Who is the skilled artist playing "April in Paris" on the piano in the film "Blazing Saddles"?

The skilled artist who is playing "April in Paris" on the piano in the film "Blazing Saddles" (1974) is Count Basie. He and the Count Basie Orchestra, a 16 to 18 piece big band, one of the most prominent jazz bands of its time are a deliberate anachronism in this film. The unique song by Vernon Duke with lyrics by Yip Harburg was composed in 1932.

Count Basie's cameo as a jazz pianist is a pretty funny and special treat, even if you don't know much about him or his music. It's all part of the comedy gimmick created by director Mel Brooks. Brooks is playing with conventional aspects of Hollywood films, culminating in the sidesplitting climactic sequence that blends movie sets, pie fights, and Grauman's Chinese Theater.

Count Basie is seen early in "Blazing Saddles". Bart (Cleavon Little) is headed to the Old West town of Rock Ridge as the new sheriff, dressed to the nines. Count Basie's signature jazz song, "April in Paris", plays in the background, highlighting Bart's urbane demeanor. As Bart rides across the prairie, he encounters ... Count Basie and his orchestra, performing "April in Paris" right there on the frontier. This is an amusing thing.

Count Basie (1904 - 1984) was born in Red Bank, NJ., USA. A pianist, he played vaudeville before eventually forming his own big band. He helped to define the era of swing with hits like "One O'Clock Jump" and "Blue Skies". In 1958, Basie became the first African-American male recipient of a Grammy Award. He died of cancer.