Count Basie - Then As Now, Count's The King

Filmmaker Gary Keys' heartfelt tribute to Count Basie and his Orchestra. - Jazz great William "Count" Basie comes back to life in this rich documentary,

which traces the history of the pianist, composer, and bandleader over several decades. Filmmaker Gary Keys juxtaposes a roundtable discussion among old cats from the Count Basie Orchestra with recorded performances, including a cameo appearance in "Blazing Saddles." Archival clips and a gallery of portraits and snapshots shows the ever-smiling face of a man as vivacious as the grooves he delivers--his good humor suffusing the music and the players going at it all around him, from Lester Young to Ella Fitzgerald.

Pin It