Today marks 35 years since the passing of William James “Count” Basie. The supremely influential bandleader and icon of swing died on April 26 — just five days after his 79th birthday — in Hollywood, Florida, in 1984, leaving behind a legacy that was matched only by his outsized persona. We celebrate his life with this classic recording of “April In Paris,” taken from an album of the same name released in 1956.