Count Basie

With their propulsive feel and distinctive use of bluesy and rhythmic piano phrasing, the Count Basie Orchestra created a revolutionary dance sound for the big band era. His iconic recordings, including "One O'Clock Jump" and "April in Paris," solidified his status as one of the great figures of the 1940s, although many experts argue that his work in the 1960s was just as seminal. In a career spanning five decades and recordings with everyone from Lester Young to Frank Sinatra, Count Basie's legacy endures as a beacon of timeless jazz sophistication.