Count Basie Quotes

Learn to deal with the valleys and the hills will take care of themselves.

I decided that I would be one of the biggest new names; and I actually had some little fancy business cards printed up to announce it, 'Count Basie. Beware, the Count is Here.'

I, of course, wanted to play real jazz. When we played pop tunes, and naturally we had to, I wanted those pops to kick! Not loud and fast, understand, but smoothly and with a definite punch.

If a guy is gonna to play good bop, he has to have a sort of a bop soul.

I never thought innovation as such was very important. Not when you have to think about it ... If you're going to come up with a new direction or a really new way to do something, you'll do it by just playing your stuff and letting it ride. The real innovators did their innovating by just being themselves.

Freddie Green has been my right arm for thirty years. And if he leaves the band one day, I'll probably leave with him.

I'm saying: to be continued, until we meet again. Meanwhile, keep on listening and tapping your feet.

I was always willing to say, "Let's see what happens," when something came up that looked like it might help me get a little closer to where I wanted to be ...

I just think swing is a matter of some good things put together that you can really pat your foot by. I can't define it beyond that.

All I wanted was to be big, to be in show business and to travel ... and that's what I've been doing all my life.

Well, if you find a note tonight that sounds good, play the same damn note every night!

I don't dig that two-beat jive the New Orleans cats play. My boys and I have to have four heavy beats to the bar and no cheating.

Oscar Peterson plays the best ivory box I've ever heard.