Reviews (page 7 of 13)
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.
I keep saying I prefer jazz live. Same rule applies here. But this album reminds me there’s so much that falls under the “jazz” umbrella. This is big band type music. Reminds me of the black and white movies I’d watch with my mom on Sunday afternoons when I was a kid. Good stuff.
You've tuned in to *radroach screech* Mojave Music Radio *gunshot* Where we play nothing but jazz, jazz, jazz! *Nuka Cola bottle opens*
ultimate fallout soundtrack surprisingly varied in emotion and energy
I like the slower songs. High level jazz.
4.3 - good shit
After Supper would be a nice slow dance song.
Starts pretty raucous and follows the anticipated sine wave of Basie arraignments. Enjoyable listen
Great turning point from the big band into the jazz era
Do not skip - play it through 0 and listen. Big Band like only Basie can do, The orchestra is tight - and some come off as if played in a small intimate setting. A pleasure. Will save to my account
Swing music excellence. Never heard any Basie I did not like. This is no exception. Pre-improvisational jazz, but fantastic big band music.
Really picked up in the second half. I enjoyed some songs so much I gave them a second and third listen
Good album
Hard to put into context given its age and my lack of much familiarity with this era other than a few other greatest hits collections (eg, Artie Shaw, Benny Goodman, Tommy Dorsey). But I still enjoyed it quite a bit. Apparently it was bold for its time, its title reflecting the early years of the cold war era.
This is what jazz feels like. Soaked in a cocktail I don't even know the name of because it's that hip. You have to be in the lifestyle to order it, with your fashion, and sense, and words. It stretches your mind in the best possible ways. Move forward to what can be, a meditation in sound. The possibilities are all there. We can take them to the places we allow. That's jazz.
Enjoyable big band/jazz/swing. Not much to say about it. I feel as though I should be walking through atomic wastelands. Would be a 3.5 but I’ll round up.
I fucking love jazz
This a great album. My grandmother recently passed away and this entire album had me thinking of her while I listened. Mentioned the app and album to my mother who then revealed that my grandmother and grandfather had actually been to see this band in person while they were dating. Thanks for providing this moment!
More of this
Nice jazz album
Entertaining background music
Makes me feel like a 60s housewife. I genuinely like it so far.
Ya like jazz? I like jazz.
This feels like it could be the gold standard for a style of jazz that, as far as I know, peaked 10-20 years prior to its release in 1958. I wonder if it sounded dated at the time. That's not a knock on this album by any means; it runs the gamut from moody ballads to uptempo (sometimes really uptempo) swing and everything in between. What it lacks in vocals it does its best to make up for in other ways, mostly successful. As an aside, I'm realizing how tough it is for me to rate on a 1-5 scale. In my head this is an 8 point something out of 10 -- does that make it worth 4 stars or 5?
Tak sobie wyobrażam nowoczesna muzykę w latach 50.
Nice change of pace. Provided some excellent background music for my 10 min nap over the lunch hour, and I thoroughly enjoyed the other 50 minutes while awake.
Mrs-Maisel-core
1st day! Interesting start (first song). I like it so far.
I'm not normally a fan of jazz/instrumental music, but this is really good and fun. Not something I'd put on a lot but I have to admit once in a while I will. A total surprise of a 4 for me.
Love this album! Happy energy. Added to my favorites.
Enjoyed the ebbs and flows of this one.
Very cool swing big band blues stuff super good!
mmhm
A great big band record. Great for relaxing - even the bops feel chill.
Nice little jazz album!
One of the last things through the door from Big Band era, and probably some of the best of the genre
Solid album with a great big band feel throughout, probably a 3 but gets the post-listening to the Velvet Underground bump where I needed to clear my brain from that terrible noise with actual music played by professionals that know how to make coherent music
this album turned my morning walk into an entirely different experience and confirmed my once largely theoretical love for jazz. watched a video of rufus jones on the drums for whirly-bird too and holy shit!! favs of the bunch: the kid from red bank, midnite blue, double-oh
Fun album. Not familiar with genre but enjoyed it.
It's what I have in mind when I think of jazz. Can be a bit strenuous to listen to in one sitting for my ears that are not used to jazz
Solid album. Good mix of songs. Tight musicians
This is my kind of jazz.
Excellent pour la cuisine
Exceptional.
Freddy the Toad was fun
All right
Great music to work too!
