The Atomic Mr Basie

Love big band but this is only 'good.'

pleasant! if more anonymous than that fucking cover suggests 6/10

Been waiting for this one 🙏 this list needs more jazz

Great for a bit of background Jazz, not sure that I'd enjoy it for anything more

Hard to argue with this one. Not something I would listen to regularly though.

This album is full of instrumental jazz music. I found it to be somewhat enjoyable.

**In-Depth Review of "The Atomic Mr. Basie" by Count Basie & His Orchestra** **Introduction:** "The Atomic Mr. Basie," also known simply as "Basie," is an album that was recorded in 1957 by Count Basie and His Orchestra. It stands as one of the most iconic big band jazz albums, celebrated for its groundbreaking arrangements, tight ensemble playing, and the seamless integration of various jazz idioms. The album is a definitive example of the Basie sound, with a combination of swinging rhythms, sharp brass, and dynamic performances. **Music and Arrangements:** The musicality of "The Atomic Mr. Basie" is its most defining characteristic. The album was arranged by Neal Hefti, whose work on this project became some of the most well-known in the jazz world. The arrangements are sophisticated yet accessible, allowing each section of the orchestra to shine without overshadowing the overall cohesion of the ensemble. The album opens with "The Kid from Red Bank," a high-energy track that immediately sets the tone. This piece is notable for its driving rhythm section and the interplay between the brass and reeds. The title refers to Basie's hometown of Red Bank, New Jersey, and the composition is an homage to his roots. The arrangement captures the essence of Basie’s style – economical, swinging, and full of life. "Duet" follows, offering a more subdued yet equally engaging performance. This track is a feature for the trumpet and tenor saxophone, showcasing the band's ability to move effortlessly between high-energy swing and more introspective moods. Hefti's arrangement here allows for a dialogue between the two soloists, creating a conversation that is both playful and respectful. One of the standout tracks on the album is "Flight of the Foo Birds." This piece epitomizes Hefti’s use of counterpoint and dynamic contrasts, with a tight rhythmic foundation that allows the brass to soar. The track is both modern and rooted in the swing tradition, demonstrating how Basie and his band were able to push the boundaries of big band jazz without losing the genre’s core elements. "Lil' Darlin'" is another highlight, known for its slower tempo and bluesy feel. The arrangement is deceptively simple, with a laid-back groove that contrasts sharply with the album's more uptempo numbers. This track has become a jazz standard, often performed by other big bands, which speaks to its enduring appeal and the effectiveness of Hefti's arrangement. The closing track, "Splanky," is a quintessential Basie number, with its driving swing and punchy brass. The piece is built on a simple blues structure, but the execution elevates it to something far more sophisticated. The rhythm section, particularly Basie on piano, is locked in, providing a foundation that allows the brass to punch through with precision and flair. Overall, the music on "The Atomic Mr. Basie" is a masterclass in big band jazz. The arrangements are both intricate and accessible, with each track offering something unique while contributing to the album’s cohesive sound. The orchestra’s performance is tight and energetic, demonstrating why Count Basie was one of the most respected bandleaders of his time. **Production Quality:** The production of "The Atomic Mr. Basie" is notable for its clarity and balance, particularly given the technological limitations of the 1950s. The album was recorded at Capitol Studios in Hollywood, known for its superb acoustics and engineering staff. The recording captures the power of the big band without sacrificing the nuances of individual performances. The brass is punchy without being overwhelming, the reeds are smooth and well-blended, and the rhythm section is clear and propulsive. This balance is critical in a big band setting, where too much emphasis on one section can easily throw off the entire mix. One of the standout aspects of the production is the way it captures the dynamic range of the orchestra. Tracks like "Flight of the Foo Birds" and "Splanky" benefit from the recording’s ability to handle both the quiet, more intricate passages and the louder, more bombastic moments. This dynamic range is a key element of the Basie sound, and it is well-preserved in the recording. However, there are some limitations in the production quality when judged by modern standards. The recording, while clear and balanced, lacks the warmth and depth that later recording technologies would provide. The sound can be somewhat compressed, particularly in the louder sections, and there is a noticeable lack of low-end punch. This is not necessarily a flaw, but rather a reflection of the era in which the album was recorded. Despite these minor limitations, the production of "The Atomic Mr. Basie" is a triumph. It captures the energy and precision of the band, allowing the music to speak for itself without unnecessary embellishment or studio tricks. The result is an album that feels alive and immediate, even more than six decades after its release. **Themes and Atmosphere:** While "The Atomic Mr. Basie" is not a concept album in the traditional sense, it does have a thematic consistency that runs through the music. The album’s title and cover art, which features a mushroom cloud, suggest a sense of power and energy, which is reflected in the music. This was an era when atomic energy was a symbol of both technological progress and existential threat, and while the album does not explicitly engage with these ideas, there is an undercurrent of modernity and forward motion in the music. The atmosphere of the album is one of sophistication and precision, yet it is also deeply rooted in the blues and swing traditions. There is a sense of confidence in the performances, as if the band is aware that they are at the top of their game. This is music that is both accessible and challenging, inviting listeners in while also rewarding close attention. The themes of the album are largely conveyed through the music rather than lyrics, as this is an instrumental album. The compositions and arrangements often evoke feelings of excitement, contemplation, and nostalgia. For example, "Lil' Darlin'" has a wistful, almost melancholic quality, while "The Kid from Red Bank" is exuberant and celebratory. There is also a sense of playfulness in the music, particularly in the way that Hefti's arrangements use unexpected turns of phrase and rhythmic shifts. This playfulness is balanced by the serious musicianship of the band, creating an atmosphere that is both fun and intellectually stimulating. **Influence and Legacy:** "The Atomic Mr. Basie" has had a profound influence on jazz and big band music. It is often cited as one of the definitive big band albums, and its impact can be heard in the work of countless other musicians and arrangers. Neal Hefti's arrangements have become standards in their own right, with tracks like "Lil' Darlin'" and "Splanky" often performed by other big bands and small groups alike. The album also played a role in revitalizing Basie's career. By the mid-1950s, big band jazz was beginning to fall out of favor, with smaller groups and bebop becoming more popular. "The Atomic Mr. Basie" helped to reaffirm the relevance of big band music in the modern jazz landscape, proving that the genre could still be innovative and exciting. One of the key elements of the album’s influence is its integration of swing and modern jazz elements. Hefti's arrangements are rooted in the swing tradition, but they also incorporate more contemporary harmonic and rhythmic ideas, bridging the gap between past and present. This synthesis has been a model for other arrangers and composers, showing that it is possible to honor tradition while still pushing the boundaries of the genre. The album's influence extends beyond jazz, as well. Its crisp, powerful sound has been admired by musicians in other genres, including rock and pop. The album’s sense of swing and groove has been an inspiration for artists looking to incorporate jazz elements into their own work. **Pros and Cons:** **Pros:** 1. **Exceptional Arrangements:** Neal Hefti’s arrangements are innovative, sophisticated, and perfectly suited to the strengths of the Basie Orchestra. Each track offers something unique, contributing to the album's cohesive yet varied sound. 2. **Outstanding Performances:** The musicianship on the album is top-notch, with the entire orchestra delivering tight, energetic performances. The solos are expressive and technically impressive, adding depth to the arrangements. 3. **Strong Production Quality:** For its time, the production quality is excellent. The recording captures the power and nuance of the big band, providing a clear and balanced listening experience. 4. **Cohesive Themes:** While not a concept album, there is a thematic consistency in the music that ties the album together. The sense of energy, precision, and modernity reflects the era's cultural and technological climate. 5. **Influence and Legacy:** The album has had a lasting impact on jazz and beyond, influencing countless musicians and arrangers. It helped to revitalize big band music and remains a touchstone for both musicians and jazz aficionados. **Cons:** 1. **Production Limitations:** While the production is strong for its time, there are some limitations in terms of dynamic range and low-end presence. Modern listeners might find the sound somewhat compressed compared to contemporary recordings. 2. **Lack of Variety in Tempo:** The album, while cohesive, does not feature a wide range of tempos. Most of the tracks are either mid-tempo or slower, which could be seen as limiting the overall dynamic range of the album. 3. **Accessibility:** For listeners who are not familiar with big band jazz, the album might not be immediately accessible. The sophistication of the arrangements and the instrumental focus may require multiple listens to fully appreciate. 4. **No Lyrics or Vocal Tracks:** As an instrumental album, "The Atomic Mr. Basie" lacks lyrical content, which may make it less appealing to those who prefer vocal jazz or songs with lyrics. 5. **Era-Specific Sound:** While the album’s sound is a strength, it is also very much of its time. Some listeners might find the style dated, particularly if they are more accustomed to the more eclectic and experimental approaches of later jazz. **Conclusion:** "The Atomic Mr. Basie" is a landmark album in the history of jazz, showcasing the power and versatility of the big band format. With its masterful arrangements, outstanding performances, and strong production, the album stands as a testament to Count Basie and Neal Hefti’s artistry. While it has some minor limitations, particularly in terms of production quality and tempo variety, these are far outweighed by the album’s strengths. Its influence and legacy continue to be felt, making it a must-listen for anyone interested in jazz or the history of 20th-century music.

