COUNT BASIE (ca. 1940s-60s) Archive of 13 photos

New York, Chicago, and Hollywood: [ca. 1940s-ca 1960s]. Set of thirteen (13) vintage original 8 x 10″ (20 x 25 cm.) black-and-white print still photos, some are slightly smaller. One photo, from Calvert Studio in Chicago, is double weight on matte paper. A few signs of light handling, generally near fine.

Count Basie’s wonderfully propulsive style, as band leader and piano soloist, was the epitome of swing music at its finest.

This collection contains:

• Four (4) photos from films, one from SUGAR CHILE ROBINSON, BILLIE HOLIDAY, COUNT BASIE AND HIS SEXTET (1951), one from ROCK ‘N ROLL REVUE (1955) and two from MADE IN PARIS (1966);
• Four (4) photos: three (3) portraits of Basie, one an image of him with three other band members, all issued by his longtime management company Willard Alexander, Inc., ca. late 1950s-early 1960s;
• One (1) portrait taken by Calvert Studios in Chicago, ca. 1940s;
• One (1) group portrait of Basie, Willard Alexander (his longtime manager), Tony Bennett (who recorded a memorable album with Basie), Milton Ebbins (a well-known jazz booking agent), Sam Donahue (a jazz trumpeter) and others. Most likely taken ca. early-1950s at the time of Donahue’s opening at the Roseland in New York City;
• Two (2) additional photos, one a portrait of Basie, one of him at the piano, ca. 1950s, with his bass player in background, ca. 1960s;
• and finally, a photo of Basie’s great vocalist Joe Williams with an unidentified musician.