Happy Count Basie's birthday!
posted 8-21-2010 - 10:00 pm

The Kid from Red Bank, NJ, William James 'Count' Basie, was born 106 years ago today. Oscar Peterson's birthday was last Sunday, the 15th. Both are long gone now, Basie having died in 1984 and Peterson in 2007, but they left behind a wealth of wonderful recordings. But as good as those recordings are, Basie and Peterson were two swingin' piano players who were best heard live, and BBC television caught them together, playing this take of Jumpin' At The Woodside with the Basie band.

All you Lindyhoppers, get ready swing out: this is fast, but short enough to dance to:




It's obvious those two are having a really good time. Compare that to this equally playful version on their first album together, the 1974 issue Satch And Josh. Backed by Freddie Green, Ray Brown, and Louie Bellson, the two romp through numbers like Buns Blues, Burning, and Lester Leaps In. Dancers will appreciate several tunes on that album: a nicely swinging, laid-back version of These Foolish Things along with Exactly Like You and Louis B. A few slower blues round out the album.

At one point, the Canadian-born Peterson had a program called Words And Music on BBC Four, and the clip above is excerpted from that show. The sidemen included Martin Drew on drums and Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen on bass. Here are Basie, Peterson, Drew and Pedersen from the same program playing a slow blues (check out Basie's expression at the 1:11 mark):




In this next clip from the program, Peterson and Basie discuss, among other things, what they like in a piano (Basie preferred one with a light action, meaning the keyboard responds to the lightest touch; you don't have to pound the keys to play). The two then play an old Basie tune, Blue And Sentimental, at the 6:00 mark of the clip to demonstrate that preference, with Peterson taking the lead and Basie playing behind:




One of the things we learn from this interview is that Basie was a pretty funny guy when he wasn't playing, whether it was getting in a good one-liner or telling anecdotes. Peterson was no slouch, either. Here, the two have fun discussing other musicians, including Duke Ellington and Art Tatum, and the art of musical intimidation (a Tatum specialty):




Basie and Peterson recorded three more albums together, of which The Timekeepers is probably the best. These recordings represent four-handed piano playing par excellence and provide a very enjoyable way to listen to the differences between the two artists.

Satch And Josh ... Again (1977)
Night Rider (1978)
Count Basie Meets Oscar Peterson - The Timekeepers (1978)

Bill Basie may be known primarily for his big band work with the various Basie orchestras, but he also played solo piano, piano duos, and in small group settings throughout his career. Between 1954 and 1983 alone, he made at least 22 small-group recordings. You can celebrate Basie's natals this weekend by giving some of those albums a listen. Enjoy!