News 12 New Jersey Features Institute of Jazz Studies' Count Basie Collection

News 12 New Jersey's Brian Donohue recently talked to archivist Elizabeth Surles about the Count Basie Family Papers and Artifacts at Rutgers University Libraries' Institute of Jazz Studies.

> Watch the Positively New Jersey segment here.

A native of Red Bank, New Jersey, William James "Count" Basie (1904–1984) was one of the giants of jazz, a global icon, and still one of the most influential, popular, and recognized figures in American music. The Institute acquired Basie's papers and artifacts in 2018 and is responsible for ensuring its long-term preservation. The roughly 200-cubic-foot collection, consisting of more than 1,000 items, is unparalleled in its size and thorough documentation of Basie's life and career, as well as those of his wife, Catherine, and daughter, Diane.

The collection is an essential resource for researchers in jazz, music, post-war American history, and American culture, especially black American culture. It is also critical for scholars, educators, writers, filmmakers, students, and the general public because of its breadth and depth.

Please visit this link to learn more about the Count Basie Family Papers and Artifacts.