Good mood music for a dinner party or as background music.

I suppose the reason there are no real big bands anymore was because these guys mastered it. Also, it just feels old, but it should. Great background ambience.

This style of jazz is probably my favorite

A very goofy album cover (and title) for a surprisingly great collection of songs. The horn arrangements here are the most obvious highlight, written to impress jazz musicians and admirers of more accessible music. They're tight, sly, and playful, acting as a substitute for vocals in an otherwise entirely vocal-less album. Great piano playing by Basie, too – just the right balance of musicianship and pure joyful energy. I love the little off-kilter, slightly jumbled chords he plays. Was that intentional, or just Basie having so much fun that he lost a bit of his precision? Who knows? This style was very much the norm for "pop" music in the 40s and 50s (along with string-accompanied ballad songs), but that was soon to change. As another reviewer pointed out, The Atomic Mr Basie is a kind of last hurrah for big-band presence in popular music before rock 'n'roll completely took over in the late 50s and early 60s. Unfortunately, as good as this music is, I'd be hard-pressed to give 5 stars to any album without lyrics, because purely instrumental sound lacks the verbal element that really blows me away. But Count Basie and his orchestra get pretty darn close. Replace a few of the virtuosic trumpet lines with stanky soul singing (a la Ray Charles) and you'll approach something really special. 4/5 Key tracks: Splanky, Lil Darlin', The Kid from Red Bank, Fight of the Foo Birds

3.5

Jazz album, funny but not great. The piano very poorly deployed. I like a more involved piano, not only random melodic patterns with one hand.

