rover Mitchell, the lead trombonist for the late-period Count Basie Orchestra and the third leader of the band since Basie's death, died on Wednesday at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Hospital in Manhattan. He was 73 and lived in Manhattan.
The cause was cancer, said Dee Askew, the band's manager, who added that no successor as bandleader had yet been chosen.
Born in Whatley, Ala., and raised in Pittsburgh, Mr. Mitchell was a lifelong brass-section player: he built up his experience with Pittsburgh's excellent school bands (one of which also included the pianist Ahmad Jamal), military bands and the Chicago-based jump-blues band led by King Kolax. After leaving the Marines in the 1950's, he played with Lionel Hampton, Duke Ellington and finally Count Basie.
He joined the Basie band from 1962 and stayed until 1970, when jazz musicians at his level of expertise were able to make more money in the television studios. Mr. Mitchell worked for NBC's "Flip Wilson Show" and stayed at the network for a decade; he also worked on films, including "Lady Sings the Blues."
During a Los Angeles musicians' union strike in 1980, Basie again called for Mr. Mitchell, who was ready to rejoin. Mr. Mitchell strengthened the sound of the trombone section, and in the years before Basie died in 1984, he became one of Basie's most dependable lieutenants. His job gave him enough flexibility to run his own big band on the side, beginning in 1978. In 1995 he became bandleader of the Count Basie Orchestra, following Thad Jones and Frank Foster.
As leader, he emphasized musicianship, teamwork and precision and won the band renewed popularity by extending its repertory beyond its greatest hits and current pop tunes.
He revived many classic arrangements from present and past members of the band including Frank Foster and Ernie Royal and distinguished outside arrangers like Benny Carter and Neal Hefti.
His goal was to differentiate the Basie band from other "ghost bands" by hiring not just ambitious beginners but also experienced soloists who were willing to submerge their own sound in the tight ensemble and who honored the Basie tradition; at least five contemporary members, including Mr. Mitchell, had played with Basie in his lifetime, and he continued to take an occasional solo.
The band made several successful recordings under his leadership, including two Grammy winners for best recording by a large jazz ensemble, "Live at Manchester Craftsmen's Guild" (1996) and "Count Plays Duke" (1998).
His own sound was clean, with an attractive, mellow tone; he was best known as a ballad player. As he told the interviewer Bob Bernotas in 1996, Basie "wasn't crazy about the trombone, but he liked Tommy Dorsey, and for some reason or other I was a pretty good Tommy Dorsey imitator. That got me over as far as Count Basie was concerned."
Mr. Mitchell's marriage to Jamie Mitchell ended in divorce. His survivors include their daughter, Gail O'Brien; two sisters, Edwina Posey and Marva Wilkes, both of Pittsburgh; and two grandchildren.
