The Atomic Mr Basie
Count Basie & His Orchestra
1958
Album Summary
The Atomic Mr. Basie (originally called Basie, also known as E=MC2 and reissued in 1994 as The Complete Atomic Basie) is a 1958 album by Count Basie and his orchestra. Allmusic gave it 5 stars, reviewer Bruce Eder saying: "it took Basie's core audience and a lot of other people by surprise, as a bold, forward-looking statement within the context of a big-band recording." It is included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die, Will Fulford-Jones calling it "Basie's last great record." It was voted number 411 in the third edition of Colin Larkin's All Time Top 1000 Albums (2000). According to Acclaimed Music, it is the 6th most critically acclaimed album of 1958, the 25th most acclaimed of the 1950s, and the 837th most acclaimed of all time, based on an aggregation of hundreds of critics' lists from around the world.
WikipediaI always saw this album as swing’s last hurrah before rock and roll fully took over, and what a hurrah it was. All the players are top notch here. And what a ballsy move to put an atomic explosion on the cover barely a decade after WWII; ballsy, and fitting for the music here. It just edges into a 5 for me.
Big band music isn't generally my favorite - it's generally background noise to me - but this was surprisingly listenable. There are significant shades of harlem-esque jazz in here. I enjoyed it far more than I expected to.
A rock'n'roll guy at heart, which is why he's blowing shit up on the cover and in the music.
“The Atomic Mr. Basie” by the Count Basie Orchestra (1958). Exquisite big band jazz and swing, this music places the serious listener smack in the middle of a Woody Allen movie, and then escorts him/her/them straight to heaven. These are beautiful and intricate arrangements, with disciplined and precise performances, featuring sublime solo work. Each soloist knows exactly what a soloist should and should not do. Rock, folk, synth, and hip hop artists should appreciate the value of the planning and execution of the big band style, perfectly exemplified by the CBO. Basie's piano playing is deft and sensitive, articulating the passion behind Neal Hefti’s visionary arrangements. Strictly professional. All music lovers should cultivate an appreciation of this contribution to American music—it helps to define the entire era of recording, from the 1930s to the present. That album cover, however, didn’t age well. The promo guys got a little carried away. 5/5
A great jazz music album. This is going on top of my list for great jazz albums. Double-O is an amazing song, with an running bass line which contrasts very nicely with overlying horns and piano. My only critique might be the overused horns, however, this kind of sound is typical in 1950s music
On first listen, I was a little dismissive - yeah, yeah, Big Band, whatever, stuff my 80-something dad likes. On Listen 2 I realized: this album is pretty amazing! It only got better as I listened to it over and over. The word "frenetic" kept coming to mind. I liked learning that the arranger Neal Hefti wrote the Batman TV series theme (Bat Maaaaaan! Bat Maaaaaan! nah-nah, nah-nah, nah-nah, nah-nah Bat MAAAANN!!). To show how these things are generational, I had never heard of Hefti, but when I mentioned his name to my 80-something Dad his response was "of course I know Hefti!" His Wikipedia entry is pretty interesting. They quote Miles Davis saying, "If it weren't for Neal Hefti, the Basie band wouldn't sound as good as it does." Respect. Back to the album, I loved pretty much all the tracks. Flight of the Foo Birds, Double-O (what a sax solo!), and Fantail (drums!!!) really caught my attention. I also really liked the mellow tracks. After Supper had a nice opening piano part, a great tune throughout and I loved the walking bass line. Midnite Blue is clearly a song about a dame, y'know, the broad who came into your life and left it in shambles. The final "Lil' Darling" wraps it up nicely at the end of a wild evening at the club. Maybe you're even finally slow dancing cheek to cheek with the dame from Midnite Blue and all is right in the world. In an earlier review I said I'm simply not a jazz fan. This album (along with Keith Jarrett's The Koln Concert) shows me that I can definitely be a fan of some jazz. I want to dig in a lot deeper now. 5 star wham-bam-POW!
