paquito D'Rivera Quintet share the bill on the Verizon Hall stage at the Kimmel Center Friday, September 28, 2007 at 8pm in Verizon Hall to kick off the Mellon Jazz Fridays Series for the Kimmel Center Presents Sponsored by Citi 2007/2008 season. The tour celebrates a recent collaborative recording between Nnenna Freelon and the Count ...
read more

'ASR Records Signs Count Basie Orchestra Guitarist, Will Matthews

Source: All About Jazz
May 10, 2007

Kansas City USA -- -- ASR RECORDS announces that Will Matthews has officially joined its Roster of Artists and Producers. Matthews, who is the guitarist for the world-famous Count Basie Orchestra, contacted 'ASR RECORDS Co-founder, Alaadeen on May 7 inquiring about joining the label. Alaadeen immediately approved the deal. “... I'm looking forward to being a part of the 'ASR family," Matthews stated in an email written to the label. The GRAMMY Award winning guitarist joins a Jazz label that ...
read more

Count Basie Orchestra at Chris' Jazz Cafe on April 19, 2007

Source: All About Jazz
April 10, 2007

read more

Ray Charles & Count Basie Orchestra Release Ray Sings, Basie Swings CD

Source: All About Jazz
September 15, 2006

NEVER-BEFORE-RELEASED RAY CHARLES TAPES DISCOVERED; RESULTING CONCORD/STARBUCKS HEAR MUSIC'S ALBUM IS A GROUND-BREAKING HYBRID OF ARCHIVAL TRACKS AND EXCLUSIVE NEW PERFORMANCES New CD Pairs Ray Charles's Stellar Vocals With New Recordings by The Count Basie Orchestra, Mixing Creative Musicianship and State-of-the-Art Technology

Concord Records and Starbucks Hear Music, the two Companies that co-released Genius Loves Company, announced today that they will partner again to co-release and co-market Ray Sings, Basie Swings, which marries archival, never-before-released Ray Charles recordings with brand-new ...
read more