My introduction to the Count, what a cool cat, and that bassist is something else, wow:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ct_tBKgQAxw

What wonderful minimilist playing style, this is blues? or jazz?

Here's another awesome playful duet between Ella and Basie and his whole band (OMFG, she is amazing here):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rxKwIUC5emY

Count Basie Orchestra - Zurich 1959

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBr9FiyKjdY&NR

That Ella & Bassie duet is really swinging.

Ever tried scat singing like Ella; it is a lot of fun. It also helps to develop your ear & musicality. Ella scats well. So does Mel Torme. There is an art to scat singing well; I attended 2 vocal jazz workshops on scatting when starting out. Too many times I hear poor scat singing... but when it is done well it will grab your ear in a good way.

This combo with Ella & the Count is so tight;
I am listening to it as I am typing this right now.

Nearing the end of the scatting.... Ella take it home now!

I have been a fan of both Ella & Basie for about 30 years, now. I just bought a recording in high school and found that I loved this kind of music. I've been hooked ever since.

To answer your question of blues or jazz - this is definitely jazz. More specifically it is the form of jazz known as "big band swing." There are a number of forms of jazz which developed primarily from ragtime, blues, and gospel into dixieland, swing, western swing, bebop, hard bop, disco, acid jazz, progressive jazz, smooth jazz, and any number of other variations.

--Dennis

Check it out! Hit Parade of 1943 Count Basie.
With the piano filled with his band. Enjoy!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCrBeGZPE9g

If you enjoy swing bassists with a unique style all their own and like scatting, check out Slam Stewart:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pKgnqpwHWW0

Slam played in Dizzy's pre-Parker original big bands in the very early 40s, later on with Benny Goodman.

Amazing. Thanks for sharing it. And he wasn't just plucking the bass notes; he was doing note with bow work and scatting together at a breakneck pace. The description of the clip had interesting program notes also. Did he ever play with Ella? It would have been cool to see this guy do a scatting duet with Ella.

very cool!

Count Basie One O' Clock Jump with Clark Terry
Enjoy....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WpPehptG3yw

Ooops! Posted link to wrong thread; I'll come back and put another Basie link here.

Count Basie was hiding quite a lot of other jazz abilities and styles with his band backing and popular music in my view. He was a great stride pianist in the right circumstances but such recordings are rare. He always had that very 'laidback' relaxed style whatever, not given to over pressurised frantic playing.

Smooth as silk his style.

Blues, Jazz, and big band, all in his career.

Alan