Very enjoyable jazz, mostly falling on the "hot" side. (My mom categorizes all jazz as either "hot", "cool", or "what time does the tune start", heh.) Fave track - "Kid From Red Bank" for hot, "Lil' Darlin'" for cool!
Really felt this one. Hard to think of a better sounding big band recording and the feel is spot-on. Somehow arrives in that perfect moment when this style of music felt essential and yet recording technology had caught up enough to make it really sing. Favourite song: Midnite Blue
I never knew Count Basie was making music like this well into the 1950s. There's a lot of creativity, energy and vitality to these songs, and I can even hear a bit of rock mixed in with the jazz. Count Basie's horn section really feels like an atomic bomb here. Works really well together, no favourite track, rather listen to the album as a whole!
Love this album!! Still seems fresh even though it goes back to 58. Every song is great. I particularly like the fact that the first half of the album is super upbeat and then about half way through slows down and changes the mood completely. Favorite track: Lil' Darlin. 4 stars
This was great to hear. I love the variety of adding jazz/swing into this list, and I really enjoyed a lot of the stylings on this album.
This big band record catches me in the right mood. Dude this album was great to sit and fill out a really angry company survey to.
jazzão pesadeira, no começo parecia mais do mesmo, mas a pegada é outra, tem uma energia, e pelo ano do disco, ditou o tom para os discos da decada de 60
Very nice album. Even though i dont listen much to jazz this album is light and fun to listen to.
Very nice sound, good to keep in the back of my mind during my workouts
A pleasant surprise. It was jarring when I pressed play before bed but as I listened it became a great background for all sorts of activities throughout the day..
Awesome big band jazz. Splanty, Whirly-Bird, and The Kid from the Red Bank were incredible. Ella & Basie’s version of “Dream a Little Dream of Me” is also a great listen
You can note the evolution of the big band sound in this recording, but then again let Basie be Basie and you get solid gold every time.
Favoriete nummers: - Duet - Whirly-Bird - Lil' Darlin' IK ZIT IN EEN FILM UIT DE JAREN '60
Great stuff. The band was locked in, and everyone really had it together. Hard to believe that it was years ago. Definitely on my list to get.
I enjoyed this! A bit alarmed at first as the initial track is a bit shouty, but loved the rest of it. Going to listen to again right away.
An exceptional jazz big band album. From the opening track, you know what to expect for the rest of the album: A large sound, vibrant solos, and upbeat compositions. The dynamics between Count Basie's orchestra make the album a classic. The feeling of the album is in the name, and you can't help but move when listening to it. Favorite tracks: The Kid From Red Bank, Duet, Double-O, Midnite Blue, Splanky
Classic instrumental jazz, fav songs are Duet, Midnite Blue, & Splanky.
Can really see how it influenced bands like the Replacements. Or specifically the Replacements. A little more moody esoteric than my preference but still good to listen to and culturally relevant.
Even for fans of big band jazz, or anyone old enough to have this sound firmly in their cultural DNA, this album is truly a nuclear level American classic, worthy of the album cover (if you're willing to dismiss the real world associations with the US putting the globe on a permanent killswitch state). What's amazing to me is how in 40 minutes and 11 songs, Basie and band managed to hit such peaks and lightning strikes of individual performances while also effortlessly soaring through a wide horizon of dynamics and moods and emotions in the selections. Motherfucking off the charts 5+++++
Now this is the sort of jazz that I like to hear. Tremendous, a tour de force of syncopation and effortless style. Amazing!
Enjoyable. Kinda what I needed at that moment too, so hurrah for coincidences.
What happened to that high schooler who vehemently defended his dislike of big band? This music just makes me feel happy now. 9/10
I really like the swingy mood. It gives such a cool vibe and the whole album has this very cozy, almost a home feeling.
Enjoyed listening to it, and watching the baby move her feet in time to it!
