The Count Basie Center for the Arts marked what would have been the 122nd birthday of its legendary namesake, Red Bank native William “Count” Basie, with a vibrant community celebration.
Part of the center’s ongoing Centennial Celebration, the event featured the official unveiling of a New Jersey Black Heritage Trail marker, a ceremonial street renaming, and a free public performance by the world-renowned Count Basie Orchestra.
State and local leaders—including Lieutenant Governor Dr. Dale Caldwell, Sara Cureton of the New Jersey Historical Commission, and Red Bank Mayor Billy Portman—gathered outside the historic venue at 99 Monmouth Street for the landmark unveiling.
The newly installed marker designates the arts center as an official stop on the New Jersey Black Heritage Trail, celebrating the profound depth and diversity of Black history and culture throughout the state.
Adding to the morning’s milestones, local officials announced the ceremonial renaming of the adjacent stretch of Monmouth Street to Basie Center Way, cementing the organization’s century-long footprint on the regional cultural landscape.
“The reality is that to bring people together, we need to celebrate everyone’s heritage,” Caldwell said. “By celebrating our heritage, by celebrating the people, the ancestors that we’re standing on, we come together as people.”
The birthday festivities also spotlighted figures who have advanced jazz appreciation and local arts programming:
- Jazz Vanguard Award: Longtime concert promoter Jerry Bakal was honored with the Count Basie Center for the Arts Jazz Vanguard Award for over two decades of collaboration and dedication to authentic jazz.
- Legislative Tributes: Assemblywomen Margie Donlan and Luanne Peterpaul presented a formal state resolution, while U.S. Senator Andy Kim issued congressional recognition for the milestone event.
“For us, bearing Basie’s name comes with a wonderful responsibility,” Adam Philipson, CEO and President of the Basie Center, said. “To tell his story honestly, to preserve what he built, and to make sure the next generation knows that one of the giants of American music started out right here.”
The celebration concluded with a packed public performance by the Count Basie Orchestra, kicking off a weekend-long tribute that included special theater events and guest appearances by Broadway icons.
