The Atomic Mr Basie

I 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.

Yet another example on this list of how dance music used to be way cooler than it is now. Albums like this make me truly tired of getting packed into a small dark room with 18 dollar cocktails just so that I can gyrate in my allotted square foot of space. I also think that there is a really cool level of fatalism present in this album. The world could end any day now in nuclear Armageddon, let's have four martinis and swing! Our fatalism today is much more depressing. Let's make fatalism fun again.

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.

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.

The album that brought joy in the middle of this snow storm.

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!

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!

I love putting this on walking around my neighbourhood built in the 50s and imagining I’m back in time. Simple yet beautiful. The melody on the last song is heartbreaking too.

A rock'n'roll guy at heart, which is why he's blowing shit up on the cover and in the music.

I’m sorry, I just can’t do jazz for long periods of time unless it’s low and slow like smoking meat. I can dig Kenny G. I bet that man can smoke some meat. Lucious, glorious meat. But enough about my Kenny G fantasy. This… well, this popped. But not in a good way. Very high pitched. Very staccato. Not unlike Flight of the Bumblebee or my recent sentence structure. However, Flight is a delicate piece on a violin that still soothes you as much as it makes you uneasy. But this… well, this was markedly more aggressive by virtue of the trumpet’s incessant blasting into my amygdala. I’m sorry, Count Basie, but I’m afraid I’ll have to count you out. Down for the count. More apropos to this review, a count of one. No recounts allowed.

girl no fuck this swing shit

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

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’m not sure what I was expecting off this. But not what I got, that’s for sure. Awful.

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

“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

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!

Been waiting for this one 🙏 this list needs more jazz

The most interesting big band music I've ever heard - way ahead of its time, really good! [EDIT: Sounds like a bunch of soundtrack themes to exciting yet unmade films thrown together. "Duet", in particular is great. Extra points for the cover art. Boom]

Un poco sobrevalorado, pero buena onda.

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

Smooth! That’s how I think of Count Basie - both as a pianist & a band-leader. This album might be a Count Basie album, but the music here has a lot to do with Neal Hefti, who both composed & arranged the music. Hefti was hot in the 50’s & 60’s. I was a kid but I knew his name. He composed & arranged music for the Woody Herman & Harry James Orchestras, before connecting with Basie in the early 50’s. The emphasis is on the brass. No strings here, which was Hefti’s want. He had started as a trumpeter, after all. He’ll always be best remembered for two compositions - his theme song for the TV show, The Odd Couple, but most of all for the title track to the TV series Batman. This album moves at a pace that hardly gives you time to breathe. And, as one critic has remarked, it was probably The Count’s last great album.

The Atomic Mr Basie Nice cover. Interesting one this. I think had I listened to this back at the start of the year I would have really struggled with it, but now there’s quite a bit I do like and can appreciate, but I would also still say that I’m not yet a fan of the more frenetic dancier Big Band numbers. Luckily on here they are counterpointed by some slightly more lower tempo tracks The Kid from Red Bank is a case in point - the slightly fraught tempo, piercing horns and rinky dink piano isn’t really my cup of tea - but I can see the skill and I can admire the energy. With something like this you can almost feel the breath of Rock’N’Roll on its shoulder. Duet is a bit more palatable, at a nicer tempo and the horns seem to be used more melodically rather than rhythmically and forcefully as on the opening track. After Supper is even better, you can still hear the Big Band-ness but it’s so gracefully performed, the piano is great and the horns have a restrained and tasteful feel. Pure 1950s black and white US sitcom theme music feel to Flight of the Foo Birds. And pure 1950s US chat show theme music feel to Double-O, despite the great piano intro. Teddy the Toad is good though, kind of similar to Duet, and very nicely arranged. Whirly-Bird would be my favourite of the uptempo dance numbers, there’s a real punch to the drums and the horns. Midnight Blue is probably my stand out, it feels more cinematic and widescreen than some of the others and despite sounding jazzy, the arrangement seems more like a mid 60s pop song - replace the horns with a guitar and it would sound pretty cool. Splanky has a nice sophisticated feel, again the horn arrangement has a nice restraint and the piano is great. Fantail doesn’t quite do it for me, not sure why, but it probably just falls too close to the franticness of the first track. Li’l Darlin is rather lovely though, a real softness and delicateness to it, definitely one of the standout tracks. I rather enjoyed this, although I think that's more enjoying it for a late 50s jazz album, rather than as an album in its own right, but I certainly wouldn't be averse to hearing it again. I’m not into it enough to go 4, so it lands as a solid mid to high 3. ⚛️⚛️⚛️ Playlist submission: Midnight Blue

The album was cozy, it was fun, but it all felt the same, i would not be able to tell you about a single number from the album. But if I was in need for some background noise that most people wouldn't mind, this one could be put on

Very enjoyable listen, but I also struggle with picking any one track out. They all flow together very well and that becomes a bit of their downfall. I'd happily have it on in the background while sitting around relaxing or enjoying a good time that isn't necessarily focused on the music. It's nice jazzy and I enjoy the contrabass quite a bit. A very cohesive listen where no one track stood out to me as particularly above or below the others Standouts - 3/5

More concentration than I possess is needed to lift me away from the noir cinema association this brings me, but it's a fine example of this sort of formation flying. I kept thinking of scenes from Touch of Evil, among others.