Reminded me of cuphead which is stylish

Cool album cover, with some (in my opinion) pretty generic, but sweet, jazz. Don't feel like I have the skills to determine what differentiates this from other similar albums. I liked it, but it doesn't feel like anything special to me.

Was surprised by how much I enjoyed it. Really interesting big band music, great solos and fun tunes. Got flashbacks from a lindy-hop course when hearing "Splanky". Not much to say except I it was good and choosing a mushroom cloud as an image in 1958 sure is a choice.

Day211 - a big band banger

Wear a tuxedo Dance in a black and white film Be classy, have fun

I am taken by surprise how much I liked this album. My first thought was "oh no jazz". But honestly I enjoyed it a lot. It was a fun listening. Favourite song: Lil' Darlin'

God I would have slayed a sock hop

Paul drive fast to swing music

What can I say beyond "music"

A fun little ditty. Makes me want to swing

Solid big band.

A pretty dope album when it wasn't trying it's hardest to give me a headache. So half dope. 2/5

Brilliant jazz. Like jazz? I don't. That said, there's some fun, big band dance music on here as well as the usual Sunday sleepers.

I like this big band vibe, dynamics and the wind instruments

A very nice instrumental album

Loved it. Fantastic grouping of jazzy beats.

Objectively a good piece of music but I really could not be any less interested in a Jazz album from 1958.

nice background music

I could get behind this. It's Friday afternoon. Soon it'll be cocktail hour. I don't know much about jazz but this is ok. I'd listen again, but not on purpose. Three swinging stars.

Still disappointed that plutonium jazz isn't a real genre, but I guess this explosive statement is close enough in terms of vibe

🎧Excellent and lively jazz/big band/swing

3.5☆/5 07.22.2024

A really good album, I like the older orchestral/jazzy style songs. Splanky is my favorite song on this album and I've added the majority of the songs to my likes playlist.

It's not as good as I'd hoped but I do like Lil Darlin'. Sinatra and Basie is better.

Sounds like it's come out of a looney tunes cartoon but in a good way

You like jaaaazz? 7/10

Noteworthy songs - 808080808 Magical Dream - Kinda catchy synth, but the rest is bland. Ancodia - Good background noise. Cobra Bora - Actually kind of cool, reminds me of Bomberman Hero. Pacific 202 - N64 vibes, but melody isn't great. Donkey Doctor - Nothing too special, weird ending. 808080808 - Really cool beginning. A little slow in the middle but stays interesting enough. Sunrise - Nothing remarkable. The Fat Shadow - Eerie. Very short.

Worth knowing better

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

Now.. This is music where someone actually plays and just enjoys the experience. We are left with a weird combination as listeners though. Duet wants me to just walk along an LA concrete foot path.. 3 songs in and I feel like I'm eating breakfast at a cheap hotel.

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

Too Jazzy

I am not the biggest fan of this genre of music, but I will be doing my best to give it, it’s fair shake. The song “splanky” was excellent. The other songs on the albums were good, but again this genre is not something I listen to any of at all.

Nostalgic

It's a classic swing album

Really nice 50s band/swing style music. Instrumental

A master. Great collection.

I’d like this to be the soundtrack to my life.

Enjoyed, preferred other albums with Basie

Another record that would benefit seeing in a live format. These instrumental Jazz/Big Band records just aren't as interesting in audio format. I want to watch it. I want to see the emotion in the artists. I don't get any of that in just listening to this type of music. Which is a shame because it limits my enjoyment from it. I do like what's going on. The arrangements are interesting. But my enjoyment and curiosity is limited to just the sound. And I know there is a lot going on that I am just not getting. Oh well.

Good jazz! Not too mental! Expected extreme drum and bass based on the cover. I was NOT disappointed! 3.4

Awesome

I'm not totally sure what to say, to my ears it's pretty standard big-band jazz. Maybe it was noteworthy in 1958. It's fine, but I wouldn't put it on again as anything other than background music to talk over.

No me gusta. Just don’t like it. I tried. I like some Glen Miller. But this just sounds too much like car crashes

love me some new jazz music! Never heard of Count Basie & as a piano lover some of those melodies were beautiful. It's a lovely album

Fun little album

Love it

One of the most accessible jazz albums I’ve ever listened to.

Surprised how easy this was to listen to for background at work. Normally would throw this kind of thing a 1 and move on but this was different somehow. Might even listen to it again when chilling at home.

This music makes me happy. Great to have on while working around the house.

Bueno

Punchy and beautiful. No joke, a blissful listen.

A fantastic jazz album. I had never listened to Count Basie before (that I know of) and really enjoyed this album.

More really, really good jazz. I can't believe I'm such a sucker for structured jazz music. It's so alive. An absolute gem for any jazz lover. Brass sections, smooth piano, and infectious rhythm that is all gas no brakes.

sizzling, swinging big band - great Neil Hefti arrangements, too.

Jazz / Big-Band. Alles instrumental. Als Hintergrundmusik noch ok. 2/5

So this one is a little hard to rate for me. It mostly settled into background music for me BUT I was enjoying listening to it. I think this is a fun sound, though not one I am all that familiar with. I can't really pick out particular songs I like at this stage, but I would give this a second listen for sure!

Swing music is one of those genres I have plenty of appreciation but little excitement for. This album doesn’t really contradict that opinion, but it’s certainly worthy and well-performed.