4.5
Pleasant listen, I didn't find it remarkable interesting but also found it far from offensive.
I like jazz, but the big band sound isn't my taste, I prefer the more intimate sound. If you like big bands, this is undoubtedly great.
Love it!
What a jazz album! I missed this one over labor day weekend, but glad we got it. Never heard of the Count before. This band felt a lot like Sinatra's band on most of the songs. It would be a perfect album to listen to before bed or just anytime to relax. Also kick ass album cover.
As usual, the albums from the '50s reign supreme on this list. Definitely heard the name Count Basie before, but not sure if I've heard the music. It's in that classic vein of big band, swing jazz stuff. I love the style, and there are some heaters on here. Always a welcome treat to get stuff this old. Makes all the generic rock shit that much worse. Favorite tracks: The Kid from Red Bank, Splanky, Flight of the Foo Birds, Whirly-Bird, Fantail. Album art: OPPENHEIMER EAT YOUR HEART OUT. Love how persistent nuke imagery was in the, well, the Atomic Age that was the '50s. Atomic is right. 4.5/5
Good jazz from a good era
Hmmmmm
Cool stuff
'Dit was Brandpunt, goedenavond.' Dit zijn jullie vast allang vergeten, maar Splanky van Count Basie was jarenlang het eindmuziekje van de nieuwsrubriek van de KRO. Geen idee waarom ik dat nog weet, dit soort trivia in de categorie Bonte Dinsdagavondtrein. Maar het was dan ook een lekker deuntje! De rest van dit album van deze man (Mike Boddé: 'Een vriend van mij noemt Count Basie altijd Kees Bounty') heeft hetzelfde feestelijke big band-geluid.
Not usually an instrumental fan, but this had enough novelty and variety that I was fine with it
The exact type of jazz that I'm into. Never lost interest once. Definitely will listen to this again. 4/5
Steady bigband album, gewoon goed
banger keyboard and trumpets
Super chill dit. Ik blijf instrumentale dingen altijd wat voor de achtergrond vinden, maar deze is wel fijn hoor.
Pretty good, the middle kinda drags tho
Sorry for being initially dismissive of yet another jazz album, because there were some great tracks here. Big band is generally background music to me, and only enjoyed passively when you're in the right setting. But then those quieter, more intimate songs sneak up and suddenly I'm transported to an imaginary stage, wanting to swing dance à la Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. That's the kinda jazz I like. Quiet and muted, but oh so enjoyable. Standout tracks are Duet, Teddy the Toad, and Midnite Blue.
As a soundtrack for a drive it's great.
Listening to jazz when you are hungover is insane
Muy bueno.
Big band jazz with a new thing to love in every short burst of music.
Really dig this. It’s fun. It swings!
Fun album with a classic 50s feel. Takes you back in time when you listen to it.
another solid jazz record
The Kid from Red Bank, Flight of the Foo Birds, Double-O, Fantail. Great bass, drums and sax.
midnite blue
🎷🥁🎺👦🏿 4.5 out of 5 classy big bands
This was really solid considering it's age, and even without that it's still good. Blows the high school jazz band versions I know out of the water. BT - Flight of the Foo Birds - Teddy The Toad - Whirlybird
Cool, kitsch and swinging big band jazz, with plenty of energy at times. Perfect dinner party foda and quite enjoyable for close listening as well.
BEST SONGS: - Flight of the Foo Birds - Double-O
Never heard of this before. At first glance, assumed it was a metal album! Enjoyed it nonetheless. I don't listen to a lot of this big band sort of thing, but it got me dancing a bit in my seat and kept me engaged throughout.
I respect Big Band but have never found it particularly attractive fare to sit and listen to at length. This clearly a cut above however, and a lot of variety in the sound.
Loved it.
The great atomic album
4.5/5. Interesting cover art from a big band act, I wonder how the American public viewed nuclear bombs in the 1950s.
Really cool, I love it! Big band sound. Jazzy goodness. Sounds like something to incorporate into your everyday life, since its runtime isn't too long. Forgot to note the songs I liked, but the album overall feels nice. + Midnight Blue + Li'l Darlin'
day 28. put this on while cooking, didn’t pay attention to the song names much but it was a very fun listen all around 3.5/5 rounded to 4 faves - Flight of the Foo Birds, Splanky
This is a really solid big band jazz album. I don't really listen to this type of music but Count Basie is undeniably good at it. I get why it was included, even though I don't see myself coming back to it too often. Standout Tracks: Kid from Red Bank, After Supper, Flight of the Foo Birds, Teddy the Toad, Whirly Bird, Fantail
Good jazz. Awesome album artwork.