Yes important in a musical education - along with a few paragraphs of the Wikipedia entry.....Look for the 1994 remaster - previous version either ripped badly to YT music or is a bad recording, despite its importance. Not forgetting how important his innovations and influence are he is one of many who changed music, creating many "standards" - the track "Li'l Darlin" standing out to me as something I first heard on "Come in Spinner" on ABC in 1990 when first discovering the swoons and joys of jazz and the voices the orchestra can play. Whichever way you discover a love for Jazz, I hope you find it. But this album is more history that joy for me. But a great reminder of the debt owed to the passionate innovative genius of the first half of the 20th century I music. They were exciting rule breaking and standard setting times.

5/10 That's nice. 5-2-2024

No

not my style at all

A bit too "old" for me. Audio quality was low by modern standards. Too brassy.

Probably the best something like this can be, but not my thing at all. Technically very good, very proficient, great production etc but with this style of music, if it doesn't have a crooner singing, it's just not my thing Between a 1 and a 2 1/5

Не представляю как это можно серьëзно слушать, всë время ловлю флешбеки с опенинга Гриффинов. Не зашло

Vomit

This is great, will listen again.

I believe we've come across the only artist on this list that I can say this for - I have been on stage and played a song from this album to an audience (in my grade nine Big Band). The song was Splanky and I even busted out a sax solo.

Didn't know that Count played piano - thought he was a trumpeter

Et av mine absolutte favorittjazzalbumer! Det smeller og spreller!

Bombs away, Mr. Basie! Regardless of the apocalyptic nature of the album cover, this is a perfect soundtrack for winding down your day and sailing off into the night, bopping around as though no one is watching with nary a care in the world and not having to worry about time, place, et al. From my experience, anyway.

Bangers only

5/5 - Loved this album!

Basie <3

Great, fun classic Jazz

10/10 shout out to swing jazz easily one of my top five favorite genders

This was so good.

Really great big jazz album. Really enjoyed this one, it was a lot of fun. Album art is fun too.

really liked it, some good jazz

Exceptional, but then again I'm a jazz fan.

This album has always been a favorite.

Jazzy, good

Good. Not really my type of music.

Not my favorite Count Basie, but always enjoy his music.

great big band jazz

Un viaje genial para encarar el día! Música de otro tiempo pero imperecedera

Divine

That's album cover is Punk Rock for sure. This whole album is pretty heavy. Dear metal, you've invented nothing.

This album rules. Titles way ahead of their time

Oh, hot dog. This is fine

Love it. These songs melted together so nicely it was hard to distinguish when one song was ending and another was starting. Very cozy, coffee shop/fancy restaurant vibes. Favorite track - After Supper Least favorite track - N/A

Nice album dig the big orchestra sound.

This album is so great that it can name one of its tracks “Splanky” and make it sound cool.

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.

Always love a good jazz record

Orquestra de jazz, só sonzao pode crê aham

Enjoyed listening to it, and watching the baby move her feet in time to it!

A lively big band album that really works for me. The opening piece; The Kid From Red Bank might just be the perfect introducton for a newbie to big band jazz. Throughout this album the music is fast paced and joyful and infectious and incredibly played and arranged. I can't even imagine how incredibly amazing it must have been to be present at the recordng sessions. 5 stars

Amazing swing/jazz. Makes me want to sit and listen and dance at the same time. Would be great music to paint to.

If I had to choose only one record to listen to for the rest of my life, this would be it.

It's got a great beat and you can dance to it

This is about music right? Well this is music. Pretty much everything else can only dream of this energy and talent and musicianship.

I’m hype for jazz Bass line goes crazy hard Banger 5/5

Simply magnificent

Saksofon

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

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..

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.

For some reason I have a real soft spot for big band and swing music. Therefore this was very much up my alley. From 1958, it's a late album of its genre, probably one of the last hurrahs of swing, and right slap-bang in the middle of the Atomic Age. When I first saw the album cover I for a second expected a punk album, before noticing it was a Basie album. An interesting cover choice for sure, but I'm sure there had to be a weird public fascination about nuclear weapons at that stage of the Cold War. Pure speculation though, this came out 40 years before I did. Either way the songs were wonderful and it was a nice warm treat on a Thursday evening. Some of the songs were a little too slow for me, but it was still just lovely. Favourite: Flight of the Foo Birds

Excellent

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

Love big band

Love me some big band. Basie, and this album in particular, is out of sight.

Classic

Awesome album! Lots of fun, start to finish.

Love this shit. Might be one of the ugliest covers ever though. 5

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.

Great album! Fun!

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!

I really like the swingy mood. It gives such a cool vibe and the whole album has this very cozy, almost a home feeling.

WOW! This was such a fun ride. From the very first track…I was grooving and imagining an old crooner singing along. Then, upon finishing. Spotify led me to an album of Basie & Frank…So I got enjoy the result of my imagination. Beautiful compositions.

It's really great. Count Basie is a legend

Really good. Love a bit of big band

Now THIS is music!

Amazing, full, big band greatness.

Very good one. I float listening to the trumpets!

Excellent album. Really fun old jazz

Very nice album. Even though i dont listen much to jazz this album is light and fun to listen to.

Two words: Heck yeah!

What happened to that high schooler who vehemently defended his dislike of big band? This music just makes me feel happy now. 9/10

Enjoyable. Kinda what I needed at that moment too, so hurrah for coincidences.

im a fan. reminds me of christmas music