Great jazz, good balance

The oddest thing about listening to this album is that it makes you reflect on what your period reflection is for specific music-styles. Thus, The Atomic Mr Basie, for all intent and purpose, belongs to the '30s, not the late '50s. However, does this mean that your favorite band, when growing up, is never allowed to release more music 2 decades later? This would have killed the Stones, Pink Floyd, and on and on and on. So, consider me happy with some Big Band music, and the Count brightening up my day! And should this app throw another "old persons" music my way, I will be happy to give it a listen.

classic brilliance

I forgot how amazing this album was. Basie had been leading his band for over 20 years at this point, but he managed to capture some of the best big band music ever recorded. It’s the perfect confluence of great bandleading, interplay between musicians, and arrangements (by Neal Hefti). Probably the best swing/big band jazz album ever recorded.

The name is misleading. By all accounts, he wasn't an actual count (like Dracula), he was a jazz musician who was great at counting. Some say could count in a song even if a nuclear armageddon was going down. And you can count this, as one of the greatest big band albums ever!

nice enjoyable 3/5

Piqued my interested in Jazz Orchestra. 4.2 stars

Classic Count Basie music from a bygone era of jazz orchestras And a nice example here one of his better albums

Heck yea

I like it, won't ever be in heavy rotation, but another remember this on a rainy Thursday afternoon.

This is extremely not my shit, swing sucks

I didn't know music could sound this good. Each song introduces amazing hooks and endings that perfectly conclude the song. This album blew my expectations away becoming an easy 5/5 for me.

Swinging but of its time

My new fallout soundtrack

Basie.

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.

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.

Bruce Elder on allmusic.com writes of this album that "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." I remember when Bruce used write record reviews for the Sydney Morning Herald, so there you go. Quality became ubiquity, and has diminished the surprise and boldness of this album. This album may have been a bold, new statement in 1958, but it has become so much of the cultural landscape that I often felt like I was listening to a Top Cat cartoon. It's not Count Basie's fault that he so successfully defined what to do with a big band that it became one of the dominant orchestral sounds of the 20th century. It's an energetic up-tempo listen, with some flashy soloing and a huge sound. My 19 year old son, Hal, has developed a love of jazz, and especially big bands of the 60s and early 70s. I can hear the influence of this album in the records he collects and plays. He _loves_ big horn section, and this rally is gold standard in that style.

4 stars. Great feel, great piano, great jazz.

Parece ser um clássico das bandas de metais (sopros) para bailes, assim, de fato me soou como totalmente genérico.

It's got some sassy chords, and is a genuine bop.

Cracking piece of big band jazz 4.5

This album was really relaxing and even though i don't really listen to jazz and usually listen to it while studying (just like this time) it was really nice

Just a really good album. Made me forget how grey it is outside and have a good boogie

I really enjoyed this but nothing really stood out – it sounded like Count Basie with the piano and horns but it made me realise how hard big band and bebop bass players work. Eddie Jones is non-stop and really underpins the entire album. Great mix. Having said that, I wonder how many people will remember Basie, as opposed to Ellington, or Petersen, or Shaw or Miller?

It's decent, I enjoyed it

Fantastically relaxing and comfortable to the old soul. I do enjoy this from time to time.

Wow - loved this one! Very upbeat, so many instruments, catchy tunes. What a great find! 5 ⭐️

portillos music.

ten typowy jazz z dawnych lat, nie odroznilbym od innych utworow, ale nie jest irytujacy

4 Banger

What a great album. Loved to listen to it. Will listen again.

Classic. Lovely. Would listen again.

Passt gut zum kochen

That was an overall nice discovery, even though it's not my favorite genre.

Honestly wasn’t sure how I was going to feel about this album before I started it. I’m not the biggest fan of big band music, but I also know Count Basie is a legend. This definitely exceeded my expectations. The arrangements were fun and captivating. I kept listening to “Fight of the Foo Birds” on repeat because it was such a fun track. Overall I really enjoyed this.

Classic music from that era

pretty nice swing

I can see why people like this and why the album is important but I really cant get into Jazz at all. This is very much posh resturant music for me. Favourite song: Least favourite: Album artwork: I love the cover

Interesting

Good album from a Jazz legend. Not really my style but I can appreciate it.

Een piano virtuoos, fifties swing jazz. Cool, maar ik raak er na een tijdje wel op uit gekeken.

Groovy stuff so far

I enjoyed many of the tracks, but in the end it just didn’t leave much of an impression on me. None of the tracks were “bad,” and it's not even the worst work of Count Basis, but a lot of it just seemed forgettable to me.

Enjoyable, fun at times, relaxing at others. Bumping it up to 4 since the artwork and name is dope.

A good one to listen to After Supper. Preferably after the Whirly-Bird goes to bed and Teddy the Toad wakes up for his Duet.

STANDOUTS: n/a OVERALL: 2/5; nice lil inoffensive elevator music but nothing that stands out.

