Count Basie Count Basie, an American jazz pianist and bandleader, lived from 1904 to 1984. Basie was a leading musician of the swing era (1930s and early 1940s). Basie led one of the first jazz big bands, which featured a number of outstanding soloists and arrangers. The Basie band was famous for its rhythm section, composed of guitarist Freddie Green, bass player Walter Page, drummer Jo Jones, and pianist Basie. Together, the foursome produced a forward-moving rhythmic drive, or “swing,” that influenced the sound of jazz. Basie’s rhythm section inspired other rhythm members to play with more flexibility and more responsiveness to the horn players. Some of the Basie band pieces, such as “On