The Atomic Mr Basie

I love the calm that this brand of jazz brings to my mind. Even when it’s souped up and wild, it all still feels just right. I couldn’t listen to this all day, every day, but when I need a brain cleanse from other songs and albums that get stuck too deeply in my regular rotation, this is absolutely the best antidote.

On another day I’m not sure I would have been into this but the past few days my brain has been so scattered I haven’t been able to concentrate on anything. And yet when I put this on I became focused and able to work without being torn and distracted. The tunes were so reminiscent of 1950s or 1960s comedy movies I actually felt like I was listening to a Pink Panther soundtrack. So, as much as some of it was just my attitude to the day, I actually felt quite buoyed along by this. I always loved watching old black and white movies where there was a club with a Big Band playing or some kind of tribute to a bandleader so this was right up my street. It maybe should be a 3.5 but for the fact it helped streamline my thoughts it gets a boost.

Big band has never been my favorite kind of jazz. Having said that, these cats are cookin'! What's not to like? I wish the Benny Goodman 1935 Carnegie Hall concert was on this list.

Loved this! Found my new vibe for listening while working

Man, this is about as good as it gets for big band.

This was a very chill listen. I enjoyed it. Probably an 8

A little bit of big band on a cold winters evening in the UK is just what the doctor ordered. This was great!

Very nice jazz album. Easy to listen to and enjoy.

Perfect for a snowy chore day.

An interesting inclusion. Nice and short, obviously, and full of swing and swagger. If I'm going to listen to "jazz" then this sort of thing tends to be what I seek out. I'd certainly consider listening again, although it lacks the hook to bring me back regularly.

swingin record

nice vibes, elevator music type sh

Big band isn't my preferred style of jazz, but this feels pretty far removed from 30's and 40's big band. Very cool, progressive compositions. 4/5

Cupheadcore. Snappy, bra men mye av det samme. God jazz og storband.

Had no idea what I was getting into going into it, it's got the energy of a jazz record with a fast tempo, keeps you energetic and high throughout it.

Fun jazzy swing album. Great listen while working. 4 stars

++*: Double-O ++: The Kid from Red Bank, After Supper, Flight of the Foo Birds, Teddy the Toad, Whirlybird, Midnite Blue, Splanky, Fantail, Lil' Darlin +: Duet 9,7/10

Didn't know what to expect, but this exceeded expectations. Cover art is hard af too. 4/5.

Classic swing jazz, whats not to like?

Pretty cool music! Horns and keyboards.

I can't say I've heard of Count Basie before. From what I gather, he was a renowned jazz pianist, organist, bandleader, and composer who led his own innovative orchestra for fifty years. The Atomic Mr. Basie is one of several albums he recorded with them, and it was a delight to hear. They let out the bombast from the get-go with "The Kid from Red Bank" with its big band swing style. Throughout the album, the blaring horns, piano arrangements, and accompanying reeds and percussion coalesce into an active lounge sound. Sure this style was declining in post-World War II America but the orchestra wanted to go out on a high note. Aside from a few lulls in the compositions, I was thoroughly engaged. I'm glad this list included a good album to represent swing music because The Atomic Mr. Basie delivered that experience.

Goddamn!!! Everything about this album is ahead of its time.

reminds me of the best parts of being in the high school jazz band. music: appreciated. (⌐⚛_⚛)

I can see how this guy got to make music for Frank Sinatra. I've always been a firm believer all my life that jazz sucks, but this album might be convincing me that I'm wrong. Shit. I hate it when I'm wrong.

Don't know much about jazz but thought this was really fun to listen to! Pleasantly surprised.

Well this was something different… Listening to this is like being transported to a different era. Surprisingly listenable. Is that a phrase? It is now. I prefer the up tempo ones giving full energy. 4/5 would big band again.

That's a great Count Basie album. It's hard to go wrong with him.

