The Atomic Mr Basie

Reading bad reviews of this record makes me a little angry. I get that this is all subjective blah blah but I mean even if you don't like this type of music how do you not like this record? I don't understand. Anyway aside from getting upset while reading the general reviews of this album, listening to this made me very happy to be doing this project. I don't think I would ever have listened to this on my own and I really enjoyed it. I'm always more of a lyrics person which has usually made instrumental jazz harder for me to connect with, but this album made me happy. I could definitely see putting it on as a mood-lifting background album.

Erg mooi

This big band album really hits for me. I live the jazz and swing era sounds generally and hit all the notes I wanted out of it. 5/5

Great, high energy background music for working but I definitely don't have the technical expertise to fully appreciate the work. None were familiar to me. Very of it's era. Craziest thing to me is that it was recorded over just 1.5 days. Flight of the Foo Birds is a standout.

I don’t care what kind of music you make, you’re not living up to that cover.

Nice enough, Sunday night low impact niceness. Maybe a little bland against what's produced 70 years on but fine for its genre

I have a lot of respect for big band and the soloists can be explosive, but it just doesn’t move me that much. I suspect it’s because this music was created for nightlife- for live performance, for dancing to- and without the electricity of people coming together it just doesn’t work as well, or at least it’s hard for a modern listener like me to grasp the emotions. Still, it can be fun to have on once in a while.

Fantastic swing album. Definitely hit the spot! It was upbeat, and had a lot of "idc" energy. I especially like Flight of the Foo Birds.

It's kinda hard for me to rate big band swing because I don't have too much of a basepoint, but I liked most of this! For an early album, I think this is sequenced quite well. The album tends to alternate between slower laid back tracks and the more upbeat swing portions. At the same time I don't really have as much to say here as usual. It was pleasant and has some great hooks and I really liked "whirlybird". This would be a great album to listen to in a hot tub at a casino or something.

No me gusto es muy antiguo para mi gusto, no lo termine de escuchar.

Really enjoyed this. Very pleasant and exciting. No notes.

Interesting

Pros: The orchestra is really tight. Exceptional performances all around. The slower numbers are lovely, the more energetic ones are exciting. A good party album. Cons: Every up-tempo song sounds the same; every down-tempo song sounds the same. THREE STARS

...page deleted my notes :-( Decent but very 1958 big-band. 3/5

Not for me.

It's fine.

Classic big band music. No notes.

Very good

8/10 Solid swing. I especially appreciate how each song sounds quite different from the others - it gives the album more interest, making it feel less like background music and more like something attention-grabbing and interesting.

Just not my thing

4/8

Hm ich weiß nicht. 1958 ist für mich eher Presley, Bill Haley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Buddy Holly. Oder das Modern Jazz Quartet, Gerry Mulligan, Stan Getz, Miles Davis (Fahrstuhl zum Schafott). Dieses Album von Count Basie klingt nach einem letzen Aufbäumen des Bigband-Sounds. Der Opener haut jedenfalls schon echt alles raus, da passt das Cover :-D

I'm really not a fan of swing or jazz, but this was alright. I can appreciate the musicality and the talent and that's why I've given it 2 stars, as we all know this isn't a "my favourite albums" list.

I think it’s been giving me too much jazz recently, I’m completely jazzed out. I’m sure this was good, but it just felt so standard and it was like the most nothing jazz I’ve heard. Like it’s not poorly done, but that somehow makes it worse, like if it was bad, at least I’d have something to talk about. But this was just a kind of nothing experience. Favorites: Duet, Double-O, Lil’ Darlin’

Not my type of thing, but surprisingly good to listen on the background. It creates a relaxed ambiance, while being complex to listen to.

Definition of a classic

I'm crazy into this for someone who is not much of a big band jazz sound. I guess that's because this is representative of the shift towards bebop??

Pretty decent jazz. Not my favorite but a good listen nonetheless.

Prima

Preferred the quieter ones , ok ish background music . As Sinatra would say 58 ' was a very good year' but this isn't as great as Glen Miller .

Excellent. Love those horns.

Big sound. One you have to sit down and listen to.

Very nice jazz album, I like it just as much as the muddy waters album but i think im into instruments more than vocals most of the time

My son loves this but it's not a patch on Louis Armstrong

I fuckin' love jazz, man. I don't know what else to say this was just a good jazz album. Favorite Track: The Kid from Red Bank

I loveee jazz so this album is great

My dad was a big jazz fan. Me not much. Cool cover. I give it 4 stars. It sounds good. If you are a jazz fan get it.

Enjoyed very much! Relaxing, satisfying and exciting at times!

