Happy Birthday Count Basie

Red Bank’s most famous resident William “Count” Basie would have celebrated his 106th birthday this Sunday, and while the jazz icon has been dead for more than 25 years, his legacy still remains an important part of the borough’s history and culture.

Sure, you can see why Basie means so much all over Red Bank. There’s Mechanic Street, where he was born, raised, and where his mother first taught him to play piano, then there’s his bust next to the train station, and of course the biggest tribute, the Count Basie Theatre on Monmouth Street.

Councilwoman Sharon Lee has even made the suggestion of Red Bank celebrating Count Basie’s life with a week of his music and memorabilia, a way to dress up the downtown just like it does each year for Christmas.

While a Count Basie week might have to wait another year – Lee suggested it for the week Basie’s birthday – the Red Bank Public Library is celebrating the life and times of Basie with a display. Included in the display are pictures, old articles detailing Basie’s life and his role in Red Bank, CDs, and of course books, several focusing on Basie’s role in swing jazz, and others detailing jazz as a whole.

The display is up until the end of the month. Check it out when you find yourself on Front Street.