Totally new to me and I didn’t hate it

A funky backtrack to my working day. Not too much more to say about it than that.

count basie is a legend, just a powerhouse of big band/swing/jazz/anything else from this era. this album really delivers some punch, and if i hadn't listened to 3+ hours of ella fitzgerald singing gershwin tunes the day before, this would've been a welcome breath of fresh air. the best tracks on this album are the fast and punchy ones; the slow ones are a bit dull to my taste but either way, this is a solid album. favorites: the kid from red bank, flight of the foo birds, whirly-bird, splanky

Elite dinner party music. Put this on while you’re putting those drinks out and rolling out the pizza dough.

Excellent really accessible jazz

A wonderful jazz album.

I really liked it, just won’t listen on a stressful morning

Very cool lively big band songs! Enjoyed it

Love it

Outstanding album. I was really into this the whole way through. Incredible musicianship and orchestration. Flight of the Foo Birds was exceptional. Banger Jazz album.

Solid background music.

Well that was fun!

Wijs album! Heel groovy. Een beetje Fallout vibes. Nice! 4.0

These are the kind of albums I was hoping to find when listening through the 1001 generator. Something different and new (at least to me). Honestly, never intentionally/actively listened to jazz or big band but really enjoyed listening to this. Amazing playing and really dynamic. Loved 'Midnight Blue' and 'The Kid from Red Bank'. Drum fills in 'Fantail' and overall musicianship is great.

I'm not sure what I expected based on the album cover, but it wasn't this. I am pleasantly surprised though. This is a pretty enjoyable big band jazz album with good energy and my day is better for having heard it.

pretty good, falls flat near the end but the outro track is probably the best on the album. 7.75/10

This shit slaps

Fun and springy

8/10. One time, my Mama walked in on me listening to the album "Blues by Basie", and she responded with "Is that jazz? I'm proud of you". I felt so awkward, and so confused. What is there to be proud of? It's just jazz. That encounter still confuses me. Anyway, this album is pretty cool. A lot of grand music going on. Basie's cool! :)

Not my prefered style of jazz, but this swings hard and features impeccable playing. 4 stars

Yeah this is some pretty great swing/jazz.

Listened while getting an IV at the hospital. Kept me entertained

Liked it a lot. This Album is the perfect Music Painting of OG Nuketown and the false acclaimed American dream. put some martini in my glass and see the world burn down. Its great 4.0/5.0

funky and fun, not as much to my taste so harder to rank. more songs caught my interest than i thought at first. favs: double-o, splanky, fantail, lil' darlin'

A great wind, big band, just straight up cool music group. While this isn't something I listen to every day I can't help getting dragged along with the rhythm and instruments throughout this album. Just good music the has its time and plays even today.

I haven't heard this old big band sound for a long time. I was unfamiliar with the album. I enjoyed listening to it and can imagine doing the same again. 4/5

That is a hell of an album cover for how this sounds. Really skillful playing and composition. Cool listen. Kind of crazy how so shortly after this music changed so radically and this sound almost entirely disappeared. Good one to have on the list.

coole swing-musik mit jazz! den ganzen tag im hintergrund und: a) immer wieder neue details entdeckt b) kann die tracks nicht (mehr) auseinanderhalten :-)

Smooth as butter!

This is a pretty cool listen, especially for a '50s swing album. The energy is infectious, and the band is as tight as it gets. Every track feels lively and fresh, even all these years later. Count Basie’s piano leads the way, but the whole band shines, and the horns bring the songs to life. It’s easy to see why this record gets so much love. You don’t have to be a jazz expert to enjoy it. Just hit play and let the groove take over. A classic that’s actually fun to listen to.

I haven't listened to a lot of Jazz, but I want more of whatever Basie has going on. A lot of the songs sounded similar to me, but I think that may be my lack of exposure to the genre. Regardless, I can't deny an album that has a song about a toad named Teddy. Favorite song(s): After Supper, Splanky Least favorite: Double-O Knew before? No

Bold big-band songs. It’s just a good listen.