I don’t know why exactly but I love this album

loved it

Really surprised by how much I liked this album. I didn’t realize it was going to be swing/jazz based on the album art. I would listen to this again

Oh this was soothing

Fast riff, brass blast! Count Basie drops a atom bomb on the jazz map. Heal the groove, let it snap! Thad Jones blows hot, high, fast. No slow blues, no past. Hear that rhythm section cooking up a storm? Lockjaw Davis keeping it warm. Freddie Green chords tight, bright, neat. Sonny Payne driving the beat. Splanky jumps, Lil' Darlin' sighs. Nuclear energy under evening skies. Neal Hefti wrote these charts so mean, Cleanest swing machine ever seen! Not quite perfect, but it shines so bright, Four out of five stars tonight. Boom! Snap! Basie bops the room!

she whirl on my bird til i splanky

Nicht was ich üblicherweise höre.. Aber Topp Arrangement und Solisten, so dass es Spaß macht

Definitely too young for big band and still too young for jazz. Despite The Atomic Mr Basie being a piano player, that was forty minutes of blaring horns. The musicianship is good, just not for lil’ young me. (2.0*s) Dated, and outdated.

Man, am I glad I didn't grow up in the era where big Band was the rage. Mr Basie & His Orchestra do pack a little more bang on this one then some others of the time. They are in sync but not setting off any H-bombs. Album cover is cool, maybe more popular due to cold war. 1.12 stars.

I've only ever heard a couple of the legendary acts from the 50's and they all sound pretty similar. Based on his credits and list of albums its evident that Basie is a legend, but I couldn't tell you why or what it is that he is doing that differentiates him in any way. He must be competent to assemble 10+ players and put together a swing jazz album so he's obviously doing something right, I just have no affection for any of it. A couple of the tunes from Atomic featured some upbeat solos which I enjoyed. Otherwise the rest of it falls into I'm sure if I was around at this time it would make a lot more sense as to how and why this was the popular music on the forefront of pushing musical creativity at the time. Can't ignore the 50's for their place in music history, I just have no personal fondness for many of the acts. I don't mean it as a knock, but I've checked the box and now I'm moving on. 1.54 stars

Cover art for this album is wild. Not generally a huge fan of big band swing, but you’ve got to give credit. A very listenable album.

Enjoyed this very much.

Not bad in small bursts but I don't think I'll listen to the album in the future.

An unexpected piece of gold in a Britpop-dominated list! Didn't know what to expect, as this predates my parents' music, but from the opening The Kid from Red Bank, this was the bomb (pun intended)! Bridges big band, swing and jazz with a timeless sound. The hero, for me, is the bass player—he got quite the workout, laying the foundation for some hot tunes and peppy piano and horns. If I were 35-40 years older, I imagine this would have been my jam (of course, I also likely wouldn't still be around, but I'm glad this album is)!

Monday May 25th, 2026. I really liked this album because I am a fan of big band jazz. While this, to me, doesn't compare to Duke Ellington or Glenn Miller, it certainly is pretty good. A lot of the licks are very nice and I like the theming of the album. The variety of songs is also nice. 8/10. Also the trombone low notes in "Duet" and "Flight of the Foo Birds" were very peak.

Big band that doesn’t overstay its welcome and knows how to be quiet. I do prefer Neal Hefti’s louder arrangements to his quieter ones, but the mix of the two is really nice on this album, and no song choice feels too jarring. Fun, easy, and well aged.

Это оч прикольная и атмосферная музыка! Жаль, что я не особо люблю такое слушать на постоянной основе

I can't explain why, but this is exactly the sound I was looking for lately. Almost 70 years later, it still sounds great. Rich. Expensive. A quality time with a recording, with all it's meanings. The compositions are great but the thing here is the arrangements and playing. The rhythm section is super solid, the brass arrangements are stunning, and Basie's piano notes are so tasty. What a pleasure. A high high 4.

Agradable

Big band jazz. What you'd expect.

At first I was like - aw man not another 50s album- but this album absolutely blew me away

More jazz. What can I say? I appreciate the playing is technical and has life, but it just doesn't sound that pleasant to me. Ok I'm three tracks in and I take it back, this stuff is good. Best jazz I ever heard, I really enjoyed it. Tempted by five. 5/5.

I approached this album with mild curiosity because it's so far out of my genre experience. I found that it was pleasant enough, there was just nothing for me to really grab on to. I respect that what Basie and his band are doing is very good in their particular milieu, but it just doesn't have context for me.

I did not get around to listening to this on the Friday that i got it, and waited until Saturday chores to get around to listening to it. It's the best album for a lazy Saturday, and I do my chores quite lazily.

Familiar with the man, but not so much the music. The juxtaposition of this compared to contemporary recordings like Kind of Blue or Mingus Ah Um is really interesting, incredibly different but with streams of common ground. Overall very enjoyable. 4/5

Good sounds, good album, good tunes for a rainy day.

la verdad no es de mi gusto, pero para escucharlo una vez a las 1500 nada mal

Eg føler meg transportert til 50-tallet, mer av det. Svingete og energisk (storband!) Dog er eg en smule for sliten i hodet for dette i dag, her eg står og baker brød en torsdagsettermiddag, så må nok komme tilbake til denne. Akkurat nå ble det Bobbern istedenfor

Hot diggity dog!

Classic Basie!

Not my jam, but sounded okay

pretty okay. i can imagine having a great time dancing to this in a party setting but it seems more functional than anything

Pretty cool album. I’m more in love with the album artwork than the music itself though.

En vaan ymmärrä tätä musatyyliä, omaan makuuni tämä on ärsyttävää ja puuduttavaa, toki jollekulle muulle musiikin helmi. Minulta kuitenkin tyly 1/5

3 out of 5. Fun album and well produced.

