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.
Thursday, February 18, 2010, 7:30pm
Lifetime Screening Room, 513 Dodge Hall
Columbia University Morningside Campus
Campus Map
Free and Open to the public
Reception to follow
Co-presented with the Graduate Film Program, School of the Arts, Columbia University
