Artist spotlights

Artist spotlights

 COUNT BASIE

Count Basie was one of the most renowned African American bandleaders of the swing era. Most of his fans knew him as the Count or the kid from Red Bank, which were his nicknames. Count, whom both of his parents were musicians, was born on August 21, 1904, in Red Bank, New Jersey. Count spent much of his time in Red Bank, but he could occasionally visit New York for his performances. Since Count was not a natural composer, his main instrument was the piano. He used the piano in coming up with his orchestra that was characterized by a light winging rhythm. Count composed many songs which include but not limited to; “Good morning blues,” “John’s Idea,”; “Basie Boogie,”; “Good Bait,”; and many more. His styles were Big Band, Jazz Instrument, Piano Blues as well as Piano Jazz. He often appeared in customized outfits. Basie’s music profession began in 1927 after being inducted to be part of the Vaudeville performers. Basie became a bandleader in 1935 upon the death of Mote. He left for Chicago in 1936 when John Hammond touted him to agents and producers. He left for New York in 1937 and returned to Chicago in 1939. The onset of wartime music ban and, more importantly, the start of WW2 in 1941 hampered his career. He formed a medium-sized band later in 1950 and returned to his favorite music, “Big Band,” in 1951. Basie was married to Catherine Morgan, and he finally met his death in 1983.  Count Basie, was inducted into the Big Band and Jazz Hall of Fame in 1981. Nominated for the 2008 New Jersey Hall Fame for his services. Awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for recording at 6508 as well as being inducted into the 2010 New Jersey Hall of Fame due to his contributions to Arts. Lastly, the Carlton Theater was renamed in his honor in 1984.

JOE WILLIAMS

Joe William, his original name being Joseph Goreed, was a renowned American singer known for his mastery in Jazz. The press and fans dubbed him as “Joe,” which was his common nickname. Joe, the last great big-band singer, was born on December 12, 1918, in Cordele, Georgia. Joe spent most of his productive years in Chicago. His main instrument was a piano. Being taught how play a piano at an early age by his mother Joe loved playing a piano. Among Joe’s successful recordings were “Every Day I Have the Blues” which he did with Basie, “Alright, Okay, You Win,” “Going to Chicago,” as well as “The Comeback.” Williams moved from Georgia to Chicago at the age of three and as a youth he sang with a gospel group. William made the transition to the Chicago club scene in the 1930s and he appeared with orchestras led by Jimmie Noone and Les Hite. In the early 1940s Williams sang with Coleman Hawkins and Lionel Hampton. Illness sidelined Williams from active touring, and he worked as a backstage doorman at Chicago’s Regal theater. At the age of 35, in 1954 his breakthrough came when he was hired as the male Vocalist for Basie Orchestra. Moreover, in 1955, his recording of “Every Day I Have the Blues” with Basie made him famous.  After leaving the Basie band in 1961, Joe launched a solo career as a soloist at festivals, in clubs and on television. Joe also became a co-leader of a group with trumpeter Harry Edison, and he also fronted small combos in later years 1970-1990. Williams also acted in the movie The Moonshine War (1970) on television series such as The Cosby Show (1985–92.  In his later years Williams often worked in hotels and clubs in Las Vegas, but also sang at festivals and worked on cruise ships too. Williams was married to Amye Williams and had 3 children together. He later died on March 29, 1999, in Las Vegas. Joes was considered one of the greatest jazz and blues singers of all time. He was inducted into the Big Band and Jazz Hall of Fame (1995). He was later awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Recording at 6508 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California, on June 13, 1983. He further received an Honorary Doctorate of Music from Berklee College of Music In 1988.

Billie Holiday

Billie Holiday, an African American jazz vocalist who showed the most expression of a feeling of any singer in jazz history, was the most influential jazz singers of all time in her time. Most of her fans nicknamed her as “Lady Day.” Billie Holiday, her birth name being Elinore Harris, was born of Sadie Fagan and Clarence (a later guitarist) on April 7, 1915, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. She spent most of her productive years in New York City. Billie sang several vocals with Goodman including “Your Mother’s Son-In-Law” and the 1934 top ten hit “Riffin’ the Scotch.” She also made singles which included What a Little Moonlight Can Do” and “Miss Brown to You.” Billie moved to New York with her mother in 1928. In 1930, Benny began singing in local clubs and renamed herself “Billie” after the film star Billie Dove. In 1932 Billie auditioned for a singing job and was hired. In 1933, at the age of 18, Holiday was spotted by John Hammond and cut her first record as part of a studio group led by Benny Goodman. As a result of the series of recordings made between 1935 and 1939 with Benny Goodman her international reputation was established. Moreover, in the late 1930s she was also a big band vocalist with both Count Basie and Artie Shaw in 1937 and 1938 respectively. Billie in 1940 began to perform exclusively in cabarets and in concert. It is noted that her recordings between 1936 -1942 marked her peak year more especially when she was associated with saxophonist Lester Young. In 1942, Billie recorded a number of master tracks that would ultimately become an important building block of early American jazz music which included “Strange Fruit,” “Fine and Mellow,” “The Man I Love,” “Billie’s Blues,” and “God Bless the Child,”  . Finally, she recorded about 100 new recordings on another label, Verve, from 1952 to 1959. Apparently, her constant struggle with heroin addiction ravaged her voice but not her technique. Billie was married to Joe Guy, and  Jimmy Monroe whom she both divorced before marrying Louis McKay. Billie died an untimely death at the age of 44 on July 17, 1959, in New York. Billie was ranked six on VH1’s 100 Greatest Women of Rock N Roll; she made her recording debut on “Your Mother’s Son-In-Law” (1933) with Benny Goodman, she also enjoyed reading comic books, such as Captain Marvel, throughout her adult life. In addition, she was posthumously inducted into the Big Band and Jazz Hall of Fame in 1979 and the Blues Hall of Fame in 1991. She further was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000. She was also inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame for “God Bless the Child” (1976), “Strange Fruit” (1978), “Lover Man” (1989), and “Lady in Satin” (2000). Her favorite singer was fellow jazz artist Jo Stafford. Finally, she was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Recording at 1540 North Vine Street in Hollywood, California on April 7, 1986.