I feel like wiggling my finger in the air and tapping my toe. It's a fun big band sound and I quite enjoyed it.

Slightly repetitive but amazing

Grei den altså

jazzy

I really enjoyed this one. Not something I would normally listen to but it was a lot of fun. There was a nice variation between upbeat and slower songs. The album made for good listening while I was working, I really liked the energy. Something I would come back to for background music. Fav song: Flight of the Foo Birds Least fav: Double-O

Really enjoy this one. I wonder if people during the Cold War times got annoyed at the atomic themed music like we get annoyed at Covid episodes in tv shows, or they had a different opinion. Because both were of the times I guess. This cover feels way more timeless than someone artificially wearing a mask though. Specific rating - 4.6 Fav song - the kid from red bank Least fav - after supper

This album won two awards at the first ever Grammys, so I'm glad to hear it for music history reasons alone. I was bit apprehensive seeing it was a jazz album but ended up actually really liking it- I think it's the use of shorter structured songs rather than the long improvisational pieces I've come to dread. Felt a bit like I should be in West Side Story at points, that or a 60s dinner party having a cigarette and a prawn cocktail in a conversation pit. Favourite song: After Supper Least: Double-O

A veritable explosion of sound that shimmers and shakes in all the best ways. Would never have chosen to listen to a record like this if it were not selected for me, and now I feel like I will go back to this one often.

I’d somehow managed to avoid this one for years, probably because “important big band jazz record” felt more like homework than pleasure. In reality, it turned out to be one of the most generous and enjoyable listens I’ve had in ages. What astonished me was the sheer amount of invention packed into forty minutes. False starts, fake endings, tumbling brass fills, sly modulations, glissed ensemble swells, sudden shifts from swagger to melancholy and back again - the whole thing feels alive and conversational. You never quite know where a track is going to turn next, but the band’s internal confidence is so absolute that you follow willingly. The Count himself is extraordinary throughout. He barely plays sometimes. Tiny little right-hand comments, repeated notes with microscopic changes in attack and timing, three-note interventions where most pianists would unload an entire paragraph. The orchestra is so large and complete that it gives him the freedom to become almost miniature. He reminds me less of a virtuoso soloist than of Bob Newhart quietly steering a room with perfectly timed interjections. The rhythm section is absurdly good. Eddie Jones in particular plays with frightening precision, while the whole band manages the impossible trick of sounding both tightly controlled and completely relaxed. That becomes almost miraculous on “Li’l Darlin’”, where the tempo drops to a glacial crawl and the orchestra still swings beautifully. Slow playing at that level must be terrifying in practice, which somehow makes the sensation of ease even more impressive. What stayed with me most was the atmosphere of the thing. This is mid-century urbanity at its most generous - sophisticated without being smug, precise without becoming clinical. It doesn’t shut the listener out or demand reverence. It invites you in. You can hear traces of film scores, revue bands, cartoon music, TV themes and later funk arranging all hidden inside these charts. A truly magnificent object.

Big Band forever.

Cool album cover. Not my thing but not unpleasant. Chilled, soft background music

Not someone I'd heard of before but a lot of fun. I'll definitely listen to this one again,

The big band sound of this album is amazing! I love this album and I think it is a great introduction to big band and jazz. Definitely a must-listen!

Really liked this - "Tom and Jerry jazz" is where my brain immediately went.

Cool and classy listen. Count Basie always makes me think of a theatre named after him I've gone to a few times now

Choons

to smoke indoors and drink cola highballs

Man knows his way around a trumpet

Love me some good jazz Less in love with big band

Ok background music!

Strong 8 to light 9 good big band

Previously unknown. Enjoyable.

não tem como errar com um jazzinho de malandro, aiiiii sim neneeem

No tengo ni idea del género, pero me lo he pasado muy bien escuchándolo. Vivan las big bands!

Virtuosity!

Caveat - not a fan of Jazz; however, I recognize this as quite good. I enjoy the brassy, swingy sound.

fun. music i dont mind hearing at a random restaurant. 3.5

I enjoyed this record. Very sweet swinging and even some moodier sounds too. Favourite Track(s): The Kid from Red Bank, Flight Of The Foo Birds, Whirly-Bird Least Favourite Track(s): Double-O, Lil' Darlin'

Ok, here’s a little secret. I love big band Jazz. I kinda wish I lived in this era. This album is one of the best of them. Basie’s comeback that rescued the whole damn band! Makes me want to watch baseball where they use a giant glove that actually looks like a hand and wear baggy uniforms, eat a steak while drinking liquor and smoking a long cigarette blissfully ignorant that all three will kill me, and wear a cool hat.

This is the Tom and Jerry soundtrack

Really just not my thing, so it is hard for me to appreciate the talent.

same effect as amphetamines

Forgettable big band crap

Fly like Tom, get high like Jerry

Captivating swing/jazz big band record.

Great instrumental work. Has many peaks and valleys and creates a beautiful jazz soundscape. But it does go much beyond that

Solid

un album para dejar de fondo y musicalizar tu rutina me da mucha paz su sonido

Inevitable escuchar música así y no pensar en personaje neurótico de W Allen

Great session with some standout performances.

