human
Why is the band called ‘Count Basie’?
assistant
It’s named after the bandleader Count Basie. The band was originally called the Kansas City 7, but the name was changed to Count Basie’s Kansas City 7 after a dispute with the owner of the club. The band members were all African American jazz musicians, and the name “Count Basie” was a reference to the Count Basie Orchestra, which was a popular jazz orchestra in the 1940s and 1950s.