Is The Atomic Mr. Basie a good jazz record? Sure! It’s extremely traditional, especially in retrospect, but not as traditional as you’d expect. When you hear the term “big band,” your mind conjures up a very specific sound, and I would say the majority of this album is not playing within the parameters of that sound. A lot of it is a lot more low-key, melodic, lounge-esque, even. I think you either like that aesthetic in jazz or you don’t, and I typically don’t, but I still see its value. There are some bop elements to keep the attention of modern ears, though, especially in how the horns are played. Actually, I think it’s that piece that earned this album a spot in the book in the first place. And Basie’s piano playing is pretty engaging, if you like that kind of thing, but that’s not unique to this record. But is this an essential jazz album, especially from this era? Honestly, no. Jazz is a hard genre to get into because it lacks a clear hook 90% of the time, but there are a 1,000,001 memorable jazz songs, and albums filled with jazz cuts that get stuck in your head for day. Basie has some examples himself! But unfortunately, while The Atomic is good and seems to be a noteworthy example of jazz while it was transitioning sounds, this album contains zero stand-out, flat-out, stuck-in-your-head-for-days jazz cuts. Even at its best. That isn’t to say it’s bad, because it isn’t, but it never really shines, either. Which is fine if you’re just bouncing around listening to jazz albums you pulled out of the bin, but that is far from a standing ovation or strong recommendation. If some of these songs – especially cuts on Side B – came on my Spotify shuffle, I wouldn’t hit skip (especially if I’m in the mood for jazz, which is why they’d be on my shuffle list in the first place). But I doubt that I will ever revisit this album in full ever again after today. Maybe another Basie would have been a smarter choice.

This is like the heavy metal of jazz. It was thoroughly enjoyable

Easy listening

Nice jazzy instrumental. Solid background music.

Swing is not really my thing but this is a good album

en stark tvåa. ganska gött emellanåt och inte för långt album. coolt att det är 50-tal. däremot är det här inte riktigt för mig.

4.0

Nice mix of exciting, high energy jazz ensembles and slower tracks. I'm not too familiar with jazz / orchestral music so I cannot compare it to other albums in the genre, but I can say I enjoyed the album. It's a nice album for passive listening while focusing on other tasks. Some of the higher energy songs had me envisioning animations and cartoons to accompany them. Oh, and I really like the album cover. It's great.

Bit jazzy, bit chill. No lyrics, just music

not bad, pretty cool tunes probably a 3/5 maybe even a 4 definitely a banger

This was fun, you can see how it’s the bridge between big band and rock and roll. Enjoyable listen.

If I wanted to listen to an hour of instrumental jazz, this is probably the album I’d listen to. Unfortunately I don’t think I’d want to listen to an hour of instrumental jazz very often.

A nice listen. This is definitely the oldest one so far (and obviously so). It was exactly what I needed today, too (I was too stressed for lyrics). The big-band really lifted my spirits. :)

As a random album that came across my plate, I found it to be fun, energetic, and high-energy, but it also had some really good mellow sections with wonderful pianos and great percussion. That being said, I'm always open to listening to anything that comes my way, but this was definitely the first big band, swing, ballroom jazz album I've ever played from beginning to end. Other than that, it's fair to say this is definitely not my usual style of music, so I don't have much of a reference point on what makes this such a monumental album compared to others from its era and genre.

Great example of big band music, and the blurry lines between that and the more accessible side of jazz. I liked it, especially the drumming, and appreciate its place on the genre, but not sure how deep down the rabbit hole I feel the need to venture. I loved the cover art though - but not sure it would pass the legal dept. nowadays!

Basie is a jazz icon, and rightfully so. Not my favorite thing to listen to, but certainly enjoyable.

I enjoyed this. It was a nice palette cleanser, definitely music that I'm not very familiar with and it was a nice little head bopping background music soundtrack to my day. I'll give it a 3. At one point I was trying to look at it as objectively as possible, and as the musicians are obviously very talented, I wondered if it didnt deserve 4 stars. Then as I continued listening I felt like it was just a very long album. When I checked, I had blown past the album by 4-5 songs and hadn't noticed. So while I'm sure that these people are fantastic artists, the reality is that they're not *so* good that I could differentiate their sound from the next 5 artists that popped up. Ultimately, then, it was a pleasant little aside, and a happy 3 stars.

could i write poetry to this? y

Interesting. I haven't heard Basie in this context before.

Great album

first listen.

I have never listened to a lot of jazz, but I've decided to give this a shot. It was nice, but not something I would listen to regularly. At times, I felt like I was in a really fancy restaurant, or watching a soap opera about the 20's, or in a Pink Panther episode. I'd listen to it again while drinking a nice bottle of wine, since it wasn't bad at all, but not something to listen to frequently.

This album is able to capture a lot of different feelings over it's runtime. From epic upbeat big band sounds to more slow and intimate conversations. Truly an album with a track for any stage of a fancy evening. The album has a whole has a very familiar sound, with less of the experimentation of jazz. The solos are incredible and a really loved "Duet". Overall, very good but maybe not something I will be revisiting often.

Enjoyed it, but wouldn’t choose to play it

I enjoy big band music but it all starts to sound the same to me after a while, especially since I listen at work so I'm not usually paying full attention to it.

I've never listened to big band music before, but I will be going forward. This was a really fun album.

Enjoyed this big band sound. The songs were short and different enough to keep the album interesting and a fun listen.

It was one of those albums in which you listened to the first track and knew it was going to be great from beginning to end.

I mean it was a fine album to listen to. It sounded really good which is more than I can say for quite a few of the albums we've had, but I don't think it would ever rise above the level of background dinner music for me. I just don't really connect with jazz/big band music as much as other genres. It just doesn't really do it for me. Also I don't understand why this was on the list, sure it sounded fine but good/revolutionary enough for me to NEED to listen to it before I died? I don't really think so.

classic big band/jazz sound. can tell Basie & his orchestra had played together for quite a while-they all blend so well together. excellent album

Love me the oldies and classics

Great Jazz! Really enjoyed listening to it after so many years. Not my usual music but thoroughly enjoyable.

