SAVOY All Stars Band
Walter "Big 'Un" Page |
Bass
February 9. 1900 - December 20, 1957 Bass player with the New Earl Hines Trio, with Earl and JC Heard |
I grew up playing bass drum and horn in neighborhood brass bands, and took up string bass in high school. Major Clark Smith was my teacher. One day he was looking for a bass player and he said "Pagey get the bass." That's when I got started. I went on to study and teach music at Univ of Kansas. I finished a three year course in just one year. From 1918 to 1983 I was moonlighting on weekends paying bass for Bennie Moten and Dave Lewis, making good money and having a ball.
In 1923 I went on tour with Billy King's Road Show with Jimmy Rushing and a young Count Basie. In 1925 I formed my own band, Walter Page and the Blue Devils. We performed through 1931 and had Lester Young with us.
I ended up playing for Moten's band when Count Basie took it over, from 1935 to 1942, I formed Basie's "All-American Rhythm Section" with Jo Jones on drums and guitarist Freddie Green. We liberated the bass and bass drum to carry the low end rhythm instead of the piano. I worked with other groups and returned to Basie for 1946 to 1950.
In 1923 I went on tour with Billy King's Road Show with Jimmy Rushing and a young Count Basie. In 1925 I formed my own band, Walter Page and the Blue Devils. We performed through 1931 and had Lester Young with us.
I ended up playing for Moten's band when Count Basie took it over, from 1935 to 1942, I formed Basie's "All-American Rhythm Section" with Jo Jones on drums and guitarist Freddie Green. We liberated the bass and bass drum to carry the low end rhythm instead of the piano. I worked with other groups and returned to Basie for 1946 to 1950.
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I am credited with popularizing the "walking bass" stype playing on all four beats, when before we usually just played the two beat style of New Orleans jazz. I was strong enough to make the bass loud enough to hear back before we had amplifiers. I was also one of the first to record bass solo passages, although I tried not to stick out on stage (and overplay the guy up front paying the bills.)
I became a popular freelancer and performed and recorded with a variety of bands and groups. I was on my way to a recording session at the end of 1957 and fell ill. That pneumonia ended my career on December 20. I was celebrated as having been highly influential in the swing/jazz scene. "At its best, the Basie rhythm section was nothing less than a Cadillac with the force of a Mack truck." |
Walter Page with Count Basie Orchestra |
Walter Page, Count Basie, Jo Jones and Stan Hasselgard |
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