Photograph of the Count Basie Orchestra performing on stage: Museum Object and Cultural History
Photograph of the Count Basie Orchestra performing on stage: Date: mid 20th century. Photograph by: Unidentified. Subject of: Unidentified Man or Men.
The object in the museum catalogue
A silver gelatin print depicting a black-and-white image of the Count Basie Orchestra performing on stage. The image is oriented so that the viewer is looking up towards the band on stage. On the left side of the image is a large drum set with the bass drum featuring decals of letters and musical notes, [J.J. / C / B]. The drummer’s head is just visible above the bass drum. In a diagonal line from the middle of the image down to the lower right corner, there are two (2) rows of musicians. The front row of musicians are seated behind four (4) music stands with the initials [C / B] in the upper left corner of the front of the music stands. All four (4) musicians in the front row are playing saxophones. A second row of six (6) musicians stand behind the seated saxophonists. Five (5) of the musicians are holding trumpets. Standing third from the left, with his trumpet raised in playing position, is Harry "Sweets" Edison. There are no inscriptions on the front or back of the image.
Materials, dates and provenance
- Date: mid 20th century
- Photograph by: Unidentified
- Subject of: Unidentified Man or Men
- Subject of: Harry "Sweets" Edison, American, 1915 - 1999
- Subject of: Count Basie Orchestra, American, founded 1935
- Type: gelatin silver prints
- Medium: silver and photographic gelatin on photographic paper
- Dimensions: H x W (Image): 7 1/2 × 9 1/2 in. (19.1 × 24.1 cm)
- Dimensions: H x W (Sheet): 8 1/8 × 10 1/16 in. (20.6 × 25.5 cm)
- Topic: African American
- Topic: Band (Music)
- Topic: Entertainers
- Topic: Instrumentalists (Musicians)
- Topic: Nightlife
- Topic: Photography
- Object number: 2013.46.25.38
- Credit Line: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
- Data Source: National Museum of African American History and Culture
Sources and reuse
Catalogue descriptions and facts adapted from National Museum of African American History and Culture through the Smithsonian's official Open Access dataset. This record explicitly marks its metadata CC0 1.0; formatting and selection have been changed. The underlying object's rights statement is: Unknown - Restrictions Possible Rights assessment and proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
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