From bombastic performances to slow and ponderous jazz, this album has been a delight to listen to. Well-put together and definitely a vibe. Best songs: The Kid from Red Bank, Lil' Darlin Worst songs (though still good): Duet, Teddy the Toad

Nice one

Albumi #90, 26.10.2024 Jazzpianisti Count Basien mainio albumi vuodelta 1958 on yksi kuuluisimpia jazzklassikoita. Albumi on big band swingin kulmakivi. Albumin kappaleet on sovittanut mm Batman-tunnarin säveltäjänä tunnettu Neal Hefti.

Not much to say - just good, fun big band jazz. It made for excellent background music while working on some art.

Absoluut nice jazz

It doesn't quite live up to the atomic bomb on the album cover, but it's still good old nostalgic '50s big band music that's fun to hear any time.

An extremely listenable big band record. The nuclear fireball on the album cover really exemplifies the feeling in the 50s that the world could end at any moment. The music drives that feeling home: "screw it, let's party!"

Love it!

I liked this album A TON. I sadly am behind in the albums so I could only do one listen through but man it was a joy. Perfect for a rainy day honestly. When I get caught back up I am 100% throwing it back on.

Poppin, this is exactly what I want from a jazz album, very exciting the whole way through

I won't lie, a lot of big band songs sound "samey" to me even when I do like them. And I do like all of them on this album despite their "sameyness". But man does this album make me want to play Fallout. 4/5.

inizia col botto

A fun big band album, full of vitality. It truly sounds like a party at the end of the world. Lil Darling playing out as the bombs drop would be a pretty nice way to go out.

Glenn Miller may have been the King of Swing but Count Basie did it better! I think it was at the end of musical cycle for Basie (40years) when this album was produced but he and his orchestra sound on-point. What I like as well is Basie himself takes some opportunities to prove his mastery outside of being a band leader on songs like Midnite Blue, where his subtle piano paves the way for the rest of the musicians. Key tracks for me are Double-O, and Duet, though the entire album is great. Basie is a badass who can blow me away any day!

I liked this one quite well. I'm down foe some Count Basie. This isn't the known tracks from my days playing in jazz band, a la April in Paris. This is a burner of a big band album. I wonder how it was received in pop culture in 1958? I tried imagining hearing it played at a diner or on the radio. Were kids or middle-aged adults into it? Was it the equivalent of dad-rock in 1958? Anyway, solid jazz tunes. Will listen again.

Pretty fun music.

Not enough base, but def some nice brass pieces

Preferred the slower jams on this one (After Supper, Splanky) - had no idea this dude existed!

big band big rating

Enjoyable, reminded me of the soundtrack from the Fallout TV show, which of course was all this style of music!

Really enjoyed this jazz, beautiful compositions

Amazing album a bit of everything - easy listening!

enjoyable listen, love some jazz.

Classic big band jazz. I prefer the tracks without piano but leaning more to 4 stars than 3

Amazing stuff.

I usually comment on orchestral music like this that it doesn't translate in a recording. However, it works here. I enjoyed this music and it feels timeless.

Very nice album, liked all the jazz. Very reminiscent of Fallout and other early cold war music. Also reminded me a lot of apollo mission music. Liked the flow of the album. Strong start with some nice calmer songs sprinkled troughout. Nice finally with Splanky and Frantail being more upbeat and the nice epilogue to calm everything with Li'l Darlin'. Solid 8/10 would listen to again.

Certified hood classic

Duets Love it and glad to hear it, not exactly my style but can see the merit in the work.

I haven’t given much thought to jazz before so this was a nice way to start the '1001 albums' listening challenge. I can appreciate that this music was truly revolutionary when it came out, very dynamic and energetic. It is personally not my thing, but it is beautiful nonetheless.

lots of good cello and base, very upbeat, but not overly engaging. Good background, low-key music.

Did not expect to like as much as I did. Listened to every song. Not my normal music, but I would listen again.

If you like old cartoons music, this album is for you!