This is a good album with the typical big band flair to it. I've listened to a few Jazz albums so far in this challenge, and I don't like this album as much as the other ones I've listened to. Still, this album doesn't really have a low light. I struggle to pick a favorite song as I find myself liking a lot of them the same. I would probably go with 'Lil' Darlin' as it closes the album strongly. It was a pleasant album to listen to. FAVORITE SONGS - Lil' Darlin' - Duet - Whirly-Bird 3.5/5

Soundtrack from fallout

1.5 Not for me though it was more tolerable than the Charles Mingus album.

I really liked this.

Cuphead soundtrack be like

Pretty cool

Basie can swing! Definitely in my top 30 jazz albums. I looked for this record for a while during pandemic.

I don't really know why but it wasn't what I was expecting - it wasn't bad tho

Schöner Jazz. Die dicken Bläsersätze muss man aber mögen.

1. red bank - 1.5 2. duet - 1.5 3. zupper - 1 4. foo birdz - 1.5 5. double - 1.5 6. teddy - 1 7. bird - 1.5 8. blue - 1.5 9. zplanky - 1 10. fantail - 1.5 11. darling - 2

This album was okay. It's decent background music, but I'm not that into big band/old Hollywood jazz stuff. Would be kind of fun to listen to while cleaning or something, but I wouldn't go out of my way to hear it.

The cover of the album (an atomic bomb) does not indicate the content, which is a big-band style orchestra (without singing).

It was fun swing/big band. Not bad but not super memorable.

Correcto. Big band no es mi estilo de jazz favorito.

MARAVILHOSO MEU DEUS QUE COISA INCRÍVEL, FODA, BOM DEMAIS

Count Basie was a jazz pianist that led one of the most successful "big bands" in music history. He toured and recorded with his orchestra for almost fifty years. The Atomic Mr. Basie is a studio album Count Basie recorded after his orchestra had been together for almost twenty years. This is an incredible collection of tracks of remarkable depth and range. This is potentially the best of Basie's extensive catalog, and a canonical part of American jazz.

Love jazz with lots of wind and brass

Fire

Yeah this swings

Favourite song - Teddy the toad

Great big band sound

The music the hip kids listened to the year I was born. I should listen to this every year on my birthday. I like this! Time travel music. 3 stars no problem.

Classic jazz at its finest! What a masterpiece!

Итс олрайт. Лучшая песня - Lil' Darlin'.

Fun listen

Loved the album, made me feel like playing Fallout New Vegas again

Pretty cool. Pretty samey.

Has real swing, fun listen and very reminiscent of its era.

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.

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]

All I hear is the Family Guy theme song over and over again. I guess its OK and really good clean musicians but not my thing. Did enjoyed it for a few songs until they all became too similar.

Jazz again :(

Doubt I’ll listen to any of this again but it wasn’t awful.

Decent example of big band

Didn't listen through it all the way through admittedly. I do like the sound, but couldn't tell you anything in particular from an individual song

Very good, great background music (that's not meant to be an insult).

Enjoyed this album

7/10. Feel good album. Nice vibes.

High energy big band stuff and easy going mellow stuff. I don't care for much big bands but this is good. It came out in 1958 so that probably helps. I like this quite a bit actually.

Fun, jazzy tunes. Probably not something I’ll spend much time with but maybe one to listen to on a Sunday

Big band’s last gasp. Really enjoyed it

I got very excited when I heard the name of this album but it turns out it is just jazz with a big band. Oh well. Listens: 1 Rating: 2

Good stuff. All I pictured with this music was the Naked Gun collection of movies. “Interesting” album cover.

I don’t know what to call this genre, orchestra, big band, whatever, but it’s not something I listen to. Not to say I didn’t like this, but it felt like something I would put on in the background

Good background music and cool album cover for an album from the 50s Rating: 3.4

Big band, swing. This album was pretty good, lots of energy and very dense. There were some really exciting songs, some ok songs, and some pretty forgettable songs, so it was a mixed experience. But I did have fun listening. Lots of cool solos and what I would guess were some improvisational bits. I don't really know what to say other than that, it was just fun to listen to but I wasn't very engaged. Maybe I still just don't get the genres yet, maybe it's just not quite for me. It was evident that everyone in the album had fun and were playing their hearts out. The album was fun for me as well, so I guess it does its job. Won't revisit, but I did like it. 3/5

Fun album Standout Songs: The Kid from Red Bank Flight of the Foo Birds

Pretty good swing album with a misleading cover. Pretty bold of him to have an atomic explosion on the cover post WW2 and during the red scare. The music was interesting with good playing. I wouldn't go out of my way to listen.

Good swing music, reminds me of Fallout.

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

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.

Skemmtileg, oft frekar svipuð. Uppáhalds lag: Lil' Darlin

Not bad. Not particularly engaging for me.

Fun, instrumental swing. Nothing mind-blowing but I enjoyed it quite a bit throughout.

After Supper is the Standout here. Great album.