Remember when atomic shit was sexy and cool? Well, no, you probably don't, but in 1957 it was, especially in the US (probably less so in Japan). As somebody who bought Mingus Ah Um and Miles Davis's Blue Christmas at the age of 19, largely in an attempt to appear cool and mysterious to the girls at university, and as someone who has been to Ronnie Scott's several times, I feel supremely qualified to pronounce upon this album. It's great! Good humoured, light-hearted, glad to be alive (and not vaporised into nothingness by an apocalyptic nuclear blast), joyously played big band jazz. These cats can play! Boom. We hope you enjoyed your time on this planet.
I haven't listened to much of his stuff before, but the optimism and positivity conveyed through this music was contagious. Planning to check out more of his stuff!
That's album cover is Punk Rock for sure. This whole album is pretty heavy. Dear metal, you've invented nothing.
Love me some big band. Basie, and this album in particular, is out of sight.
Un viaje genial para encarar el día! Música de otro tiempo pero imperecedera
This is about music right? Well this is music. Pretty much everything else can only dream of this energy and talent and musicianship.
10/10 shout out to swing jazz easily one of my top five favorite genders
If I had to choose only one record to listen to for the rest of my life, this would be it.
YES! Unfiltered, authentic, unquestionably brilliant JAZZ from the one and only Count Basie. These arrangements own, Basie’s playing is perfect, it’s all great.
Brilliant stuff. Listened in bed and it was perfect. Mellow, nostalgic. Reminded me of old school radio shows, very atmospheric.
Disfruté muchísimo este disco; este tipo de jazz para fiesta y bailar me gusta mucho más que el jazz de solistas. Buena compañía para trabajar a buen ritmo y oír algo distinto. Se me hace curioso que sea de 1958, pues bien podría imaginarme esto sonando unos 15 años antes.
Decían que iba a sufrir con este disco pero la realidad es que el Swing y Big Band me gustan mucho, aunque es Jazz no veo por ningún lado solos kilométricos sin sentido de músicos pedantes. El disco se va entero a mi lista de reproducción por que es muy digerible y levanta el ánimo en cada una de sus canciones, se nota una estructura madura, un orden, dirección y ejecución tan estudiado con el tiempo.
Un disco muy agradable, con jazz limpio y sin pretensiones. Todo el disco es muy fácil de escuchar, y tiene un sonido “clásico” como de película de los 50’s. Quizá el problema es que todo el disco es así: no hay ninguna canción que destaque.
Mums riktigt härlig legacy jazz! Vissa låtar man känner igen till och med, Flight of the Foo Birds, Lil’ Darlin. Perfekt laga-mat-musik!
Sé que el swing y el big band y el jazz son primos, medios hermanos, clones o algo muy similar, pero para mi hay un abismo de diferencia. A ratos festivo, a ratos melancólico, este disco es un deleite de inicio a fin. No sabía de la existencia del Atómico Señor Basie y ahora me lo reprocho. Gran, gran, gran descubrimiento para acompañarlo con un buen whisky. Songs:
Este disco ha estado en mis listas desde hace una muy buena cantidad de años. Es una chulada. Siempre ha estado el punto de si Count Basie o Duke Ellington fue el verdadero creador del jazz en big band. No importa, creo que los dos fueron los iniciadores y los mejores exponentes que tuvo el género, solo que Ellington terminó siendo un poco más famoso no se por qué. Es un disco que se siente empapado de los 50s, la portada no podría estar mejor elegida trayendo todo el imaginario de sueño americano de posguerra y era nuclear con un disco que la primera mitad todavía recordando la velocidad improvisación y swing de sus canciones de finales de los 30s pasa a una segunda mitad suave, melódica y termendamente a gusto en la que casi puede uno imaginarse al Abraham Simpson bailando con la Sra. Bouvier y terminando en Lil Darlin, un cierre que no podría dejar más satisfecho después de las otras canciones. Si es de sorprenderse que tras una carrera de más de 30 años sacara lo que muchos consideran el mejor disco de su carrera cuando el mundo parecía ya lo estaba olvidando. No va a ser un disco que la mayor parte de la gente recuerde todo el tiempo pero en una lista de álbumes que uno TIENE que escuchar me parece más que necesario.
