Count Basie
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William James "Count" Basie was an American jazz pianist, organist, bandleader, and composer. In 1935, he formed the Count Basie Orchestra, and in 1936 took them to Chicago for a long engagement and t
Basie c. 1955
Basie and band, with vocalist Ethel Waters, from the film Stage Door Canteen (1943)
Basie in Rhythm and Blues Revue (1955)
Count Basie (left) in concert (Cologne 1975)
Louis Armstrong
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Louis Daniel Armstrong, nicknamed "Satchmo", "Satch", and "Pops", was an American jazz and blues trumpeter and vocalist. Among the most influential figures in jazz, his career spanned five decades and
Count Basie
…as Crippen. His touring took him to Kansas City, St. Louis, New Orleans, and Chicago. Throughout his tours, Basie met many jazz musicians, including Louis Armstrong. In 1928, Basie was in Tulsa and heard Walter Page and his Famous Blue Devils, one of the first big bands, which featured Jimmy Rushing on vocals. A…
Armstrong in 1947
A snippet from the January 2, 1913, issue of The Times-Democrat, New Orleans
Armstrong (fourth from left) was a member of Fate Marable's New Orleans Band in 1919, shown here on board the S.S. Sidney.
The Fletcher Henderson Orchestra in 1925. Armstrong is the third person from the left.