The Count Basie Orchestra is a 16- to 18-piece big band, one of the most prominent jazz performing groups of the swing era, founded by Count Basie in 1935 and recording regularly from 1936. Despite a brief disbandment at the beginning of the 1950s, the band survived long past the big band era itself and the death of Basie in 1984. It continues under the direction of trumpeter Scotty Barnhart.
Jazz Showcase is one of the oldest jazz clubs in Chicago, Illinois, founded in 1947 by NEA Jazz Master Joe Segal, whose son Wayne now owns and operates the venue. Segal's various showcases have served as a launch pad for a number of career jazz musicians.
Marshal Walton Royal Jr. was an American jazz alto saxophonist and clarinetist best known for his work with Count Basie, with whose band he played for nearly twenty years.
Plas John Johnson Jr. (/plæz/) is an American soul-jazz and hard bop tenor saxophonist, probably most widely known as the tenor saxophone soloist on Henry Mancini’s "The Pink Panther Theme". He also performs on alto and baritone sax as well as various flutes and clarinets.
Britt Woodman was an American jazz trombonist.
Ernest Mitchell Andrews Jr. was an American jazz, blues, and pop singer.
John Pisano was an American jazz guitarist.
Nathaniel Pierce Blish Jr., known professionally as Nat Pierce was an American jazz pianist and prolific composer and arranger, perhaps best known for being pianist and arranger for the Woody Herman band from 1951 to 1955. Pieces by Pierce were predominantly created for use in big bands.
Peter Christlieb is an American musician, playing tenor saxophone in the styles of jazz bebop, West Coast jazz, hard bop and pop music.
Francis Cappuccio, known professionally as Frank Capp, was an American jazz drummer. Capp also played on numerous rock and roll sessions and is considered to be a member of the Wrecking Crew.
George "Buster" Cooper was an American jazz trombonist.
Jack Nimitz was an American jazz baritone saxophonist, nicknamed "The Admiral".
John Joseph Kelson Jr., known professionally as Jackie Kelso, was an American jazz saxophonist, flautist, and clarinetist.
Joseph Lucian Roccisano was an American jazz saxophonist and arranger.
Raymond Harry "Ray" Brown is an American composer, arranger, trumpet player, and jazz educator. He has performed as trumpet player and arranged music for Stan Kenton, Bill Watrous, Bill Berry, Frank Capp – Nat Pierce, and the Full Faith and Credit Big Band.
William Richard Berry was an American jazz trumpeter, best known for playing with the Duke Ellington Orchestra in the early-1960s, and for leading his own big band.
William George "Rams" Ramsay was an American jazz saxophonist and band leader based in Seattle. In 1997, he was inducted into the Seattle Jazz Hall of Fame, the top of eight Golden Ear Award categories presented annually since 1990 by the Earshot Jazz Society of Seattle. Ramsay performed on all the primary saxophones – soprano, alto, tenor, and baritone – as well as clarinet, and bass clarinet. Ramsay died on March 2, 2024, at the age of 95.
Rickey Woodard is an American jazz saxophonist.
Alton Reynolds Hendrickson was an American jazz guitarist and occasional vocalist.
John C. "Johnny" Williams was an American saxophonist who was known for his work in the jazz, blues and soul genres. During his career, Williams maintained a longtime association with the Count Basie Orchestra.
