The Count Basie Orchestra will celebrate its 90th anniversary in Kansas City — the town where it got its start back in the 1930s swing era — this Wednesday, April 30 at the Kansas City Music Hall.
More than 40 years after the passing of their legendary founder, pianist Count Basie, the big band continues to awe audiences around the world.
The group has won 18 Grammys over the years, including one for the Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album of 2024 for "Basie Swings the Blues."
"It'll be a swinging affair. Everybody in the orchestra will be featured. And we'll just be doing what Mr. Basie began in 1935," director Scotty Barnhart said. "Basically making everybody feel good while we play. That's what we do."
Count Basie Orchestra at Kansas City Music Hall, 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 30, 301 W 13th Street, Kansas City, Missouri, 64105. The event is sponsored by Creative City KC.
- Scotty Barnhart, Count Basie Orchestra director
- Will Matthews, Count Basie Orchestra guitarist