Jazzy.
Hermoso disco. Sorprendido por como suena y lo polémico de la tapa, en cuanto al año de realizado. Count es único y uno de mis prefes de la vida. Los arreglos de vientos y piano son increíbles. La batería es todo lo que está bien. El final del disco explota... Bomba atomica
Album Notes: - For being an old jazz record, everything sounds warm and clear despite being a little dusty - its some classic swing jazz but its very well played and gets me swinging which i assume is its goal plus it has some dynamics between more upbeat tracks more chill songs towards the back end - enough here to be engaged but also chill enough to throw on in the background Best Tracks: The Kid From Red Bank, Flight of the Foo Birds, Midnite Blue Worst Tracks: After Supper
I liked this. Reminds me of a Borders Books & Music store.
Definitely not my usual genre, but I could appreciate it. Found myself going out of my way to listen to similar artists for a while after the album was finished.
Fun record. Neal Hefti's arrangements place an indelible stamp on the music. Thoroughly enjoyable!
Great mid-50s orchestra jazz
count bussing fr with the fire album cover favourites are: the kid from red bank, flight of the foo birds, teddy the toad, whirly bird and splanky
Klassiker!
I like jazz!
I am pretty unfamiliar with jazz, and this was the first artist I've never heard of. I went in blind, not knowing what to expect, and was blown away by "the kid from red bank". Loved the energy. The piano was my favorite. Tone was amazing, playing was phenomenal. I was surprised that a few songs were standard 12 bar blues, I did not know that it was used often in jazz. All in all, great album. As somebody who is not generally that into jazz, I listened to the album twice and will probably listen again. For that, it gets 4 stars.
this was a good album, some songs were boring but the most were very good, therefore i don't give it a 3 but 4. the piano was on point
me RE gustó jiji 9/10
Always liked the old cartoon music and this is definitely up that alley
Big vibe
Love a bit of swing !
ta bn verga que viva el jazz we
Enjoyable easy listening.
A welcome surprise listening to a new musician and some jazzy tunes in the morning
This album was a fun listen. It make me feel like I'm walking in a post apocalyptical wasteland trying to survive against the mutants and radiation with some good vibes. I don't understand how none of these songs made it into any of the Fallout games considering it even has Atomic in the name. Major oversight man.
I feel like this would be the soundtrack to a tom & jerry movie cool stuff
fallout.
Highlight: Splanky
Bardzo przyjemny, taki żywy jazz z dużą orkiestrą, nie jest przesadnie undergroundowy i nie powtarza 30min tej samej melodii na 5 instrumentach.
Really enjoyed this and did not expect to. Great to just have on in the background. Great trumpet and the musicianship is off the charts. Jazz drums!
Energizing! Olde Time-y! Brassy! Blam! Pow! Splash! Also what a crazy album cover for a jazz album. Great symbolism of both the energy of the album and of the atomic age in general.
Просто отличный джазз. Я очень плохо осведомлён об этом жанре в принципе и мне трудно писать о нём что-то стоящее, но я не могу не отметить, что все инструменталисты на данном альбоме играли просто божественно. Хотелось бы продлить некоторые треки и сделать больше акцент на некоторых инструментах, но в основном всё было исполнено прекрасно. (7.5)
Another album i'd like to give 3.5 stars. I honestly expected crazy bombastic big band songs based on the album cover but there were a lot of low key cuts on here which were a nice contrast to the huge moments. Count Basie's drumming was for sure the highlight, those huge big band fills and drum rolls are something you don't hear much from even the best rock drummers.
Awesome. I usually don’t even like Jazz, but this was nice.
Really cool at this point in life it feels like a period piece. Definitely moment and time kind of music.
Man do I love the Count
Good fun Jazz - hectic and vibrant - not my favourite but definitely a fun record to put on in a party
Really nice big band sound you expect from Basie. One of the last of it's kind in an era that didn't appreciate it.
Perfect workout music
Nice
Well that was utterly charming. My dad was always a huge fan of jazz/swing/big band music, but he died when I was young and I never got to experience it with him the way I might've had I been able to listen and explore it as an adult with him. Anyway, this just put me so much in mind of him and felt so at home that this is absolutely going into my mix of albums!