As a certified "not a big fan of jazz" person, this was actually really pleasant. It's especially been a breath of fresh air after the past couple duds I've gotten. I still don't fully understand jazz, but this was a pretty good listen. 7/10 Would I listen again? If I'm feeling jazzy

Have never listened to big band and am kind of loving this. Let’s see how an albums-worth of this goes. Okay. This is cool. Especially liked the first three and Teddy the Toad

I listened to this because Joe “I cook da pizza” Dosch said it was his favorite jazz albums. I definitely enjoyed it but I feel like there is a ceiling for albums like this. I can’t appreciate the sax parts as much as other people

Think this I liked this less than I should have bc I was incredibly hangry while this was playing. The sound of the music was good, sound of my stomach growling-not so good. Enjoyed it like a 6/10

Pretty good! Not the biggest jazz listener but this was very solid. 7/10

7/10 - Pretty Jazzy. Earlier pieces were better imo, and flight of the foo birds was great. Some of the songs when less things are happening it is less interesting.

Just not a fan of jazz, got pretty bored and a little annoyed

Pretty good 7/10

Not a big fan of the big bands. The first song is very good though!

A 7.5/10 ! Really lush and happy instrumentals, a timeless sound ❤️

Enjoyable listen while sitting in traffic on my way to work, very fun record.

To my surprise, the fact that there were no lyrics wasn’t what I didn’t like about this album. I think that after seeing it was only 40 minutes, I was shocked how long it felt. The first two songs I was vibing with but after awhile it unfortunately just sounded similar and somewhat boring..

Obviously old-timey and almost like it's SO old-fashioned it goes beyond dated and is just kind of fun. Swing/big band is not really music I listen to at all but this is great to work to, just sort of hit in the right way today. I like it. Interesting choice of cover art tho... Bonus point for no vocals. 8/10 4 stars.

Hearing the first notes of this record felt really refreshing after so many rock records. I prefer laid back, spare jazz to the Big Band feel. Unfortunately on this record you find mainly the second. Sometimes you hear some creaking from the players themselves or the surrounding what let me take off my headphones quiet often, to check if someone was entering the shared flat I live in. It made the record more intimate and gave me the feeling of sitting next to the musicians.

No

Not much to say here fun listen

Yeah, no

In a nutshell: explosive The band is slick. Pleasant listening. The Atomic Mr Basie would be a good entry point for appreciating jazz/swing. Overall: 7/10

This was fun

I love this kinda music! but it's not a 5star for me personally

Ladies, better hide your mans Cigar boxes, cause Count Basie is coming to town. I wish I had a boujee rich setup where I could play poker smoking to this album, because it only seems fitting. I’ve really grown a liking to Jazz and Soul lately, so I very much appreciated this one- just chilled out vibes

It’s so easy I see big band jazz I give it a 5 it’s all a science. Jesus what a well paced and beautiful album that is short compositions while still feeling engaging through its runtime. Drummer is on point and Basie on the piano is always a pleasure. This is a 10/10

Not a bad album to start off my 1/1001. I do adore swing/jazz. First Count Basie album I've listened in full. Favorite: Duet Least: Splanky

Turns out I can't stand jazz

Cool.

Smooth and relaxed. Big band is the best kind of jazz.

I love this. It’s weirdly comforting yet fun to listen to.

Classic album, classic sound. A nice mix of songs both sultry and energetic. Musicianship is top notch. Fave Songs: Whirlybird, Splanky, Fantail, Midnite Blue, Teddy the Toad, Flight of the Foo Birds

that was fun

Swing, agradable.

This is nice, I like count basie. 68/100

This simply isn’t for me - 2.5/5

Big Band Sound. Meinem Papa hätte es gefallen.

Top notch musicians - but the style is not for me

Just fine. Not my genre, and maybe it's just me but the songs really blend together after a while. Cool album art and name though. 4/10 (2/5)

Fun. Although kind of bonkers album art. In high school I played trombone in jazz band so I felt very much at ease listening to this. If you like this album then I recommend you also check out the album Sinatra At The Sands where Basie and his orchestra are Frank’s backing band.

Pretty good! A solid kinda classic jazz album, maybe it didn’t move me the way other jazz albums do, but it was lots of fun!

I was excited for this one, but it left me wanting.

Was not sure what to expect going in, and still not sure what I got coming out of it

A pleasant listen!

Very good work/study music

Cartoons have forever ruined this type of music for me. I can't take any of it seriously. Tom and Jerry absolutely bastarsized it. Not really my thing anyway.

Not an unpleasant album by any means. I did feel like I was in a classic sleuthing movie at times. That is not a terrible vibe but its not one I seek out very often. 3.5/5

Felt like I was trapped in a Tom & Jerry cartoon. There’s worse places I guess. I can respect the musicianship gone into this and I have endured so much worse on this 1,001 list. At least the wife didn’t walk in and tell me to switch this rubbish off, so I will give a solid 2.

Pleasant but uninspiring. Not crap enough for a 1, but not good enough for a 2. I'll see how I feel in the morning.

I recognise that it's great for it's time, however it is a genre I am not quite qualified to speak on. Nice listening though, and that's what matters, isn't it?

Vet fortfarande nt riktigt skillnaden på ett bra och ett fantastiskt jazz album. Men ja tyckte iaf de här va bra

I really enjoyed this. Definitely going to have to listen to our more. 4/5

This piece was long but had a lot of musical gems mixed into the runtime , I really liked the blend of traditional romantic chord progressions intermixed with the predominantly bebop Jazz inspired record

Really great compositions, but im not much of a big band jazz guy. Still sounded great

Don't know much about swing but I feel like this should be a 5. Really enjoyed it and it sound tracked my moving furniture yesterday quite nicely. I've got to imagine the cover art here was pretty abrasive for 1958. I think it's great.

