THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL MUSICIANS OF ALL TIME

7 The 100 Most Influential Musicians of All Time 7

shortwave radio station in Kansas City, he was dubbed
“Count” Basie by a radio announcer who wanted to indi-
cate his standing in a class with aristocrats of jazz such as
Duke Ellington. Jazz critic and record producer John
Hammond heard the broadcasts and promptly launched
the band on its career. Though rooted in the riff style of
the 1930s swing-era big bands, the Basie orchestra played
with the forceful drive and carefree swing of a small combo.
They were considered a model for ensemble rhythmic
conception and tonal balance—this despite the fact that
most of Basie’s sidemen in the 1930s were poor sight readers;
mostly, the band relied on “head” arrangements (so called
because the band had collectively composed and memo-
rized them, rather than using sheet music).
The early Basie band was also noted for its legendary
soloists and outstanding rhythm section. It featured such
jazzmen as tenor saxophonists Lester Young and Herschel
Evans, trumpeters Buck Clayton and Harry “Sweets”
Edison, and trombonists Benny Morton and Dicky Wells.
The legendary Billie Holiday was a vocalist with Basie for
a short stint (1937–38), although she was unable to record
with the band because of her contract with another record
label; mostly, vocals were handled by Jimmy Rushing. The
rhythm unit for the band—pianist Basie, guitarist Freddie
Green (who joined the Basie band in 1937 and stayed for 50
years), bassist Walter Page, and drummer Jo Jones—was
unique in its lightness, precision, and relaxation, becom-
ing the precursor for modern jazz accompanying styles.
Basie began his career as a stride pianist, reflecting the
influence of Johnson and Waller, but the style most strongly
associated with him was characterized by spareness and
precision. Whereas other pianists were noted for technical
flash and dazzling dexterity, Basie was known for his use of
silence and for reducing his solo passages to the minimum