Fun! Great music to work to.

Bättre än så här blir nog inte storbandsjazz – eller Benny Goodman och Glenn Miller är väl där också ... En femma

starinska zabavna glazba, malo kao da igram bajošok (2 > 1 > infinite)

Jazz cool

Harry Connick, Jr. loves this album. As far as jazz albums go, it's a good one. Teddy the Toad feels like a really appropriate title and now I want to make an animated Teddy the Toad limited web series based on this theme song featuring a hip, conked out toad and his various misadventures with Freddie the Frog and his best gal Nora the Newt. This could be the alternate soundtrack to Spike Lee's Malcolm X prior to his jailhouse conversion.

That Count Basie is a real hep cat! He sure can swing! He’s got a band that’ll pop your juice to the moon! I have no idea what I’m talking about! Great album, just not in my ballpark. One question though, Count: what the fuck with the album cover?

Good big band music.

Fun. Catchy. I heard styles that had influenced later music (i.e., TV theme songs).

Álbum lleno de nostalgia, alegría y furor

Se deja escuchar de fondo!

Boring

Nothing super crazy, but good. Lil Darlin was amazing.

Not sure why I had it in my head that this was some strange 90s pastiche but it’s the real thing!! I actually enjoyed it a lot!

imagine of the costco guys found out about this. the booms would be out of control

Very nice. Really liked the big band setting but still with that relaxed atmosphere.

Love it!

Such easy listening. Love a big band vibe. Could have this type of stuff on in the back all day. I don’t know the Count, but I know the Count is known to be the man. Couple times through, no disagreements. Will listen much more.

Fallout vibes

This isn't the earliest of jazzes, but it's far more big-band than the experimentalism we normally imagine for the genre. Back when jazz was dance music as much as anything. It's part of why I hate “dance music”. You can dance fine to pretty much any music that's got the proper beat. And this does. You can picture a dancehall full of people. Because this is so associated stylistically with a thousand mediocre Sinatra wannabes, Big Band sometimes just feels perfunctory. Trite even. Just Big horn blasts, Vegas veneer, a vague feeling of mob toadies hanging around. But the best stuff is still about expression. Basie has always been able to walk that line, where the music feels well composed and flexible instead of just being a boring backdrop… it seems Basie is part of the reason music like this started having the ability to improvise and experiment, so right there, his influence cannot be ignored. But Basie was so many things: here, he is largely conductor and pianist, but he's also an arranger, a writer, someone who brought any number of names into the spotlight. It's not an everyday listen sort of album, but I'm glad it's out there and it's fun to spin such a solid example of what this COULD be freed from the rigidity of the standards set. 4*

jazzzz

Really liked this jazzy celebration

Rating:★★★★ very nice jazz, I enjoyed listening to this album. great big band sound. also Count Basie has some early career roots in KC, which is known for very nice jazz music.

Excellent. Genius music.

I’m sure this is very good big band / jazz. Totally not my jam. Just really don’t like this kind of music.

I listened to this album on my drive to work on a slow and lethargic morning, trying to find the motivation to start writing again. The allusions to atomic energy in the title and cover of this album had led me to expect a bit more of an experimental or violent sound, so the standard jazz performances threw me off for a second. However, once I got into the vibe of this album, I started to click. The performances from Basie's orchestra are incredibly funky, with plenty of solos and flourishes to keep things fresh. This is probably the first time I've ever listened to strictly instrumental swing jazz, and it also delivered its solos at a more subdued pace than I was used to, but it was a welcome change of pace for me. This might just be a symptom of me listening to this album in 2026, in a culture which has assigned new meanings to this particular sound, but I can't help but feel like this album maintains a bit of a somber vibe, almost like I should be hearing this record in a Fallout game. This is the exact kind of record I wish I had on vinyl. Highlights: Duet, After Supper, Flight of the Foo Birds, Teddy the Toad, Whirly-Bird, Midnite Blue, Splanky, Fantail, Lil' Darlin'

cool

NJ again baby! Redbank mentioned. I feel like I’m in a Tim and Jerry episode from the 40s (that’s a positive). Slightly over stimulating at times. The song names are great. Jazz isn’t my favorite genre but I like it. Rating this as a jazz album I give it 4/5 but that’s because I don’t have much knowledge about jazz.

Álbum muy sólido, me gustaron mucho las canciones de swing bien movidas que tiene y el sonido impecable que tiene, la tapa también me gustó mucho, la mezcla de la música más la portada me have sentir que es algo sacado del mundo de Fallout.

This album is like a little movie, with such a strong introduction that feels very uplifting and leads to an album of different sounds and that translates different emotions. I've been delighted by this one, and it's no big surprise... the greatness of the musicians here is breathtaking. And this album has fantastic songs, which are very enjoyable too. So, it's been an amazing listening experience.

Easy and pleasant listening.

Es música instrumental. Me ha gustado, hay algunas que realmente se alinean con el nombre de las obras de alguna manera, lo cual, sin usar palabras, me parece increíble. Aún así ninguna me ha emocionado significativamente.