Well, this should certainly help my jazz and 50s score, as I enjoyed this quite a bit! I knew I actually quite enjoyed jazz in the right style, and this more big band approach is definitely more up my alley. Each song pops so much and it's really appreciated how Count Basie let's his whole orchestra speak rather than taking the limelight like some other jazz artists I hear, it makes it feel like a full group. It does suffer from songs being hard to differentiate, especially at the beginning, but in the middle and end it tries to fix that a bit. I also don't usually judge an album on being an "album", as not every album is meant to be a concept album, but this one also does just feel like a collection of songs taped together, which while expected of the 50s, does still drag it down a little. Just a suprisingly enjoyable album, although unsure what kind of mood I'll have to be in to listen to most of this again. Not exactly driving or chilling music, and I don't dance. The last song may be good sunny day walk music, but as it's snowy where I am, may have to wait a little on that.
Wow, much more enjoyable than expected.
Viby
Tom & Jerry sountrack vibes. Love it
Very enjoyable, good background music
Perhaps just me but I find it impossible to dislike big band (swing) music,it has a universal appeal. Sophistic style but catchy enough to be popular. It also doesn't seem to suffer from sounding dated. I really like it.
I think I only listen to big band music at holiday time for the Christmas music. So maybe that made me particularly amenable to listening, but I really enjoyed this.
Listening to this one reminded me of driving around in the car with my grandfather when I was a kid visiting him for the summer. He was a huge Big Band guy, and this one took me back to then. It's easy to tap your toe to it, and I was surprised by how much I liked it, mostly due to those great memories.
I love me some Big Band music. Such an elegant yet fun time (well, ignoring the whole WWII part). I even leaned hard into the late 90s Swing revival (ask me sometime about when we put on a swing dance in college, complete with jazz band and tuxedoes). I do admit I tend to prefer the slightly modernized Brian Setzer Orchestra versions to the original, but still, big fan of the genre. What's cool about this album is that it's late 50s Big Band. I'm assuming it was slightly old-fashioned at the time, given the other late 50s albums we've rated - they sound more 60s or transitional, where as this is definitely retro. But man, good working music, and I'd love to hire these guys for my dream Christmas party.
Appropriate times to listen to "The Atomic Mr Basie by Count Basie & His Orchestra:" - During the opening credits of a cartoon - During the gathering period before a keynote speech in a large convention center ballroom - While you are doing the dishes - When you are compiling data, processing help desk tickets, or systemically deleting or moving all the random files on your desktop - When you've got a mystery to solve, but darn it, she's just so beautiful Inappropriate times to listen to "The Atomic Mr Basie by Count Basie & His Orchestra:" - When you are driving someone to the hospital - When you are driving someone from the bar to your place - When you are driving alone - When you have friends over - When you have family over - When you are answering email from your boss, your spouse, your child's teacher, or your probation officer
nice
Really great album. I was listening while working and it really got me focussed. Bonus points for a sick cover
Another delicious jazz (this time big band) for the list. No misses on the genre here
Oh, swingeraj! Zbog covera albuma sigurno nisam pomislio na taj žanr, but here we are. Ako si u ovom điru? Stari moj, definitivno ovaj album šubeknut na liniju i lagano đuskanje.
Awesome, awesome jazz record. Way more enjoyable than I was expecting it to be.
Let the band swing. Love it.
the oldest album I have ever listened to. makes you feel young. nice retro tune
Next stop Pottersville
Very fun and suprising album. Ive been big on listening to jazz while studying so ive always treated it like background music. But this is loud, its bold and sounds fantastic, lots of talented musicians involved, The skill they had to record an album like this
Fun
I’m into it
This was great
My Amazon music had moved on to shuffling other count Basie music long before I checked if the album had finished, it was really good
A very enjoyable jazz orchestra album. The tracks are short and sweet, nothing overstays its welcome. I really enjoyed it.
Quite enjoyed this. Never listened to an album like this before. Strange album artwork for a jazz album but was pretty banging so fair play
Yes - this is a really good big band album. Not sure about the atomic theme, though.
Yeah jazz slaps
Love how it kicks off. Only started listening more actively to jazz recently, beginning with Thelonious Monk, then branching out into Duke Ellington, John Coltrane, etc, but somehow the various algorithms didn't spit out Count Basie. Anyway, enjoyed the swingy feel.