I actually listened to this twice! I enjoyed it quite a lot. I felt it was very lyrical music, but didn't require a singer
No hay forma en la que no se pueda disfrutar esta música. A pesar de las complicaciones que implican la edición de álbumes pre 70s el entendimiento de los instrumentos es tremendo. Rolas destacadas : the kid fron red Bank (gran inicio) y Double O, que es representativa de como suenan estos ensambles
thoroughly enjoyed this - I give it two Glen Miller's a Tommy Dorsey and a gaggle of Benny Goodman's for good measure.
I dare you to put on Flight of the Foo Birds and not be in a better mood.
Based on the artist and band name I was definitely expecting something very different. It was a good surprise though with some really nice jazz. Fantastic background listening during work.
So perfect that this selection hit on a weekend. Strong album. He has better and this one is solid.
Jazz is such a vibe. This wasn't my favourite but still a huge improvement on everything that came out in the 70s that we usually listen to lmao
La big band mi piace, questo disco è divertente e gli arrangiamenti sono belli. Lo risentirò.
Jazz with a capital J. Evokes images of old movies and cartoons, ocean liners and flappers. Music from a golden age, no longer the 20’s but rather the 1920’s.
The album cover is punk rock as fuck. The music is great jazzy big band stuff with a lot of energy.
real chill, if you like cowboy bebop intro you will like this. no vocals as well
Parto dal dire che pur conoscendo qualcosa ho poca familiarità con questo genere e che ho paura di sminuire il duro lavoro e studio che c'è dietro quest'album di altri tempi. La performance è impeccabile. Sarà tutto registrato live da professionisti. Non lo so, vado con un 4, perché in questo caso mi sembra giusto.
An impressive piece of swing jazz that extended into the 50s. The overuse of horns is so distinctively 40s, but the heavy sound is likely an inspiration from rock n roll. With over a dozen members, I was afraid I'd hear a complete mess of instruments, but Basie understands when each instrument should stand out. The volume is tightly controlled between the different instruments, hindering any clashing that would be more prominent in a recording (vs live). I don't think it's one of his best works, and several others like Ellington surpass him in swing, but this album is strong as a collective piece and makes for a swingting time any day.
First time listener. It's good, planning on digging into more Count Basie. My favorite jazz album so far.
Great big band and swing stuff, but I did feel a real pull for vocals on these tracks that dragged down the album a little for me.
Soft 4 stars. Such an inspiration to big band jazz music. Really brings me back to my high school and college days, although Basie's group is of course much tighter and put together. I personally prefer smaller jazz groups (rather than big band) but it's obvious to me why this recording made it on this list.
Great example of late 50s jazz resurgence. Probably Count's best album ever, and with a jazz supergroup of the time. Really great sound, really dig it. 4.5/5.
Man, this is some killing swing! His Orchestra was on fire for this recording. I also like how he brings you back to calm with the closing track Lil' Darlin' I need to check out more of his stuff.
You know, the whole time I was thinking "this sounds like every time Batman and Robin got into a fight" in the Adam West series of the 60's. Then I saw another post - same guy produced both. I thought the first few used a few too many "whams" via horns (or whatever, I don't know jazz well). But the back half slowed it down or changed the tempo nicely. Midnite Blue made me think of Grandpa Simpson after he lost out on Marge's mom to Burns. Splanky made me think about the intro to the Naked Gun. Jazz is not my thing but it can still be a good thing. Cool album from a group and bandleader I knew nothing about.
Solid. I like the atmosphere and the brass sound. (8/10) Favourite Tracks: The Kid from Red Bank, Splanky
I wasn't expecting to like this as much as I did, but it really swings. Atomic! 4 stars.