Beyond a couple greatest hits collections, a collaboration with Frank Sinatra, and a trio record, I haven't heard a lot of music by Count Basie. This collection from 1958 consists of a set of tunes written by and arranged by Neal Hefti. I really can't argue with its inclusion in this collection. It's a really enjoyable record. It is still firmly within the swing tradition, but there are a few Ellingtonian moments on the record. The melodies are fantastic, the arrangements are good, and the playing is excellent. I would definitely pick up this record if I come across it as a record shop.

>First Jazz album I listen to 9/10 >This is how music should feel

Very jazzy, must say. And Big Band-y. Not entirely my thing, but sounded cool!

I mean its all right like. Cool hes from red bank tho

There's plenty of reasons I like this, but my favourite one is because I can imagine my granny singing 'doo doo doo' to the rhythm of the bass in my head. Great combination of the bass pacing out the music while the trumpets bring the energy.

Iba a poner lo de siempre respecto al jazz en casa, pero ha habido temas que me han sorprendido

Decent 3,5

Veldig gøy å plutselig få opp en særdeles velkjent åpningsvignett som førstelåt, og generelt gøyal jazz æ likte. Har hørt overraskanes lite på Count Basie så langt i livet?

Yeah this is Jazz Fave track: Splanky

I really fw with big band music. 3.5/5

Aburridisimo. 2/10

I real surprise, kind of jazz inspired

Snazzy!

I fell in love with big band music first through the Swingers soundtrack and then more deeply from a weekly show on public radio called Sunday Swing. Count Basie is one of the unequivocal masters of the form and everything he does right is in full display in this album. This is not jazz. These are precise and meticulous arrangements, and Basie wields his orchestra like a uniquely sublime instrument. The melodies are spot on, the compositions move, he tells a story with no words. I find no exception to it for what it is, a seminal recording in the history of American music.

*THIS REVIEW IS FOR “TIME OUT” BY THE DAVE BRUBEK QUARTET* Pretty good Jazz album.

I really enjoyed this album. It felt fantastically cheeky & full of energy, epitomised by Splanky which was by far my favourite track. Whilst I'll never progress to be a jazz or swing expert, this record felt fun, well put together & interesting throughout.

Very good album!

Absolute first thought: YES. But I'm the kind of guy who listens to 40's Junction on SiriusXM and full background music loops from theme parks. And my final thought: I need to listen to more jazz/big band music. Loved every second of it - each individual track told a story, the instrumentation was spot on...it's a 5.

The hell

Neat brass. Just kinda liked other, more low-key jazz stuff more.

very nice, groovy jazzy saxxy but i feel like im in the Stanley Hotel for a ghost ball tho

Finally, an album I actually needed to listen to before I die.

Definitely something to listen to while combing through the nuclear wastes for forks. Really really enjoyed this album and found a whole slurry of other similar albums to follow it up with.

Amazing, reminds me of the cuphead soundtrack or fallout. Truly a timeless classic, loved all of it.

Truly enjoyable big band music that I had never before heard. The music ranges from upbeat and toe tapping to dramatic, slow, and orchestral. Great variety throughout the album and fun music all around.

Great musicianship but I can’t imagine listening to it again

Classic of the Genre, and I love the 50's atomic vibe. It does demand your full attention though!

Jazzy vibes, para tener un paseo nocturno visitando bares random O visitando NY Buenos solos de piano

I actually really liked this, cool to listen to a much older album

gutes album

The 1001 pushes me into 50s big band jazz, a genre my Spotify account rarely ventures into. It reminds me of my late father-in-law, who no doubt would have enjoyed numbers such as Midnite Blue. If pushed for a favourite track, I'd probably go eith Double O, although Flight Of The Foo Birds brings to my mind Carry On theme tunes and Splanky reminds me of Police Squad and Naked Gun. The Count's influence lasted far beyond the 50s, but while I appreciate the musicality, it's not to my taste. 2 stars, thank you and what's next?

Muy dibujitos animados de antes estilo tom y jerry, me gustó, me generó nostalgia.

Temones para una cafetería o para estar muuuuuy tranquila y concentrada, cosa que jamás me pasa. Pero super disfrutable

A great record from the big band jazz era. Count Basie was an amazing band leader as well as a great piano player. This music brings a smile to my face as I listen to its easy listening from the last time that jazz was really popular.

The first thing I noticed even before starting to listen to this album were the fun song titles. This album was pure joy plus some relaxation thrown in for good measure. Atomic indeed!

it was fun but again again again its not for me

really enjoyed this one. good morning music.

I've heard enough instrumental albums now, and plus my one friend has played quite a bit of jazz for me, to know that there is better stuff out there than this. It's not bad, just comparative there's stuff I enjoy a lot more.

I really enjoyed the listen. I found the alblum artwork interesting when comparing to the music. If I just saw the alblum cover without the words, I would have expected something totally different. How times change. I might be biased but I love this type of music

I really enjoyed listening to this. Puts you in a good mood!

