Oh my, marvelous town, Kansas City. Clubs, clubs, clubs. I mean that was all Kansas City was made up of. The cats just played. They played all day and tomorrow morning they went home and went to bed. The next day the same thing.

American jazz musician Count Basie, who was born this day in 1904, was noted for his spare, economical piano style and is regarded as one of the most important and influential bandleaders in the history of jazz.