Count Basie

William James "Count" Basie was an American jazz pianist, organist, bandleader, and composer. Born in Red Bank, New Jersey, he rose to prominence in the 1930s leading the Count Basie Orchestra, one of the most influential big bands of the swing era. His economical piano style and the band's signature riff-based arrangements helped define Kansas City jazz. Basie recorded extensively for Decca, Columbia, and Verve, and collaborated with vocalists such as Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, and Frank Sinatra. His orchestra remained active into the 1980s, and he received multiple Grammy Awards.