One of the best jazz albums i have ever heard

Solid

fallout, baby! no pasaron ni dos compases and this shit had me tapping my foot like i own the nuclear wasteland. de verdad quiero darle 5 estrellas a este disco, pero se siente raro hacerlo con solo un listen. de fijo 4.5 estrellas minimo. teddy the toad? hell yeah that's how he sounds. excelentes lineas de saxofon que a ratos me recordaban a henry mancini.

25/04/2026 This was actually okay. Spotify listeners: 3.2 million

This is not my genre, so i pretty much hated it, so yeah that's it, didn't even finish it

Good big band. Low 4. 3.7/5 (Low 4 = 3.5-3.7) (Mid 4 = 3.8-4.1) (High 4 = 4.2-4.4)

I've always loved big band/swing music since my dad was an avid listener (8-tracks!) in his company truck and at home on an 8-track player that still lives (though my dad does not). Yes, I do love this stuff. 5 "reminds me of my dad" stars!!

musik

Smittsomt energisk jazz. Gøy og lett å høre på

Dette er en plate og artist jeg vil høre mer på.

Koselige saker.

Peppa jazz som underholder hele tiden. Åpninga er kuppa av Reiseradioen, og setter assosiasjonsrekka i gang.

okay frnak sinatra bff bedzie chb milo

Knowing the significance of big band/swing music on the earliest forms of rock and roll makes me appreciate this album so much more.

Solid jazz album. Love the older recording here, sounds like you are in the room.

I have almost zero frame of reference for whether this sort of music is good or not and why. It certainly sounds fine to me. Best track: uh, “Splanky,” I guess?

Fallout classical edition

My favourite album from the 50s

thought it would be some classical white boy shit but it was an amazing black innovator!

not what i was expecting. def not for me.

Prior to being assigned this, I've heard the name Count Basie but that's it. I don't consciously know any of his songs nor have any liked on Spotify. Thoughts after listening 3 times ... I kept thinking at least one of these songs would pop out as something that I had heard before - just by existing in the world. Maybe from movies or TV or commercials etc. But none of them did. The closest thing I can compare this to would be Lyle Lovett and his Large Band which I know and like and have even seen him in concert. Lyle adds lyrics that are often fun and interesting - so maybe that adds to the appeal for this kind of music. I did end up liking 5 songs that I will be looking forward to hearing on my playlists. Liked songs are: "The Kid from Red Bank", "Teddy The Toad", "Whirly Bird", "Midnight Blue", and "Splanky". Liked songs on Spotify: 5/11 Rating: 3/5

Not my cup of tea, but served as little dose of different type of music experience in my day, I guess. Not too bad,liked the dark/mysterious vibes :duet,after supper.

Absolutely hell yes

this score is entirely based on historical context, not my personal enjoyment Would I listen again: if I was born in the 40s, this would slap Deserves to be on this list: maybe 3.4

wow. i really though "crap, this is not my niche... since it's the first one i might as well just listen to it" well i loved it. it is NOT my niche. but omg it soothed me, quieted my thoughts. GREAT listen. I liked the end better than the beginning After supper is giving Carol

Another one for the 'Jazz isn't for me' pile.

As energetic as big band gets (at least in my limited experience with the genre)! There are also some mellow songs to add contrast, with the closing track being my favorite of the album.

foda

SLAPS. Also: boom.

DNF, not for me

It may be old, but it is very good. It also reminds me of Sheriff Bart riding into Rock Ridge which always makes me happy (though that song is not on this album). A truly classic album.

cool jazzy shit

Tellement bien les big bang, et la pochette de l'album ne te prépare pas du tout à du jazz qui balance

3.5 rounded up

This stressed me out ngl

Not something I would usually listen to but this was pretty enjoyable. Might not stick it back on again but absolutely fine and if it's your thing, I can see why.

First song a bit film-scorey for me. I'm enjoying the coolness of the second song a lot - very James Bond in a way. The third song is even more subtle, which I'm not sure I'm attuned to yet. The fourth song is more upbeat, very much enjoying it after the quietude of track three - still, I don't know that bigger jazz like this is my thing. Onto the fifth song, it's fun, but I'm not so into that classic jazz 'walking up and down' double bass line - I would put this in a similar category to the last song, but it's definitely more interesting, and I like it more. Teddy the Toad was interesting, but not very. Whirly-Bird definitely leans more into the big band element of things, which, again, I'm not a huge fan of. I like a more subtle jazz number, though not so subtle as track three. Really enjoying Midnite Blue - super sexy and fun, slow-building and then explosive - might be my favourite so far, but I'll go back to Duet just to be sure. Splanky and Fantail weren't particularly inspiring to me, as a non-big-band-lover, but they were certainly fun. The final song, Lil' Darlin' is sweet and slow, and quite a lovely closer. The best tracks were Duet and Midnite Blue, the worst were The Kid from Red Bank and After Supper. 7/10 overall, I reckon.

This is not what I expected upon seeing the album cover. But I do like the big-band grandeur.

interesting and enjoyable

Just not a fan of the horns.

I love big band music, always have since I was young. I love the big rich sounds of a full band and the bright sounds of the horns. I’ve always gravitated towards the swing side of the genre but I really liked the jazz leaning sounds of this album. This along with the Duke Ellington one we had a while back has really opened my ears to this style. I enjoyed it very much.