This was nice! In context with some of our more recent music... it sounds like it was made by people on a completely different planet than the music just 10 years later. Obviously, this was well on its way out even in 1958, but… still! I think I still can’t quite comprehend how radical the shift in music was in those 10 years. At some point, I recognized track 2 again, and had this moment of wait– have I just been repeating track 2 over and over? Let me get onto track 3! And then I realized that I had listened all the way through the album, and had almost no recollection of the other tracks. It was pleasant though! Nice palette cleanser, given the recent ones I've been working through. 3/5

I'm too scared of jazz

Atomic!

There is nothing tighter than a Basie horn section, and they do it while absolutely dripping with style and dynamic range. Favorite track is Splanky, but it's a tough choice.

The Atomic Mr Basie is an absolute riot, great jazz/big band sound with an INCREDIBLE walking bass driving every song along at every tempo you could want, but it's at its best when it's rollicking at speed and everyone's having fun. It's highly skilled and infinitely listenable, just not especially memorable for someone like me. It's a very easy 4.

Definitely a good listen - didn't grab me as much as one of the Miles Davis albums that we've had, but elevated above most of the other jazz that we've had so far. Agree that it's better when its pacier, which it too often isn't really. Think it's a high 3/5 rather than anything more.

I can see how this is described as the pinnacle of swing/big band. It seemed like they had thrown everything this music stood for into one album. The quality is obvious to see and it deserves it's place here. It's an interesting stepping stone on the progression of music and I'm glad I'm listened but it's not going to feature in regular rotation.

Omg so cool dawg 😍i fw this shit

A lot of fun. Bouncy jazz. What's not to love?

Enjoyed it. Generally I much prefer a smaller jazz combo to a big band, particularly from the 50s & 60s, but refreshing to step away from the country-rock for a minute.

Probably doesn't come off as explosive as the cover would suggest nowadays, but this is a good time! Just hard for an entirely instrumental jazz album to stand out as a must-listen for me personally unless it does something really unique.

Jazz is shit.

That's pretty good! 7/10

Precioso

Classic smooth Jazz.

Just straight jazz, no filler but nothing extraordinary OTHER than the fact this was from the 50’s! Feels a bit more contemporary which is cool. 2.8

Jazzy. But jazz is more fun with a big(ish) band than some dude meandering away on a piano with equally aimless bass accompaniment. A little short of “atomic” in my book, but not hard to listen to.

Another one I listened to several times.

I liked it. I like big band jazz way better than the smaller scale style. Again, wish there were 1/2 stars. This would be 3.5 for me.

this was a very good album to listen to while sitting in the garden reading. jaunty.

Sounds fine I guess. I don’t really listen to this type of music.

I have not heard of this album before. I don’t listen to jazz so it was quite boring, didn’t notice when a song changed. Great as background music but I don’t think I will listen again.

Niiice.

While big band music from the 50s is not a genre I gravitate toward, I dug the smoothness and swagger that The Atomic Mr. Basie provided throughout its 40-minute runtime. I could absolutely see myself pairing this album with a perfectly made martini. Bonus points for: 1) Song titles like "Flight of the Foo Birds," "Whirly-Bird," and--my personal favorite--"Splanky," as well as 2) an eye-catching cover, something fairly unusual for this genre of music in 1958. Interesting Factoids from Wikipedia: *The album won Best Jazz Performance, Group and Best Performance by a Dance Band awards at the 1st Annual Grammy Awards (May 4, 1959). *(Count Basie) led (the Count Basie Orchestra) for almost 50 years, creating innovations like the use of two "split" tenor saxophones, emphasizing the rhythm section, riffing with a big band, using arrangers to broaden their sound, and others. *Neal Hefti (who co-arranged the album alongside the CBO) went on to write music for The Odd Couple movie and TV series and for the Batman TV series. Standout Tracks: The Kid From Red Bank, Flight of the Foo Birds, Whirly-Bird, Splanky

Pleasant orchestral jazz, could be a looney tunes soundtrack. Stand-out: Teddy the Toad

Some great old fashioned jazz here. Really liked this. 4 stars.

I've never listened to big band before - very impressive

BL: Heard of Count Basie through word of mouth but never knowingly listened to his works, will be interested to hear. AL: unless I'm missing some major historical context this to me just feels like a regular, run of the mill Jazz album of its time, of which I don't feel particularly strong towards, most of the tracks blended into one and didn't provide any terms of notable listening. Quite dissapointed with this FT: didn't have one 2/5

yes nice good

Glad I got to hear it but not my kind of thing. I'll give it a 3 because it was actually great background music for cleaning the house

Year I was born! Fantastic album, magic. Great energy. Great songs.

Great big band album of the 50’s. Solid vibe!

good old fashioned Count

Pretty fun. Strong opener!

This album is a (nuclear) blast!

Good but gets old

I don't like jazz, but this was actually kind of fun. I was imagining young people dancing to this in 1958. Not bad, but still not something I would normally listen to nor will I listen to it again.

Ol timey hoo-hah. Give every instrument a sassy air and slap a mute on it -- now that's music!

Meh

I feel like I'm in my Grandma's kitchen.

Another big band instrumental. No thanks.

6.2/10 Couples saves which is great. Loved listening to this. Not my favorite style but it’s unique. A lot of dynamic jazz which is fun to listen to and broaden my musical horizons

Any one track taken in isolation is nice enough, the trouble is they all sound the same. Some have a slightly slower tempo, some faster.

This was good just not my cup of tea