Two powerful figures in jazz history: Oscar Peterson (1925-2007) and Count Basie (1904-1984). One a piano giant known for his technical mastery, virtuosity, and intense playing; the other a legend who left his mark on the jazz scene with his simplicity and big-band leadership. While stylistically polar opposites, the two artists share a common ground in the emotion, expressive power, and swing ethos at the core of jazz. In this article, we’ll examine Oscar Peterson’s album “Oscar Peterson Plays Count Basie,” which features him paying tribute to Count Basie.
Count Basie appeared on stage as one of the important representatives of big band jazz from the 1930s onwards. His musical approach prioritized the conscious use of space, allowing the music to breathe, and expressing a great deal with a small number of notes. For him, anything “excessive” in music was excess. Oscar Peterson was another giant who, especially from the 1950s onward, brought the jazz trio format to its peak, captivating with his technical prowess and renowned for his rapid phrasing and intense harmonic structure.
Peterson performed works related to Basie in his 1956 album Oscar Peterson Plays Count Basie, virtually paying homage to the legendary Count Basie of that time. In this album, he stepped into the simple musical world of Count Basie, demonstrating his virtuosity while maintaining his own style. Throughout the album, he internalized Basie’s musical understanding, his approach to piano, and his aesthetic, demonstrating a mastery of “expressing a lot with a little.” By using space in his playing, he attempted to capture swing through Basie’s lens.
Released under the Verve Records banner, the album features Peterson accompanied by prominent musicians such as Ray Brown (double bass), Herb Ellis (guitar) and Buddy Rich (drums).
The album features nine Basie-related tracks, including one dedicated to Basie by Peterson. These tracks include “Lester Leaps In,” “Easy Does It,” “9:20 Special,” “Jumpin’ at the Woodside,” “Blues For Basie,” “Broadway,” “Blue and Sentimental,” “Topsy,” “One O’Clock Jump,” and “Jive at Five.” Let’s examine a few of these tracks in detail.
Lester Leaps In: This 32-bar piece, in AABA form, is a typical Rhythm Changes, set to the chords of George Gershwin’s “I Got Rhythm.” A composition by saxophone legend Lester Young, nicknamed “Prez” (President of the Saxophone), who played in the Count Basie Orchestra from 1936 to 1940, Lester Leaps In was first recorded in 1939 by Count Basie’s Kansas City Seven. The recording features a delightful interplay between Basie and Young, who excels as both composer and soloist.
Peterson’s version is sped up and played at a very uptempo BPM. This allows Peterson’s technical prowess and incredible speed to be heard in the album’s opening track. In the first chorus of the piano solo, the double bassist and drummer play only the first beat every two measures, leaving the intervening intervals entirely to the piano. This performance is a characteristic technique frequently employed by Peterson.
Easy Does It: This 24-bar piece, in ABA form, is a composition by Sy Oliver and James “Trummy” Young. Based on the repetition of a two-bar motif, the piece’s simple melody and simple rhythmic structure perfectly suit Basie’s sound. It was first recorded by the Count Basie Orchestra in 1940. Master musicians like Lester Young and Harry “Sweets” Edison elevate this piece, which could easily become monotonous, to a whole new level with their solos.
In Peterson’s recording, the tempo is slower than in Basie’s original version and is performed in medium-slow swing. Peterson achieved a big-band sound by playing block chords after the two-chorus Head-In section. In this passage, where the tempo is driven by drums, Peterson’s homophonic playing with Ellis (guitar) and Brown (double bass) evokes the Basie orchestra. Peterson’s block chords and Ellis’s harmonic playing recall the unity of the wind instruments in Basie’s large orchestra and Freddie Green’s guitar playing, which became synonymous with that orchestra.
Blues For Basie: The fifth track on the album, a Blues in F, is a composition Peterson dedicated to Basie. This piece attempts to capture the atmosphere of Count Basie’s big band. Peterson consciously chose and clearly emphasized the low but vibrant notes played in the upper octaves of the piano, characteristic of Basie’s playing.
The piece avoids virtuosity, prioritizing swing and groove. The groove is provided by the bass, drums, and rhythm guitar, and the simple, effective piano execution pays tribute to the Basie orchestra. Peterson delivered the melody and solos, which featured a wealth of rests, with a light, bright touch played in the upper octaves. Furthermore, the repetitive riffs, a characteristic of the blues style, performed on the piano, are reminiscent of the repetitive motifs played by the wind instruments in Basie’s orchestra.