# Playlist Track - Flight of the Foo Birds # Notes - Fun Jazz, amazing band name and album cover!

Artiste connu de nom, je n'ai jamais eu l'occasion d'écouter un album entier. Celui ci contient des morceaux très entrainants et d'autres plus calmes, avec des très bon chorus. Morceaux remarqués : Kid from Red Bank ; Lil Darlin' (morceaux que j'ai reconnus, l'un très dynamique, l'autre plus calme). Double-O ; Whirlybird ; Fantail (Excellents chorus de sax) Un plaisir à écouter ! Je ne lui met pas la note maximale, j'ai quand même un peu de mal avec les Big Bands. =>4/5

When music was music - before the electric guitar reduced everything to the lowest common denominator- good listening here.

This is way more energetic and hard hitting than like a dozen metal and punk albums on this list

Kid from Red Bank 4 Duet 3.7 After Supper 3.5 Flight of the Foo Birds 4.1 Double-O 3.8 Teddy the Toad 3.7 Whirlybird 4 Midnite Blue 3.7 Splanky 4 Fantail 4 Li'l Darlin' 3.7 Score: 3.836363636

Few songs were weak and They didn't seem to be made for an album, but more as background music at the bar. The others were amazing, full of energy.

Another one of those albums where I've grown up with one of the songs, and the rest are interesting and fun to hear. The upbeat jazz feel here is great.

Enjoyable bombastic jazz, I presume this is what the cover hints at! 4*

Really good album, loved listening

Really what I think about when I think about jazz. Wouldn’t listen in repeat but would definitely listen again

Love this. It's possible I was born in the wrong era. This music feels like the soundtrack to life.

Very good album. It’s easy when you stick the best musicians at the tome together and let them jam!

Very good album! 4:5

Huge swing. Big sounds. Bombastic. Exhibitionistic. It’s big band but not as you know it. Grrrrreat

Late 50's jazzy big band. What a vibe, I had a good time from start to finish, it does blur together a little and the runtime is long and still enjoyable.

I love music like this and this album was pretty dang good! Plus with a cover like that how could you not like it!

love a good classic big band album

gotta love a little bit of swing!! the walking bass is fun to listen to. brings back memories of playing in big band favorite: after supper

My love for jazz knows no bounds. This is not new. And not something I need to talk about any more than I already have. But now, I am going to ramble about another jazz album I like. I’ll start off by confessing something. It might break some people’s hearts, and by some I mean no one. As much as I speak so positively about jazz on a regular basis, I rarely listen to it on my own time. I know, devastating, right? So much of my time spent listening to music is focused on super crazy and aggressive albums. But it’s why I enjoy hearing a new jazz record for the first time. It’s a welcome break from all of the other madness I’m hearing. Except in this case, this album may not stray too far from all of that craziness. Out of all the jazz records I’ve talked about so far, this is easily the most energetic. It encapsulates the vibe of life in the 50s, and the way that American culture was evolving. Especially through jazz, which was a vessel for all walks of life to come together. I guess you could sort of categorize this as the last hurrah of a dying breed of jazz. Because when you look at the 60s and 70s, big band and swing music had left the center stage. And some of the big names began moving avant-garde and jazz-fusion. But what a way to go out. The heroin was really cooking back then, because they guys are rolling. Not too long ago, I had the pleasure of playing a game from the 90s called Grim Fandango. And the soundtrack featured there feels very reminiscent of this wonderful period in the 50s. Except this album doesn’t contain all of the Day of the Dead, noir crime thriller aspects. What it does contain is some of the most impressive brass arrangements and dynamics I’ve ever heard. Neal Hefti definitely deserves a shoutout here for his fantastic compositional work. And each member of Basie’s band plays their role excellently. This isn’t necessarily boundary pushing material. And it probably won’t blow your socks off. But it was a fun album to sink into on a beautiful Labor Day afternoon such as today. Rating: 7/10

Yes it's BASIE ladies and gentlemen!!