A cracking blend of big band swing and jazz. Not a genre I'm normally familiar with but loved this. In modern parlance - "an absolute banger"
It's of great disservice to Mr. Basie that upon receiving the 1001 album link to 'The Atomic...', I immediately Googled it rather than diving straight in and listening. What followed was a rabbit hole of monumental proportions. According to Wikipedia, 'The Atomic...' won 2 Grammys at the inaugural Grammy ceremony. Well, that piqued my interest. I looked at the illustrious list of winners at those 1959 awards - Ella Fitzgerald, Henry Mancini, and....Alvin and the Chipmunks. What!? Two Grammys for the Chipmunks? How was that possible? For what?! Before I knew it I was trapped in a YouTube spiral that started with the Chipmunks singing on the Ed Sullivan show in the 1950s and ended with a compilation of Skeletor's finest insults in Masters of the Universe. That's YouTube, sadly. Nincompoops. I feel like there's something symbolic in that chain of events, though. As someone of relative music history ignorance, it was easy for me to dismiss 'The Atomic...' and the fact that I didn't know who Count Basie was, and find something else to distract me. It starts with the cover artwork - a grainy orange picture of a bomb exploding with some very basic typeface on top. To me, it screamed homemade wannabe post-punk band's first album; or a lame DIY attempt by some obscure unknowns at imitating Captain Beefheart or something. And neither of those options were really what I wanted to listen to at that moment in time, if truth be told. Then when you do delve into it, you realise it's a big band album by a man who, by this point in his career, was considered washed up. Tough sell at first. But when I finally sat down and listened I was quick to ascertain this was a jazz record of a notoriety I should've respected. Basie was 53 when 'The Atomic...' album was released. He had success in decades previous, but 'The Atomic...' is his swansong. It's a renaissance album, and you can feel it. Jazz piano is at its core but it's a celebration of everything good that big band has to offer. There's a dynamic and, as becomes clear by the artwork, an explosive quality to it, throughout. A swing that just keeps building and building until you're dancing off the beat and clicking your fingers whilst jiggling in your seat. Then there's Lil' Darlin' as the final track. Slow and maudlin and almost the antithesis to the rest of the album, yet the perfect way for Basie to sign-off from an unexpected delight and an album that definitely trumps Alvin and the Chipmunks in its quality.
I had quite some trepidation in reviewing this. I'm not averse to jazz at all, yet I worry that I may lack the musicianship to appreciate this album fully. Or rather, I perhaps don't have the philosophy to appreciate it fully, if one excuses ihe pretension. Now, there are tracks on this I loved (Li'l Darlin' in particular), but I found myself overwhelmed a little by the big band aesthetic (to get pretentious again). I wished one track were a little different to leaven it slightly. Is that my fault? Am I being too harsh on myself?
the venerable Basie band is in full swing. coy piano solos show that less is more. some tunes from the middle school jazz big band canon. because of this, this album is nostalgic in more ways than one.
Some big band jazz! I don't have a lot of experience with this genre, but I enjoyed listening to this album. The first thing I noticed was how clean the recording sounds. I guess I halfway expect music from 1958 sound like an old recording, but this sounded crisp and clean to me in my headphones, in the car, and on my home equipment. Some observations and highlights for me: The piano work in "The Kid from Red Bank" The muted trumpets in "Duet" and "Splanky" That warm, cocktail vibe of "After Supper" The saxophone in "Flight of the Foo Birds", "Double-O", "Whirly-Bird", "Splanky", "Fantail" I like the musical arrangements - they showcased various parts of the band well without become tiresome. The album flowed along well. The album cover and title seem a little insensitive especially 13 years after Hiroshima and Nagasaki. That disturbed me a bit. I guess it fit into the 50s fetishization of nuclear power. Still... Aside from that quibble this was a welcome change of pace and a fun album to listen to.
