Editing Count Basie (section)

===Kansas City years===
The following year, in 1929, Basie became the pianist with the [[Bennie Moten]] band based in Kansas City, inspired by Moten's ambition to raise his band to match the level of those led by Duke Ellington or [[Fletcher Henderson]].<ref>Basie (1985), p. 116.</ref> Where the [[Oklahoma City Blue Devils|Blue Devils]] were "snappier" and more "bluesy", the Moten band was more refined and respected, playing in the "[[Kansas City jazz|Kansas City stomp]]" style.<ref>Basie (1985), p. 120.</ref> In addition to playing piano, Basie was co-arranger with [[Eddie Durham]], who notated the music.<ref>Count Basie, 1985, plate 10.</ref>
Their "[[Moten Swing]]", which Basie claimed credit for,<ref name="Basie2002">{{cite book|last=Basie|first=Count|title=Good Morning Blues: The Autobiography of Count Basie|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8osZnKqbRwQC&pg=PA127|year=2002|publisher=Da Capo Press|isbn=978-0-306-81107-4|page=127}}</ref> was an invaluable contribution to the development of swing music, and at one performance at the [[Pearl Theatre (Philadelphia)|Pearl Theatre]] in [[Philadelphia]] in December 1932, the theatre opened its door to allow anybody in who wanted to hear the band perform.<ref name="Daniels2006">{{cite book|last=Daniels|first=Douglas Henry|title=One O'clock Jump: The Unforgettable History of the Oklahoma City Blue Devils|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=p3tmQ4w1uR8C&pg=PA144|date=January 2006|publisher=Beacon Press|isbn=978-0-8070-7136-6|page=144}}</ref> During a stay in Chicago, Basie recorded with the band. He occasionally played four-hand piano and dual pianos with Moten, who also conducted.<ref>Basie (1985), p. 122.</ref> The band improved with several personnel changes, including the addition of tenor saxophonist [[Ben Webster]].

When the band voted Moten out, Basie took over for several months, calling the group Count Basie and his Cherry Blossoms. When his own band folded, he rejoined Moten with a newly re-organized band.<ref>Basie (1985), p. 146.</ref> A year later, Basie joined Bennie Moten's band, and played with them until Moten died in 1935 from a failed tonsillectomy. The band tried to stay together but failed. Basie then formed his own nine-piece band, Barons of Rhythm, with many former Moten members including Walter Page (bass), Freddie Green (guitar), [[Jo Jones]] (drums), Lester Young (tenor saxophone) and Jimmy Rushing (vocals).

The Barons of Rhythm were regulars at the Reno Club and often performed for a live radio broadcast. During a broadcast the announcer wanted to give Basie's name some style, so he called him "Count". It  positioned him with [[Earl Hines]], as well as Duke Ellington.

Basie's new band played at the Reno Club and sometimes were broadcast on local radio. Late one night with time to fill, the band started improvising. Basie liked the results and named the piece "[[One O'Clock Jump]]".<ref>Dance, 1980, p. 67.</ref> According to Basie, "we hit it with the [[rhythm section]] and went into the [[riff]]s, and the riffs just stuck. We set the thing up front in D-flat, and then we just went on playing in F." It became his signature tune.<ref>Basie (1985), p. 162.</ref>