OK, Wow! Not my go to genre. Big band. I do love a nice jazzy background when I study, but often go with a more contemporary style, more smoky cafe. Yet this stuff is "alive" and energetic and frankly, amazing! Wow! One thing I can do to know I like an album is when I need to take a break and I unconsciously pause the music instead of letting it play on in the background. When I came aware I had done this on this album I realized how much I really enjoy it. This is still niche for me, but if I am working on something boring or last minute, I can absoulutely see coming here and just letting the music energize my last bits of effort. To me this is like the "back in the day" version of big beat techno.

Really enjoyed this album. It was great background music to start my workday

This "Big Band", Jazzy album showcases some of the most talented musicians in the history of music. Who needs lyrics when we can rock out like it's 1958 again?

Det var fedt! Gammel swing-agtig jazz :o hyggeligt at have i baggrunden eventuelt til mad 4/5

lovely

I love the count

banger

Obviously it’s great. It’s Jazz.

Just all round good fun

Great album. Opened strongly. I don’t usually go for swing but I enjoyed it

This has to be one of the most badass album covers ever.

Very good jazz. A bit more fast paced than the stuff I usually like, but very good nonetheless.

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

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

Reminded me of cuphead which is stylish

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

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

Solid big band.

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

Loved it. Fantastic grouping of jazzy beats.

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

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

You like jaaaazz? 7/10

It's a classic swing album

Really nice 50s band/swing style music. Instrumental

Enjoyed, preferred other albums with Basie

Awesome

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

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.

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

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!

Piqued my interested in Jazz Orchestra. 4.2 stars

Heck yea

Swinging but of its time

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

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

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

4 Banger

Classic. Lovely. Would listen again.

Passt gut zum kochen

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.

Interesting

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

Groovy stuff so far

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.

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

4.0

Bit jazzy, bit chill. No lyrics, just music

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.

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

could i write poetry to this? y

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

Great album

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

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.

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

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

Schöner Jazz. Die dicken Bläsersätze muss man aber mögen.

Fun listen

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

Decent example of big band

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

7/10. Feel good album. Nice vibes.

Big band’s last gasp. Really enjoyed it

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

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

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

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.

Pretty good 7/10

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

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.

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

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

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

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

Big Band Sound. Meinem Papa hätte es gefallen.

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

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

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.

Omg so cool dawg 😍i fw this shit

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

Precioso

Classic smooth Jazz.

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

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

yes nice good

good old fashioned Count

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

Fun, engaging, tight. "Lil' Darlin" an awesome closer. "Flight of the Foo Birds" is outstanding. Great album cover to boot.

Nice jazz band music although personally I prefer just jazz piano

This is big band music at its best! All of the musicians went off on this album. I also find it interesting how the atom bomb shaped popular culture in the 1950s. It seems controversial, even now, to put an atomic explosion on the cover of an atom. Best Songs: The Kid from Red Bank, After Supper, Flight of the Foo Birds, Midnite Blue, Lil' Darlin' Worst Songs: Teddy the Toad

Jazz, Swing, 1958, sehr flott -> 4

Nice jazz. Would listen to again

Jazzy Jazz

Awesome awesome awesome. Ended up buying it. I don’t know why I don’t listen to more big band when I always end up enjoying it so much.

nice

1958 so can see why this is in. Tighter than a gnat's chuff. So tight you can see right through it. If all big band was all killer no filler like this then I'd like it a whole lot more.

Gewoon fijne jazz, luistert lekker weg.

Fantastic!

Great music...an era long ago...my parents listened to this type of music....very good memories for me..

Bereits einige wegweisende Stücke. Mein Favorit: Fantail. Tolles Album!