A fantastically clean orchestra sound with the full complement of instruments. Blaring horns, stylish drum beats, and dancing piano keys fill each song and keep things light-hearted and upbeat. Very cool listen and addition to this experiment.

The ball, the boot, the bell and the bowtie. Every single Chicken McNugget will come in one of these shapes. Yes, there can be slight variations and imperfections, but it’s always predictable and recognizable as a ball, a boot, a bell or a bowtie because it’s made with a preformed shape die, like a cookie cutter but for chicken. Now, this Count Basie album predates the McNugget by about 20 years but the music follows the same recipe - predictable, cookie cutter jazz. There’s nothing wrong with it, it’s just boring with the same old shapes showing up all the time. It’s a display of great musicianship, but on forgettable tunes from a genre as dead as the chickens at the McFactory Farm. Like a McNugget, it leaves you wishing you had made a better decision.

Big band jazz is pretty awesome stuff. Each component is interesting on it own, but when weaved together into an ensemble you really do get a little bit of magic.

Splanky

Completamente instrumental, gran melodías

Funciona muy bien como álbum completo, me gustó mucho. No lo escucharía con regularidad pero me pareció un gran álbum. 1. Fantail 2. Double O 3.the kid from the red bank

Me gusta el jazz pero no el jazz orquesta

Tough as fuck!!!

3.5/5

🐝

fun! enjoy a good jazz album

Not my thing at all.

Could play this every day

Not really my thing, but this was solid. A 3 for my listening pleasure, probably a 5 for the genre.

Nice

I liked it a lot

Masterpeiece!

Si bien no es un album que me haya llamado mucho la atención ya que no hay ningún tipo de letra en las canciones me parece interesante escuchar este tipo de música, rescato del álbum Whirly-Bird, fue la única que me llamó la atención. 5/10

Ich mag alles daran, das „Hallo Spencer Opening Theme“, das „ich schleiche mich an jemanden ran und werde immer wieder fast entdeckt Theme“, das „wir stapfen durch die Straßen, chillen und schnacken Theme“, das l“ebendiges Tanzlokal mit vielen Leuten die sich angeregt unterhalten und lachen und Gruppen die immer mal wieder durch besondere Fröhlichkeit den Blick auf sich ziehen Theme“, das „macht mal Lärm, jetzt du, jetzt du, quieitschiger! Theme“, das „das Leben könnte so schön sein und dann läuft es doch irgendwie schief und schief ist richtig Theme“, das „moderne Zeiten - ich überhole mich selbst Theme“, das „komm mal her - ne, lass mal - ach komm - ja okay - lass mich dir erzählen wie toll du bist Theme“, das „langsam gehen mir die Assoziationen aus, but I am committed to the bit Theme“, das „der Kommissar lässt dich wichtigsten Zeugen die herausragendsten Momente des Abends wiedergeben Theme“ und schließlich das „entspannt fertig auf der Couch noch einen Absacker trinken und sich über die Großartigkeit des Daseins im Moment freuen und zugleich die Melancholie seiner Flüchtigkeit spürens Theme“ …ich bin längst nicht bewandert genug um zu wissen, was davon Jazz Standards sind, die es schon vorher gab, und was davon der Neal Hefti und der Count selbst gezählt haben, aber ich zähle das alles mal zu ihnen und bin daher noch deutlicher begeistert. Nur weil ich trotzdem nicht oft hören würde „nur“ - 4,4.

Musik meiner Kindheit und ziemlich perfekte Mischung aus strengem Big Band Arrangement und Jazz Solos. Ich habe das Count Basie Orchestra sogar mal live gesehen, lange nach Basies Tod. Irgendwie alles ein bisschen zu groß für mich, aber schön, es laut zu hören.

Das war überraschend gut. 3 tolle alternative Intros zum Sportstudio und darüber hinaus großartig und auf den Punkt produzierte Musik die sowohl im Hintergrund als auch im Vordergrund funktioniert. Ich muss sowas echt öfter hören.

Fun and wholesome. Music my grandparents may have fooled around to. Me gusta. I wonder if the album cover was controversial at the time.

I can’t comprehend jazz yet

Not quite right for my commute, need to be enjoyed while unwinding with a scotch.

This album and sun outside makes you feel like there are no worries in the world.

I had to listen and relisten to this for days. It's good, really good, but I find it pretty safe. Jazz coloring inside the lines. Still though, I enjoy it. 3.8/5 -> 4/5

ya like jazz? seriously though, i enjoyed this way more than i thought

This album reminds me of that scene in Spider-Man 3 where Peter Parker starts cutting shapes with Gwen Stacy at the jazz bar Mary Jane is working at to make her jealous

The musicians on this album are absolutely phenomenal and I appreciate their talent, but this style is not my thing. Still, this was an enjoyable listen.

Really not my cup of tea, I cant even really use this as a background

I enjoyed this

Alright, not a fan of the slow tracks

Thank you, Mr. Basie. Just the kind of refreshment I needed to hear. Hard to knock anything about it, but it could have been twice the length and I would have lapped it right up. 4.5/5 from me.

was beter dan verwacht... geen eindeloos genoedel en gepriegel, soms zelfs funky...

