Count Basie
Goin' To Kansas City
By: Charles Giuliano - Apr 07, 2016
Count Basie
During Prohibition
Kansas City wailed
Under Boss Pendergast
President Harry Truman
Played a bit of piano
The Senator from Pendergast
White House
Mobbed up
Tons of saloons
Best of the midwest
Territory bands
Blues rooted swing
Charlie Parker
Coleman Hawkins
Andy Kirk
Harland Leonard
Bennie Moten
Major record deal
Young Count Basie
Took over after
Moten and his pal
A physician
Went drinking
Night before procedure
Throat cut
Bled out on the table
Driving around New Haven
Late at night
John Hammond
Yale guy
Old Money
Boolah Boolah
Heard them on his
Car radio
Visited K.C.
Talked it up
Decca swooped in
Signed Basie
Terrible contract
All his best stuff
Classic sides
Leader as minimalist
Just a few chords
Impeccably placed
Head arrangements
Lester Leaps In
Jumpin' at the Woodside
Goin' To Kansas City
Shorty George
Solid rhythm section
Drummer Joe Jones
Guitar Freddie Green
Keeping the beat
Driving front men
Tenor Lester Young
The Pres
On and off lover
Lady Day
Trumpet Joe Newman
Over the years
So many giants
Moved in and out
Frank Foster's
Shiny Stockings
Backing awesome singers
Jimmy Rushing
Joe Williams
Smack Dab at Newport
Lambert, Hendricks and Ross
Scat set to Basie riffs
Old Blue Eyes
Then late hit
April in Paris
One more time
One more once
Always outrageous
Nobody cut Basie
Jazz royalty
Count outranked Duke
We loved them madly
When jazz was king