Fuck this shit I forgot to save what I wrote ughhhhh. Basically never heard of them big band jazz must be cool I'm expecting something fun, since I like jazz and it's not rock as it is typically here. First song, it was catchy got to repetitive at some point, but overall I reaaaly enjoyed the piano and the trombone thingy. It was chill, but the dramatic parts made it better, definitely something I'd put on in the background, or when I'm doing something, it's not distracting, thoughh gets interesting. Second song, was too long I must say, I got a little bored. It low key has some animation background vibe iykyk. The outro was amazing. Piano and the trombone were doing great here as well, but this one was louder, so not chill, but it still is very nice to hear, enjoying it so far. Third song, OH, nostalgic start, I've heard those notes somewhere. Ooh getting better with the new instruments. It's less loud. The background instrument is fun, but even more fun is the saxophone solo rn. Piano time, also chill, and there was no beat change, and there won't be I suppose. I want more ordered chaos next. oh I also said that about the first song, it was calm, but chaotic too. 4th song, fast start, movie vibes, old one. The instruments are better in this one than the last one. The solos are even more interesting to hear too with the background ones especially. It's the same vibe now, I think if it's gonna be this long, it gotta have some beat change, though that's the point that it's same, and not progressive for no reason. Liking it less, but still jazz is jazzing. 5th song, slow start, but it got fast with that one instrument with the dramatic sound. I think I'm just not in the mood for this, I'll continue listening later, I wanna dance to this and I'm in bed, so will do this tomorrow. I'm back, and Imma start with the next song instantly 6th song, typical loud start. It's vintage, and I definitely feel the big band vibe. Would be definitely used of Pink Panther, or such kind of stuff, orr I also remember this vibe from the old moviess. Ohh right, Merilyn Monroe would sing to this perfectly. I'm getting it, and this could be my jazz awakening. Imagine if there were transitions, and the whole album was just one big song. 7th song, same kind of start, and it's going well, oh piano wasn't used in the last song, good to hear it again. The solo of the saxophone is the best part here, more consistent and less chaotic, butt I do like the chaos here, just it's not the best. It's getting faster and funkier, loving that. I think I've said this, but if I didn't, I need a version of this album with vocalss, would fit the vibe and make it more interesting, but I also want this. 8th song, slightly longer it is. Piano solo now. The start was loud as I remember, mix of instruments and went into the piano, and it's still playing beautifully. I think if this is nostalgic to someone, they experience this album in a much better way, like knowing what the next notes and instruments are gonna be, first listen is just not it. This one is less chaotic. 9th song, oooh this is a fancy start. This is quite more chill and dinnery. No random outbursts of the instruments, which idk if it's good or not, but it's definitely different. Ohh nvm outburst came in and it lasted longg. The piano is the best part here. I'm not impressed by this as much. 10th song, piano start and only piano for now. I hear the drum like sound in the background. Oooh saxophones came in (dunno the names of that instrument types so). The solo is great, not, per se, unique, but it's something, especially with the drums. Whole orchestra came in. This didn't stand out I must say. 11th song, oh it's melancholic for the first time. No piano here. It's quite slow, and the way they play is giving something. Charlie Chaplin's sad parts of the movie vibe, like him just walking, because something happened to him that made him feel down yk. Now this one didn't have any outbursts, also it stand out, because it was the most different one. Well even though I am not exactly WOWed rn, I like jazz, and this old way of jazzing especially by a big band is giving, I can't rate this 3 stars, it's too Goldie oldie yk, but it's not perfect, soo 4 stars is the best solution here. This is either an amazing background album, or a dance one.

Pretty great! And I played two of these songs in jazz band when I was younger.

Better than I expected. Cool jazzy swing feel

Loved the change of pace. Very easy to listen to and great to hear some big band stuff. I fell like all i'm getting is some form of rock. This album is like a breath of fresh air.

Really just a pleasant and thoroughly enjoyable listen.

разъеб полный

классика джаза

I can tell this is influential but I am not a big fan of instrumental music

Toller Jazz. Leider Big Band und etwas alte Schule (oh Wunder). Aber musikalisch astrein.

It sounded like a very familiar big band/jazz album. It makes me think if these albums are so iconic that I've heard them in a lot of movies/tv shows.

Great! 4.

