A Week for Count Basie Up for Discussion

Though he’s got his own bust at the train station, his face painted on a couple of walls in town, and one of New Jersey’s premiere performing arts theaters named after him, Red Bank Councilwoman Sharon Lee wants the borough to recognize arguable its most famous resident, Count Basie, a bit more.

At a recent council meeting, Lee suggested that the borough consider dedicating a week in August around Basie’s birthday to celebrate the man with music and memorabilia.

Pointing out the fact that Red Bank lacks a center or facility that visitors can explore to learn about Basie, Lee wondered aloud if it was possible for Red Bank RiverCenter to secure memorabilia, like old photos, and ask merchants to display them in their storefronts.

Lee said she imagined something similar to Red Bank’s Christmastime transformation of its downtown. Instead of wreaths and holly would be images and symbols of Basie and jazz. Instead of Christmas carols, the borough could instead play a selection of Basie tracks.

Though Basie is synonymous with Red Bank – his name even adorns the street sign on Mechanic Street, where he was born and raised – Lee thinks there could be more done to celebrate his life.

“We have the theater and the bust, but there’s not much else to say that this was his home,” Lee said. “We should say, ‘OK, this is his week in our town.’”

RiverCenter Executive Director Nancy Adams was not resistant to the idea, telling Lee she would be happy to brainstorm the idea of honoring Basie with she and the council to see what they could come up with.