AprilCadence2013

dress on” and he’s looking at me like he was thinking “Who is this child?” so i said
“Will you listen to me sing when i go out?” and he said “sure honey, i’ll listen to
you.” so i went out and did my two numbers and i came offstage and i said “Well
what do you think?” and he said “i think i’m gonna hire you” and i said “really?
When?” (laughter). and he said “Well, don’t worry me now,” you know, like that.
“somebody will call you”. i said “Well i’ll write down my information, and i want you
to have this cassette so you won’t forget me, but they’re all rock ‘n roll songs.” he
said “that’s okay”. so i gave him the cassette, then stared at him for the rest of the
night and that was it. so at least eight or nine months passed, and during that time
his wife passed away so i didn’t really expect anything. all my friends kept saying
i wouldn’t hear anything, but i held on and then later i gave myself a surprise party.
When i was blowing out my candles i made a wish “oh God, please let count Basie
call me tomorrow” and then i kind of forgot about it. so the next day, i had a gig in
santa fe new mexico with the group, so i was just getting in to the band’s car and
my roommate came outside and called “hey, there’s some old man on the phone,”
and i thought it must be my granddaddy melvin, there must be an emergency so i
went back in and could not believe it was mr Basie. as a matter of fact i thought it
was my cousin otis playing a trick and hung up, but fortunately mr Basie called me
back and said “don’t hang up now ‘cause this is really count Basie. now do you
want to work with me or not? This is not otis,” and he offered me the job. That
was a monday and on Wednesday sonny cohn called me and introduced himself
and said he had a ticket for me to be in Boston on friday and to bring all my big
band arrangements (which i didn’t have) and your little beaded gowns (which i
also didn’t have). so then my mother fed-exed me one beaded gown, it was old,
but it was lovely and a perfect fit. so friday rolls around and i checked in to the
Boston park plaza and soon met mr Basie when he and the band arrived by bus,
and i said “Well what happens now?” and he said “Well we have a concert tonight
and we leave at 6.30 so you come join us on the bus. Tonight we’re working with
Tony Bennett, so you come on the bus and you’ll meet everyone,” and that’s what
happened. i watched the gig through, watched Tony Bennett, then two nights later
we went to atlantic city and the guest we were working with for a week was sarah
vaughan and that was the start of it all.
CAD: So from Boston did you start touring with the band?
cB: i stayed on the road with them of course, but my arrangements weren’t ready
and i’d just watch the show. i’d been told that the regular male vocalist would sing
on the first half of the show so to watch and learn how the show works, and it was
wonderful, i learned so much right up close to it. mr Basie was so nice to me and
from that time on i felt like i was travelling with my Grandpa, he was always looking
out for me, even on stage. You know, he must have seen or heard something
because i was still singing like a rock ‘n roll singer, hollerin’ like chaka Kahn or
something, but he treated me just like family.
CAD: It must have been rough for the whole band when Basie passed?
98 | CadenCe Magazine | april May June 2013
Interview Carmen Bradford