EVENT: Count Basie: Then as Now, Count's the King. a Film by Gary Keys, Introduced by Professor Jamal Joseph, School of the Arts, Columbia University

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 suffusi...

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