Red Bank, NJ, is a culturally vibrant enclave located along the Navesink River at Exit 109 on the Garden State Parkway, where great dining, theatrical entertainment, and music, all converge for the enjoyment of its 12,000 or more residents. However, one of its most musically inclined residents was William James “Count” Basie, who was born in Red Bank in 1904. On August 21, the Red Bank community celebrated his 121st birthday.
The Count Basie Center for the Arts, which has celebrated Basie’s Birthday for the last three years on the Catherine (wife)and William Basie Patio was teeming with city officials, Red Bank Mayor Billy Portman, Council members, and invited guests.
With the sun shining brightly against blue skies, The Basie Award was presented by Adam Philipson, Executive Director of The Count Basie Center for the Arts, to Joe Muccioli, Executive Director of the Jazz Arts Project. Muccioli, a composer and international conductor who has tirelessly dedicated his life to keeping jazz alive in Red Bank, thanked Philipson for the honor.
“I am most proud of these young people,” said Muccioli pointing to members of the Jazz Arts All-Stars on the bandstand (photo above), who provided the music for the festive occasion. Over the last 20 years, Muccioli has been instrumental in nurturing countless youngsters interested in playing this genre of music.
However, as an invited speaker and a resident of Red Bank for over 30 years, I had a pressing question for the powers that be and a message I shared with the attentive crowd. Here is an excerpt from my speech.
“Red Bank lays claim to Count Basie Way, the beautiful Count Basie Center for the Arts, Count Basie Park and Athletic Field, and The Count Basie Gospel Choir, which brings me to this. Imagine the angelic voices of the Count Basie Gospel Choir, led by the incomparable Gwen Moten performing at the Red Bank Count Basie Jazz Festival with the legendary Count Basie Orchestra … There’s the Cape May Jazz Festival, The Newport Jazz Festival, The Montclair Jazz Festival, and many others. Why not the Red Bank Count Basie Jazz Festival?”
As a history preservationist, (President of the T. Thomas Fortune Cultural Center) I feel privileged and a great sense of pride to live in Red Bank, where Count Basie, who was the first Black man to win a Grammy Award in 1958, was born. Not many towns in New Jersey can flaunt the likes of Basie’s stature. I get to walk the same streets that he did, and I occasionally attend Pilgrim Baptist Church, where the Basie Family worshipped The Count’s father, Harvey Basie, was a trustee at Pilgrim Baptist Church, and his mother, Lillian played the piano. The Palace Theater, where “Little Willie Basie,” got his start at 12 years old — playing the organ in between movie reels — no longer exists. Although the vintage façade of the movie house, located at 17 Front Street, which is now a small vegan restaurant, is still standing.
However, after my declaration for consideration to create the first ever Red Bank Count Basie Jazz Festival, I did get an important scoop from Philipson, who told me that he and his staff are hoping to have the Count Basie Orchestra play in 2026 to celebrate the theater’s Centennial Anniversary, a three-day stint. That sounds promising, I thought.
However, my response was, “This could be the start of what could grow into the Red Bank Count Basie Festival.”
Red Bank Councilwoman Kate Triggiano approached me after my heartfelt appeal to say the Council would be on board to support such an event. Now that’s what I’m talking about. This festival would be a tremendous salute to the man who put Red Bank on the map with the tune “The Kid from Red Bank,” among other popular songs — from “April in Paris”, “One O’Clock Jump”, “L’il Darlin'”, and more. Count Basie is recognized as one of the most iconic figures of jazz and American music. Period. Full stop. The Count Basie Orchestra, under the leadership of Scotty Barnhart, is still swinging after all these years.
I shared a hidden gem with the crowd: the fact that Count Basie and Billie Holiday had actually performed in Red Bank in 1938 to a sold-out audience, at what was then River Street Elementary School, and now is a senior citizen residence. Basie, at the behest of Dr. James Parker Sr., the first Black physician in Red Bank in 1916, performed to raise money on behalf of the “Colored” YWCA, of which Dr. James Parker was the Chairman of the Board. The Basie and Parker families were very close
With birthday cake for everyone, the celebration ended with the Company of Dance Arts dancers (photo below) performing a professionally choreographed number to Basie’s “Red Bank Boogie,” and they got their boogie on. Happy Birthday Count Basie!-GILDA ROGERS