Interesting. So down to listen to some jazz. Never listened to this before. I really enjoy listening to jazz. I just never go out of my way to listen to Jazz.

Terrific

Like the classic big band music

Solid album!

This was nice music but I have no genuine basis for comparison here, so I’ll just say that these cats are really swinging!

oh man this was way better than expected, hadn’t heard much of his stuff and this was def the one for me.

Definitely not one that would have been on my radar. I liked it though

Dit kan ik echt elke dag luisteren. Hier wordt je toch nooit moe van!!! 4 reeten

Thought about giving a 3, but I probably will check this album again, so 4 stars. It deserves a high rating anyways.

Nice vibe and you can feel the immense skill Basie has in each and every song.

fun and polished listen

How could you not like this sound? Basie is always solid.

This album rocks, enjoyed most of it. Pretty cool that Count Basie had a nice run in kansas city too.

I liked it a lot! Took me back to the 50s.

Solid throughout, with some brilliant musicianship. No single strong track in my opinion but a good overall album.

Some really nice swing

I really like big band jazz. Lets multiple instruments shine. I prefer slower tempos generally, and most of this album is fasssstttt. But it's really good throughout. Doesn't really do anything revolutionary, but it's the height of big band. Excellent dissonances and I was bobbing along to every song.

this chaotic. like the last big explosion of jazz (as the cover says it all) before rock and roll took over the world. cant bring myself to listen a lot to it, but its a great ride.

+1 for the amazing musicians. A time when you actually learned how to master your instrument.

Very enjoyable listen

Very chill. Enjoyed it. Good background music to work to.

Fun fact to kick this review off: everybody involved in making this album is now dead. But hey, don't let that bring the party down. Jazz veteran William "Count" Basie, fifty-four years old at the time of recording, was determined to give us all a good time despite the threat of death and nuclear holocaust depicted on the cover. In "The Atomic Mr. Basie", his ensemble tear through a collection of swing and big-band numbers, fluctuating between bombastic arrangements and gentle, lulling pieces. It's the kind of jazz I really enjoy: dynamic and accessible with dense layers of sound. "The Kid from Red Bank" (Basie's place of birth) is an arresting opening: virtuosic piano solos, a walking bass tantamount to flying, and stabs of frantic horns. From there, every player has a moment in the sun, from the sax and clarinet interplay in "Flight of the Foo Birds", the raucous avalanche of drum fills in "Fantail", the unified bombastic ending of "Splanky"… the list goes on. The lower-key numbers are great too: the drowsy, swooning tempo of "After Supper", with tender saxophone solos and gentle accompaniment, ended up being another of my highlights. There's little else for me to write as I'm no jazz aficionado: first and foremost, I have to feel it. And feel this one I did! The punchy hits on the off-beats, the swinging harmonised counter-melodies, and the sheer power of all the brass in unison… a mushroom cloud of fun.

This I like, good mellow music.

I like it

•Not owned: Streaming •Tight orchestration with performances that punch and bounce and sway, all when they should. •4/5

Very nice instrumental jazzy stuff. I liked this a lot.

Big Band Jazz ohne jeglichen Gesang? Funktioniert erstaunlich gut, hätte ich nicht erwartet. Ich fühle mich beim Hören, als würde ich in einer dunklen, verrauchten und verruchten Kellerbar sitzen, Zigarette in der einen (dabei rauche ich nicht mal), Martini in der anderen Hand. Hat erstaunlich viel Spaß gemacht. Ich bin zu wenig Musiktheoretikerin, um den Appeal begründen zu können. Fetzt halt, fragt nicht 🤷🏼‍♀️

Pretty sure I would have heard this growing up as my Dad is a huge jazz fan and likes Count Basie. I did enjoy this one and am looking forward to listening to some more jazz.

This was a interesting listen at 6 in the morning haha. I really dig Basies ability to go from soft and smooth to upbeat and a bit more chaotic. The songs that are more upbeat I'm unsure if I like those or not. After Supper is definitely more my vibe and one of the stand outs for me.

