Name________________________________________
8. Count Basie (1904 – 1984)
An accomplished pianist, composer, and band leader, William “Count” Basie was
born in Red Bank, New Jersey, on August 21, 1904. He began studying music with
his mother and later studied with great stride pianists James P. Johnson and Fats
Waller. He began his career as a traveling vaudeville accompanist and by the mid1930s was leading his own band in Kansas City, Missouri. After moving to New
York City, the group gained wider fame and by the end of the decade was one of
the most popular bands in the nation. Rooted in the swing style of the 1930s,
Basie’s band is considered to be one of the most important big bands in jazz
history. Basie was well loved by band members and audiences alike. His spare,
syncopated piano playing and exquisite timing served as a model for other
pianists for decades to come. He died in Hollywood, Florida, on April 26, 1984.
Listen to: Jumpin’ At The Woodside (3:45)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mnEVppghro4
As you listen to the music, answer the following questions. Short answers are fine.

What are the instruments used to make the music?

How does this music make me feel?

Is there a singer?

In what genre does this music best fit?
9. Duke Ellington (1899 – 1974)
One of the most significant figures in jazz history, Edward Kennedy “Duke”
Ellington was born on April 29, 1899, in Washington, D.C. He began studying the
piano at the age of seven. Although his early training was in European classical
music, he became interested in ragtime and jazz as a teenager and began playing
with dance bands at parties and in clubs around Washington. In 1923, Ellington
moved to New York City, beginning his remarkable career as a bandleader. As a
pianist, composer, and bandleader, Ellington was one of the creators of the big
band sound, which fueled the “swing” era. He composed more than 2,000 pieces
of music, including hundreds of three-minute instrumental pieces and popular
songs, as well as large-scale suites, symphonic works, film scores, and ballets. He
toured for nearly fifty years and was admired all over the world for his
sophisticated compositions and impeccable sense of style. He died in New York
City on May 24, 1974.
Listen to: Take The “A” Train (3:13)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cb2w2m1JmCY
As you listen to the music, answer the following questions. Short answers are fine.
 What are the instruments used to make the music?

How does this music make me feel?

Is there a singer?

In what genre does this music best fit?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cc2V9Tr3zVI (Blues In Frankie Flat, play at 1:56)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_q5UWc_JdSY (Don’t Get Around Much Anymore)