The Pianists part 2- Count Basie and Bill Evans

This week there are even more jazz musicians. I focused on two famous pianists in the genre of jazz. They are Count Basie and Bill Evans.

William “Count” Basie was born in New Jersey in 1904. He learned to play piano from his mother. In his younger years he played in some groups until he joined a group called the Walter Page Blue Devils. Basie was doing well in the group until he found himself stranded in Kansas City when the group broke up after a performance. After that Basie went from group to group, forming new ones when the old fell apart. He finally had his break when a wealthy jazz aficionado heard him and his band playing on a local Kansas City radio station. From there they added more members and moved to New York City and in January 1937 Count Basie recorded his first record. By the next year they were internationally famous! Over the following years members came and left and they toured the world. It was Basie’s simplistic piano style and the rhythm section that made them such a hit. In 1976 Basie suffered a heart attack and afterwards when seen performing on stage in an electric wheelchair. He died in 1979 from cancer. He received many awards during his life including numerous Grammy Awards. His music is still listened to and loved today.

Bill Evans was also born in New Jersey, but he was born in 1929. He was classically trained on the piano and also studied other instruments. He went to college and received multiple degrees. After serving in the army a short while he performed in dance halls. It was in the dance halls that he was discovered. After that day he recorded numerous albums, performed with other well known jazz musicians of the time, and toured the world. He gave performances to pack houses everywhere. Evans had found his niche in the jazz world by playing in trios with a bass player and drum player. It was in this setting that a lot of his music was composed. His last trio formed in 1978 helped to energize him since he seemed to be sick all the time. Even though his health was getting worse Evans refused to slow down and kept up a rigorous performance schedule. It wasn’t until he finally had to cancel an event. He was taken to the hospital on September 15, 1980. It was there that he died from a bleeding ulcer, cirrhosis of the liver and bronchial pneumonia. He “was a prolific and profoundly creative artist.” He also received a few Grammy Awards and will forever be remembered in the history of jazz.

I listened to both artists work this week, like normal. I listened to Count Basie’s Orchestra playing Every Day I Have the Blues. I like the groove of it, also the fact that there is a singer. Sometimes it is just easier to listen to music if there are words to follow and relate with. I like Basie’s music. It is nice and easy to listen to and has a good beat that makes my toes start tapping. His simplistic piano adds to the overall music in a positive way. I also listened to Bill Evans’s Waltz for Debby. It has a catchy melody to it. It is similar to classical music at points before the swing beat comes back and the jazz style reemerges. His music is also nice to listen to and relax. These pianists are very talented and their music is so great to listen to and I like them a lot.



For more information:

http://www.billevanswebpages.com/billbio.html

http://www.swingmusic.net/Count_Basie.html

Photos from:

http://library.umkc.edu/spec-col/ww2/PostWarWorld/images/basie.jpg

http://myromancemovie.com/images/Bill_Evans.JPG