Blue and Sentimental: This 18-measure piece, in AABA form, was composed by Count Basie, Jerry Livingston, and Mack David. Its first recording was made in a slow-swing tempo by the Basie Orchestra in 1938. The recording features Count Basie on piano, Herschel Evans on tenor saxophone, Ed Lewis on trumpet, and Lester Young on clarinet, the soloists featuring prominent improvisations.
The piece is performed in two choruses in Peterson’s version. Like the Basie version, it’s performed in slow swing, but Peterson’s tempo is slightly slower. As in Blues For Basie, Peterson’s approach to the melody and improvisations is simple, ‘un-virtuosic’, and rather melodic. Peterson plays the melody as is in the first chorus, and concludes the piece by improvising around it in the second chorus.
The two legends’ performance of “Blue and Sentimental,” which came together years later in 1980, is a valuable archive piece, showcasing the two pianists’ magnificent performance without intruding on each other’s musical space and their mutual admiration. Basie’s respect for Peterson’s performance is evident in the words he utters at the beginning and end of the piece and his penetrating gaze. Peterson’s respect for the jazz legend is evident in his complimentary responses and admiring glances at Basie.
Words & Music is an archival program produced by the BBC and broadcast in 1980, featuring Peterson hosting distinguished musicians. Accompanied by Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen on double bass and Martin Drew on drums, the filming provides direct glimpses into the master musicians’ emotions, thoughts, and experiences, while live performances during the conversations enrich the audience’s musical experience.
All of Peterson’s wonderful collaborations, first with jazz guitarist Joe Pass and then with Count Basie, can be accessed via the link below.
Other songs featured on the album include “Jumpin’ at the Woodside,” “One O’Clock Jump,” and “Jive at Five,” all composed by Count Basie. The selection of these songs was intentional, citing their association with Basie. All songs were performed by the Count Basie orchestra except “Blues For Basie,” which was also composed by Peterson and included on the album as a tribute to Basie.
The two masters collaborated on five albums in the following years: Satch and Josh (1974), Satch and Josh… Again (1978), Night Rider (1980), Count Basie Meets Oscar Peterson – The Timekeepers (1983), and Yessir, That’s My Baby (1986). These albums, recorded together in the 1970s and 1980s, are essential archives for traditional jazz enthusiasts. With the rise of many jazz styles, including free jazz, from the 1960s onward, traditional styles like swing and bebop faded into the background. In the 1970s and beyond, a period dominated by jazz-rock fusion, these two legends’ albums in the mainstream jazz style hold a special significance in jazz history.
On Oscar Peterson Plays Count Basie, classic Peterson band members Ray Brown (bass) and Herb Ellis (guitar) and guest artist Buddy Rich (drums) harmonize perfectly with Peterson. The Trio’s performances sound like a small Basie orchestra. Oscar Peterson Plays Count Basie is not just an album, but a musical expression of respect and humility for a master. In this album, Peterson has masterfully blended his technical capacity, demonstrated when the music requires it, with his simple performance, based on the principle of “less is more”, and presented jazz lovers with an unforgettable album.
Sources
Basie, C.; Murray, A. (1985). Good Morning Blues: The Autobiography of Count Basie (as Told to Albert Murray). Random House.
Burlingame, S. (n.d.). Lester Leaps In (1940). JazzStandards. https://www.jazzstandards.com/compositions-2/lesterleapsin.htm
Discogs. (n.d.). Oscar Peterson. Discogs. https://www.discogs.com/artist/254394-Oscar-Peterson
Peterson, O. (2006). A Jazz Odyssey: My Life in Jazz. Continuum.
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. (2025). Count Basie. Encyclopaedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Count-Basie
Zirpolo, M. (2019). “Easy Does It” (1940) Count Basie with Lester Young, Buck Clayton and Sweets Edison. Swing and Beyond. https://swingandbeyond.com/2019/02/01/easy-does-it-1940-count-basie-with-lester-young-buck-clayton-and-sweets-edison/
Zirpolo, M. (2020). “Blue and Sentimental” (1938) Count Basie with Herschel Evans and Lester Young; and
(1969). Swing and Beyond. https://swingandbeyond.com/2020/01/04/blue-and-sentimental-1938-count-basie-with-herschel-evans-and-lester-young-and-1969/
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