Although I'm not too familiair with big band or jazz, this sounds great! Def come back to this one
art is booom! Nice and relaxing
High-level big-band jazz. Maybe a slightly thinner sound than the best of the Ellington band, but every bit as polished, and perhaps even a touch smoother. There’s plenty of swing to go around, and some lovely understated touches by Basie on the piano (which contrast nicely with the big and brassy tutti sections at the end of several tracks).. I love the sultry (or “slinky”) “After Supper” and generally prefer the mid-tempo and quieter cuts, including “Midnight Blue” and “Splanky” especially “Lil Darlin’” with its hook for the ages.
Wouldn’t typically listen to this genre so I gave it two listens and it’s fun. Started out hot with The Kid From Red Bank which turned out to be my favourite track. This album is more than background noise.
Oh, I love Cuphead. Good day for a swell battle! Turns out that the only time I can enjoy jazz is if I can imagine a rubber hose animation dancing to it. Wow, okay. I actually really liked this. Made me feel many things: Like I'm in a Tom and Jerry chase sequence, a cooking montage and a video game boss fight at the same time.
When Jazz was allowed to be something other than A Credit to the Race. Halcyon days...
Swing - verb. The Count Basie Orchestra. While Ellington’s band was pure sophistication, Basie’s band was pure swing. Great arrangements and great hearing the Count before his piano playing became more “economical.”
Quite good.
This was released in 1958?? Some of these tracks had some STANK. Best track: Midnite Blue
7/10
I enjoyed the energy of this album very much, even though it was not really the type of music I lean towards.
Enjoyable jazz. Good soloing, jolly melodies. Accessible big band jazz with hints of the experimental soloing of Miles and friends in the coming few years, but less “difficult”.
Excellent
Honestly really dug it, very toe-tappy and bombastic at times and the track titles mostly reflected the vibe of the songs which isn’t a given for instrumental music, but appreciated. Also shout out to my boy Teddy the Toad, in deference to Peace Frog off Morrison Hotel.
A delight to listen to!
Loved this album, a great vibe and almost every track a banger. I will be returning and also trying more of Mr Basie.
Jazz swing 1958
Some good tunes on there, higher energy
Surprisingly good. The orchestra thing isn't really my thing, but the album played well
The most interesting big band music I've ever heard - way ahead of its time, really good! Exactly the kind of thing I was hoping for when I signed up
Stellar big band record.
Just a super enjoyable listen and a showcase for the musicians' skill and musicality. I love the swing/big band/jazz sound and how it is both simple and complex.
Great album all around. The complexities of some of these songs is really impressive to listen to. Would definitely come back to this. 4.5 stars.
This Big Band sound is everything to someone who loves brass. Minus 1 Star for Splanky being a terrible song.
Very fun album, no singing, just foot tappin.
Hahaha, what a great name and album cover. I thought I was going to listen to punk music.
Excellent. Surely even those oddities who profess "not to like jazz" couldn't fail to have their feet moved by this?
I listen to these albums on my 6am drives to work and this woke me up! As much as I love yesterday's album, Dark Side of the Moon, it is not 6am driving-to-work music. This is. I enjoyed this a lot.
I've heard of Count Basie, but I couldn't tell you what music, if any, I've heard before. Everything on The Atomic Mr Basie was new to me. I liked the album. There were energetic tracks that grabbed my attention, and there were slow grooves that also grabbed my attention. On my first listen, I didn't pick anything out as a new favorite, but I could easily come back to this album to listen again and see what I may have missed the first time. I liked the album enough that I listened to the bonus tracks from the re-issue.
Smooth, good listening. Feels futuristic for the 50's.
Loved it, though I feel that i cannot fully appreciate the musicality.
Minne meg om Radioresepsjonen, Tom & Jerry og kasino-minigamet til Mario 64 på DS, og da e nåke eg ikkje kan sei om alle album
I’m not the biggest fan of big band, but this is once of the greatest big band albums out there.
It was very nice (and unexpected) to get utterly instrumental jazz that does not look like a revolution or something like that. I didn't expect this "normal" jazz album on this list. It was a pretty lovely album and it's worth it, for sure although I believe that I'm suspect. This is the exact type of song that I like to discover.
Lovely. Warm, nostalgic, and classy jazz, easy listening (nothing too off beat or overly clever)
Swing big bands seem like a foreign country, but this was enjoyable. At some point in the near future, guitar-driven rock and roll will be as foreign.
