Simplify the following text for a Grade 5 native English-speaking person.
Original: The following year , Basie became the pianist with the Bennie Moten band based in Kansas City , inspired by Moten 's ambition to raise his band to the level of Duke Ellington 's or Fletcher Henderson 's .
Simplified: In 1929 , Basie started playing with the Bennie Moten band , Kansas City .