This was a fun big band jazz album! I appreciated the variation in tempos, allowing me moments of dancing and prancing around the house to kicking back and feeling the cool groove. This won’t be in my regular rotation, but it has a spot in my “to work to” catalog.
This was very much fun to listen to. I love the big band sound of it. The opener, "The Kid from Red Bank" is lots of piano fun, and "Duet" has great muted trumpets. Some very fun songs are "Flight of the Foo Birds" and "Teddy the Toad." "Splanky" has my favorite name and is just swingin'. I really love the slow, sultry numbers "After Supper" and "Midnite Blue." A great, fun, classic album.
Wasn’t really in the mood for this when I started listening, but by the end of it I was in full swing! Fantastic Jazz album, impossible not to get the foot tapping along 4/5 - Enjoyable listen, probably going to add this to my list.
This was listed as pop, that doesn't seem right. Basie is always an easy listen
Enjoyable accessible jazz that became ubiquitous. A positive view into a jazz future that never happened.
Cool jazz album. I enjoyed it although it wasn't my favorite style of jazz
The combination of the cover and year of release had me questioning what I was about to hear but the moment I heard that brass, I knew I was in for a treat.
It is 1958, the world has been on a bit of a pause dealing with the aftermath of World War II, and the Korean War's cease-fire. The world gets to focus on life again with a bit more intention. However, the jazzy elements of the 1930s, 1940s have considerable staying power even more with the emergence of swing, which brings us here to Count Basie in 1958. Subtle differences say this is not your wartime jazz that makes you miss home, but rather that the hard time is over and it is time to enjoy some good in one's life. Great album, excellent for hosting parties or just spending time with friends.
Big band-setit hyvä tapa lähteä joulunviettoon. Alkaa ihan itsestään jalka polkea. Harva bändi varmaan vois laittaa ydinpommia kanteen kuvaamaan miten tykkiä musa on, mut Kreivi voi.
Loistava levy. Sopiva sekoitus rauhallista ja menevää. Lil Darlin kaunis lopetus.
huhhuh, heti alko aivan jäätävällä tykittelyllä. Muut biisit oli vähän rauhallisempia mutta kunnon hyvää koko levy. Jatkoon.
True story: I'm from Jersey and never bothered to look into who Count Basie was. A great record of uptempo swing and big band. Think more should be added to the list, but this is a good start. The album cover, by modern standards, looks very... my first MSPaint. Favorite tracks: "Duet", "Flight of the Foo Birds"
At last some Jazz which is enjoyable! It is swingy big band sound which makes me hop around on my office chair on a Friday afternoon. Not sure I could listen to this for hours but it causes a pretty nice motivation boost.
I am a swing dancer so I have listened to many, many, hours of Basie. I am very familiar with this album and it's a great one.
not what i’d usually listen to but so fun and funky. feel like i’m in a movie montage
This album is a bit of an anacronism in 1958, especially with all of the landmark jazz albums that would come out the following year. It's a big band album made after the height of the big band era. However, it's a really fun album that somehow lives up to the boldness of its cover and title. I don't usually enjoy big band music, but I thought this one was well worth the listen 4/5
i'm a sucker for a walking bassline. this is the kind of smooth i like and i'm down with the album cover that has nothing to do with jazz but at the same time somehow relates to the stabby explosive nature of the horn section.
Yeah this kind of jazz I can get behind. Not too freeform, not too self indulgent. It’s upbeat, it’s jazzy, it’s Basie!
jazzy! finally something without words. A little too uptempo for work but an easy 4.
This music transported me to an earlier time. I think I do have a preconceived notion with this type of music genre (big band/jazz...even blues/swing/etc...not sure if it's an anti-brass sentiment in my brain lol). However, this was truly quite enjoyable.
4.0 - I'm not normally a fan of big band jazz but this album really swings. I especially love the arrangement on "Whirly Bird" that has some complex brass backing, coupled with amazing solos on the piano and saxophone.