Jazz Musicians
...audio that that artist played and a short biography with some pictures. A choose as artists: Count Basie
Count Basie: Count Basie along with Duke Ellington was a leading figure of the swing era in jazz. Count Basie learned how to play piano young with is mother, and later moved to New York where he met another Harlem pianist, James P. Johnson. Before he was 20 years old he was already touring extensively on the Keith and TOBA vaudeville circuits solo pianist, accompanist and music director for blues singers. In 1929, Basie joined Bennie Moten's Kansas City Orchestra which became known as one of the big leading bands of the swing era. In 1950 he disbanded from the group due to financial problems and for the next two years he led a six- to nine-piece group. Basie was one of the first to make tours in Europe and other countries. At the end of his career he sometimes had to perform in a wheel chair, and died shortly after. The site I used retraced the life of Basie in details with dates to every event, and was one of the few I found doing it.
Paul Desmond: Paul Desmond studied his clarinet skills at San Francisco State University, and played in a number of local groups before joining the Dave Brubeck Quartet in 1951. He continued his career playing in Brubeck's group and he shared its success without receiving the recognition that was his due, and in 1975 recorded an album of duets. Paul appeared at festivals touring Europe, Australia and Japan, but finally settled in New York and formed his on group. Desmond was one of the most capable representatives of the "cool" tendency in alto saxophone jazz, he was know for having a lot of imagination.
Herbie Hancock: Herbie was born in a musical family and started playing piano at the age of seven, and four years later he was performing the first movement of a Mozart concerto in a symphony orchestra. By the time he...
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