Wail of a Good Time

When you talk about American royalty, forget the Kennedys. Our domestic aristocrats are Joe “King” Oliver, Duke Ellington, and, of course, Count Basie. A blues and swing pianist, Basie was also a gifted bandleader, and his bandstand bred even more jazz royalty, such as Lester Young. From Harlem to Kansas City and back to New York, Count Basie and His Barons of Rhythm had people jitterbugging at NYC’s Savoy and fox-trotting at Roseland Ballroom. Their hits “One O’Clock Jump” and “Jumpin’ at the Woodside” became jazz standards. Basie died in Hollywood, Florida, in the mid-’80s, but the Count is back, at least in spirit, when the Count Basie Orchestra plays at Coral Gables Congregational Church for the CGCC Community Arts Program’s Summer Concert series. Now directed by Dennis Mackrel, the big band boasts special guest vocalist Carmen Bradford this Thursday.
Thu., June 9, 8 p.m., 2011
KEEP MIAMI NEW TIMES FREE... Since we started Miami New Times, it has been defined as the free, independent voice of Miami, and we'd like to keep it that way. With local media under siege, it's more important than ever for us to rally support behind funding our local journalism. You can help by participating in our "I Support" program, allowing us to keep offering readers access to our incisive coverage of local news, food and culture with no paywalls.
Amanda McCorquodale

Latest Stories