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Count Basie Through His Own

BBC4, 9pm Along with Duke Ellington he was the aristocrat of jazz. The joyous big-band sound of Count Basie (right) mixed in strains of the blues, and he led the way in music over decades of almost non-stop touring and recording.

But behind the effortless charm of Basie’s public persona was a private family life hidden from the public, rich with happiness but also peppered with moments of heartbreak. Now this loving profile features previously unseen home-movie footage and excerpts from Basie’s private letters to tell the full story of an extraordinary life.

It’s a fascinating slice of history for music fans, but one that also reveals how Basie contended with the appalling racism that was so prevalent in many parts of the US, always meeting it with unshakeable dignity and defiance.