Count Basie rocks! Music legend honored with birthday shows in NYC, Red Bank
Happy rock 'n' roll birthday to the late, great Count Basie.
Basie, born Aug. 21. 1904, in Red Bank, is one of music's most acclaimed big band jazz leaders, but he rocked pretty good, too. The Count Basie Orchestra appeared on Alan Freed's “Camel Rock 'N' Roll Dance Party” radio show in the 1950s, and the Basie Orchestra covered Beatles songs on two albums in the '60s.
The 1964 album “Pop Goes the Basie” features covers of Roy Orbison, Everly Brothers and Manfred Mann hits.
Basie passed away in 1984, but the rocking ain't over. The Count Basie Orchestra is teaming with vocalist Deborah Silver for the 2025 album “Basie Rocks!” The LP is being produced by Rolling Stones drummer — and Patti Scialfa musical muse —Steve Jordan.
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Silver will perform select songs from “Basie Rocks!” on Tuesday, Aug. 13, at the Loft at City Winery in New York City in a 120th birthday party for William James Basie.
“Basie definitely had that that style, and that's why we thought this would work so beautifully and mold together so perfectly,” Silver said.
There will be a Basie birthday reception at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 21, at the Count Basie Center for the Arts in Red Bank. Noelle Lorraine Williams, noted Jersey artist and teacher, is the special guest.
A One O’Clock Jump Basie birthday show will take place at 1 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 25, at the Johnny Jazz Park, 270 Shrewsbury Ave. in Red Bank. The Kenny Blake Quintet, the Chuck Lambert Band, and Mike Kaplan's Count 9 will perform. There will be food trucks, too.
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The show is part of the Westside Jazz Concerts series presented by the city-based Jazz Arts Project. Visit jazzartsproject.org for more into.
Count Basie helped create the standard for swing music, and he defined American music for several generations. Basie composed classics like “Blue and Sentimental,” “Jumpin' at the Woodside” and “One O'Clock Jump.” Greats like Lester Young and Joe Williams performed with the Count Basie Orchestra, which is still swinging today.
Silver, who lives in Florida, has been a force on the vocal jazz scene with the hit albums “Glitter & Grits” and “The Gold Standards.”
Now it's time to rock Basie.
“The people who've heard it go crazy and say, 'Oh my gosh, this is just outrageous,' ” Silver said. “It's very out of the box.”
Go: Deborah Silver, 7:30 pm. Tuesday, Aug. 13, The Loft at City Winery NYC, 25 11th Ave. (Pier 57), New York, $25 to $45; citywinery.com.
Swinging in Asbury Park
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Count Basie got his start on the West Side of Asbury Park, and the greats of swing, including Benny Goodman, Duke Ellington and Glenn Miller, played the city in the 1930s and '40s.
Now swing music is coming back to a city dance floor. “Dancing Under the Stars” will take place at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 14, at Wonder Bar.
DJ Greg Nice will spin the swing.
“DJ Greg Nice would blow up the dance floors at Abyss and Hunka Bunka (both in Sayreville) back in the day,” said promoter Piper Williams in a statement. “Working with him to bring dance back to Asbury Park is huge for the scene and whole city of Asbury Park. This is just the next step in the city's nightlife evolution.”
Williams will give swing dance lessons starting at 7 p.m.
Go: Dancing Under the Stars, 7 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 14, Wonder Bar, 1213 Ocean Ave., Asbury Park, $10; wonderbarasburypark.com.
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Chris Jordan, a Jersey Shore native, covers entertainment and features for the USA Today Network New Jersey. Contact him at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Count Basie birthday shows honor Red Bank music legend
