Tag: count basie

  • Three tools

    In middle school jazz band, I learned that good jazz wasn’t produced through an abundance of notes, but a few well-placed ones. Teenagers enthralled by the capabilities of our newly-acquired instruments and rudimentary skills, we each were tempted to compensate for our lack of skill by playing a flurry of notes. Our director threatened to…

  • The Basie Way

    When most of us think of a leader we think of the trailblazer, the person at the front of the pack, leading the way. That’s how I’ve usually thought about leadership as well. The leader needs to stay out in front, do most of the talking, and shoulder the weight of the team. The problem…

  • Leading from Second Fiddle

    When the orchestra conductor, Leonard Bernstein, was asked what the most difficult instrument to play was, he answered without hesitation: “The second fiddle. I can get plenty of first violinists, but to find someone who can play the second fiddle with enthusiasm.” Few of us aspire to take a supporting role, to work in the…