4/5 Was okay. Just sounded like generic big band music to me

Good Jazz

First jazz album I listened to. Very upbeat and fun

not what i usually listen to but its nice 6/10

This album is fucking awesome! The first track, "The Kid From Red Bank," absolutely slaps, and then the rest of the album is swingy big band jazz. It rules! It's also the oldest album I've listened to so far, and I had a blast with it.

Yeah great jazz album from this era

Ken Oath. One of the great sleeves.

I don’t know much jazz -

Nice

i'm still firmly in duke's camp when it comes to these two competing composers and orchestras, but this is quite strong. i'd never heard of this album and am glad to have heard it. it probably will cycle through my ears in the future

Swingin'

Labāk, bet joprojām ne pārāk interesanti.

Yep. It's a big band I don't know what I should feel Cocktail party time!

yeah idk. no strong feeling on this one. "after supper", "midnight blue" and "splanky" are all a little bit sexual with it but other than that i really don't have much to say about this album. i'm sure there's a good reason it's on here, i could see these guys being big at the time and the wiki article does mention that it picked up two different awards at the first ever grammys so i guess this popped the fuck off in 1958. but its 2026 these days.... guess it's just not for me. i feel mean giving it a 2, but to be blunt there's no way i'd pick this out for another listen when my only thought on it is "yep, that's big band", so what choice do i have. for what its worth i dont think its necessarily a bad album, just one that i couldn't get into myself. sorry mr basie. yknow, as i close this out i'm realising i actually do have one strong feeling on this album after all: the feeling that i'm missing something. so maybe some day i'll come back to this one and i'll finally Get It, and then i'll feel ashamed for my words and deeds. even if i don't, i'm sure the cover art will still go hard.

Big band and swing aren't my usual picks for jazz, but it's hard to not tap my feet to this album. "Midnite Blue" comes just in time to slow the energy, but offered only a little reprieve from the strong and shrill horn group, which I know is characteristic of the genre, but I tolerate it only so much before it loses me. The atomic theme is appropriate in 1 sense I suppose. Regardless, I still think it's a great album and offers a lot of variety in its tracks, and judging from its place here in a list that's kinda lacking from this era (and earlier), this is probably going to be the epitome representation for swing. And for that I say this is excellent representation, and I had a good time, even if it's not my favorite genre. "Lil' Darlin'" is a lovely sendoff that will be particularly memorable to me.

I was listening to this in a car during a tornado watch. Good times

i've enjoyed it 8/10

I had low expectations for this one, but what a fun listen. This is super tight, well-arranged, all the musicians are in top form, and it’s just enjoyable to listen to.

All right, we’re jumping into a Time Machine I’m sure this album was an absolute banger when it got first released like they were lining up wherever they can to pick up this record but in 2026 I mean if you want to step back in time and feel like you’re in the 1920s and Gatsby‘s party I guess you could pick up this record at least it was short and only 40 minutes two stars can’t be too mean on a jazz record from the 50s. They were trying at least. 2/5

Beautiful

Excelente disco de jazz

I don't know why I got back to back jazz albums. This one sounded very similar to the Miles Davis one I had and both came out around the same time. This is not as good as that one but isn't really bad in any way.

genius music

no es mi estilo pero para ser algo que no me gusta eschuchar, suena bien :)

Solo me dio un poco de tranquilidad, hay que escucharlo cuando estés haciendo algo…

10/10 no notes. Fabulous album to listen to while working. Minus 1 star for making me crave Olive Garden breadsticks and an evening at Jazz TX because I can’t do those things all the time.

Fair play I guess but I really don’t enjoy this kind of thing

dance-y and fun to listen to! it wasn't exactly the right mood for my working day, but now I want to go to a party where this is playing!

Pleasant to listen to whilst cooking reminds me of cartoons flinstones ren and stumpy I’m sure count Basie would hate me saying that soz

not bad even though I couldnt sing along. I dont quire understand what was special about it though.

Big band swing, though not something I'd typically reach for, is something I can certainly appreciate both in terms of the songwriting and arrangements as well as the musicianship. It was a fun 40 minutes, never dull and didn't outstay its welcome. Happy to listen to it but whether I'd actively revisit remains a question.

Patrolling the Mojave makes you wish for a nuclear winter

Swing baby swing into my ears.

So fun need to listen to more jazz

Instrumental

Just not my thing, so difficult for me to judge too harshly

it was very insightful, the lack of voclas on a track provided a new persective on music creation in terms of how all the instruments come together in harmony which makes it very very pleasing to the ears....i listen to all of the album in one afternoon just paying attention to everything fom yhe simplicity of the drums to the trumpets to everything about it

Bajo mi punto de vista el Jazz (swing en este caso) es tal vez la máxima expresión del instrumento. Juegan con la velocidad, fuerza, silencios, etc. No es un género que me siente a escuchar pero este disco me recuerda lo valioso del mismo.

Amazing opening, feels like the cover work Whirly-Bird and Fantail were both fun The ending feels like a soft and sad goodbye Best: Midnite Blue

Well, at least nobody was singing about love over it

Nice