William J. "Count" Basie.
William J. “Count” Basie is a legendary jazz icon, one of the most popular and recognized figures in American music. He was a jazz pianist, composer, and bandleader who strengthened the relationship between jazz and the blues and created swing as one of jazz's prominent forms. Count Basie's music bridged racial divides and brought people together during an era of legal segregation in America.
In June of 2018, the Institute of Jazz Studies (IJS) at Rutgers University-Newark acquired the archives of Count Basie. The Basie archives, are the crown jewel of the institute's holdings, containing letters, photographs, contracts, telegrams, trophies, honorary degrees, gold records, Grammys (Basie was the first African American artist to win a Grammy, in 1958), dress suits, musical scores, plaques and honors of all kinds. Along with the assets of the archive IJS obtained the exclusive rights to Count Basie’s name, image and trademarks.
About the Institute of Jazz Studies
The Institute of Jazz studies is the world's foremost jazz archive and research library. Founded in 1952 by pioneer jazz scholar Marshall Stearns (1908-1966), the Institute has been a pioneering institution in the preservation and access of jazz heritage. The institute houses more than 200,0000 recordings, 6,000 books and periodicals, and the personal possessions of many legendary artists, including instruments, clothes, sheet music, and other memorabilia.
For information about The Institute of Jazz Studies: Rutgers Institute of Jazz Studies
We are seeking licensing & merchandising partners interested in celebrating the life, work and reputation of Count Basie leveraging his name, image, likeness and trademark as well as other assets in the collection.
Example partnerships might include:
- Merchandise including clothing, jewelry, art, and collectibles.
- Traveling museum collections
For information about Count Basie: andrea.dick@rutgers.edu