Pretty nice and full energy big band album, mostly instrumental. The sound is clear, each instrument at its place and the solos are really good throughout the record. The kind of jazz that makes you in a good mood

Exceptional musicianship

Great album. Essential jazz

So dope. Not a bad track. Only reason it’s not a 5 is because it is a situation dependent album.

Great album, without reading up on it I don’t know the context within jazz history. Still always impressed with the musicianship in the genre. Would listen to this again for sure. I out this one on while working and was perfect backdrop for coding.

Very good game night party record.

Jazz is very hit or miss for me, but I thought it was very fun and I liked that it was upbeat. It made me want to go to an old club. It’s great background music. (And that’s not a dis because it still has to be good for me to like it as background music it just doesn’t have lyrics so it’s good for me to listen to while doing other stuff.)

This genre is tough. The general nature of big bad creates a very dated feel, but not in an endearing way. That being said, this is another album that is a vibe. I don’t know when I’ll listen to this, but I enjoyed the feeling. I am glad society outgrew this, but I also appreciate it

A great example of Big Band. A quality effort you want to drink cocktails to.

Only this album can make me listen to instrumental jazz without any skips. The trumpets are superb and the star of the show, yet flow so well with every other instrument. I just there was better transition from one song to another, which sometimes felt missing. Overall great album!

What a formidable way to start the week. This album was just what I needed to improve an already good Mo day morning. Cold weather, a cozy scarf and walking to the office under the first sun rays hitting your face. A total vibe. Saved a bunch of songs but it would require a popularity factor to receive the perfect rating. P.S.: where is "Splanky" from? I've certainly heard that one before. Expected Marc rating: 2.

M'ha semblat molt agradable d'escoltar, i un jazz molt senzill i "friendly" en el sentit que no fa coses rares, simplement segueix una estructura senzilla i previsible que es fa molt fàcil de seguir. Expected Lorenzo rating: 3

Insane album art from a bopping swing outfit. This was easy to get into and definitely showed off the flashiest and most polished sounds a big band recording can create. Had my socks blown right off listening to the drums on Whirly-Bird and Fantail. Wonderful collection of tracks - beginning to understand and appreciate Basie’s stratospheric reputation in 20th century music. Fave track: Whirly-Bird

Nice, pretty rockin' for the era

Well, this album just gets out and kicks you in the head. The energy in the ensemble is amazing. Fast rippers aplenty and some more melancholic tunes as well. I used to hear some of his music when I visited my grandparents back in the day, great to discover more of his works! Standouts: The Kid From Red Bank, After Supper, Flight Of The Foo Birds, Whirly-Bird, Splanky, Lil' Darlin' 8 out of 10

perfect morning album

Really enjoyed listening to this while cooking, so have no idea which track was which, but it was great. I'm not an aficionado of this type of music but I really liked it and will play again in future, for sure.

That was a fun album. I love jazz from the late 50s and this was right up my alley.

a big band led by a piano? heck yeah!

Muito doidera, mas eu não tava no clima

Can't go wrong with big band.

3.5

Instrumentals always rate high for me and this is a good one to have playing in the background while I'm at work.

I'm a big lover of the blues and have been known to dabble in jazz, but big band is something I've never really gotten into. I see the appeal, but it's not for me. That said, this album was really enjoyable and probably the best example of the genre I've ever heard.

I'm enjoying this. Real big sound and tons of personality.

As rock n roll stampeded over practically every other form of music, Count Basie threw a wicked right hook for big band and swing. The Atomic Mr. Basie is both elegant and packs a sonic punch.

This was a nice Jazzy album to have playing while at work. The arrangement of the big band sounds and Jazz beats scratched that itch.

This album threatened to make me big-band-pilled. I don't think I got all the way there, but there's an alternate version of me that goes deep down the Count Basie rabbit hole. This is a diverse, interesting set of songs that's welcome on my playlist any old time. I don't know how often I'll return to this, but I'm much more open to that idea than I expected heading into this.