Swing the pain away
Big Fallout vibes, I love this!
Love it.
Very nice and groovy album. The instruments, and especially the drums, are intense, fast, efficient and rowdy, in a way... I love it! A record that lives up to its name!
Very much the kind of thing you’ll like if you like this kind of thing. Excellently well executed with lots of high-level soloing and some huge, way-swinging hooks. Such well-integrated playing – orchestral and strong in the details, too. Highlights for me include “After Supper” and “Lil’ Darlin’.” Shouldn’t the Foo Fighters cover “Flight of the Foo Birds”?
just like old people like
Jazz! Swing om precies te zijn. Leuk album. Maar een nog leuker genre als je ik groep bent en kunt dansen
The word of the day is : energy. Atomic may be about right for the time. Wow. Respect.
Big fun, a record that swings mightily, almost in defiance of the experiments in jazz going on around them. With musicians playing free and post bop just around the corner, it almost feels audacious that Basie would pick this particular moment to detonate a powerhouse big band record of this magnitude.
Not one I would have thought I'd enjoy this much. "Big band" and swing are usually genres I avoid. But this was a great listen.
Ballsy of Basie to show a mushroom cloud on the cover in this age of nuclear paranoia and there’s definitely something powerful in these tracks which swing and jump and jive and wail, racing forward, hurtling over its 40 minutes length, perfect for a night on the town leaping from bar to bar. If there’s a distinctiveness lacking between the tracks at times not to worry - this is all part of a mood and sensation. Just keep swinging away and give in to Basie’s skill and talent.
Me gustó. Pasa rápido, pero de buena manera.
Found it intriguing that apple music labeled this as Pop, though i guess it may have been the popular music back in the late 50's. There are a few sections that are too slow/sparse, but it is mostly a solid enjoyable big band sound with a great rhythm and groove.
4/04/22
This had a nice mixture of kind of classic big band type jazz, but also some really great bebop and dixieland style. Some really sweet guitar and clarinet lines in places, and the piano playing of course is super rad. I like this quite a bit, works well as some upbeat background music, but also interesting stuff happening for active listening too.
I primarily know the Count from his work with Sinatra, and haven’t heard much of his instrumental stuff. But this is good! Parts of it are a little slow for my taste, as my preference towards jazz tends to be more intense, but a lot of it really swings, and every musician kills. Should really check more of his stuff out. B
I know fuck about shit when it comes to jazz, but this uhhh… this rips. Pacing, diversity of style, memorable performances? Top notch. 4
4/5
properly good.
Genre: Big Band 4/5 Count Basie, a name that's so big in the jazz world my piano tutor neighbor named her dog after him, was a bandleader/pianist known for pushing the limits of the big band sound. This was the pop music of the times. In 1958, while rock was still trying to push its way to the forefront, the music being played on jukeboxes and in living rooms around the country was the big band music and stylings of artists like Count Basie. This is, in essence, a dance album. A 40-minute concert of sorts that'll make you want to get on the floor and swing your partner round 'n round. It moves from fast and frolicking to slow and sexy, just like a live set from the orchestra. Overall, this is a genuinely enjoyable piece of music history, and a great album to play for your older relatives to watch them go "Oh fuck yeah, Count Basie."
Wow - That’s what I call groovy, swing big band jazz! Excellent tunes, impecable interpretation, energetic and charming. By the way, the amount of courage they had for using a nuclear explosion in the cover only 13 years after WWII ended is remarkable.
Música Jazz/Big band. Muy chula.
Not usually a big band fan, but this was pretty good
4.0 - I'm not normally a fan of big band jazz but this album really swings. I especially love the arrangement on "Whirly Bird" that has some complex brass backing, coupled with amazing solos on the piano and saxophone.
intrigante
This music transported me to an earlier time. I think I do have a preconceived notion with this type of music genre (big band/jazz...even blues/swing/etc...not sure if it's an anti-brass sentiment in my brain lol). However, this was truly quite enjoyable.
Excellent
jazzy! finally something without words. A little too uptempo for work but an easy 4.
Yeah this kind of jazz I can get behind. Not too freeform, not too self indulgent. It’s upbeat, it’s jazzy, it’s Basie!
i'm a sucker for a walking bassline. this is the kind of smooth i like and i'm down with the album cover that has nothing to do with jazz but at the same time somehow relates to the stabby explosive nature of the horn section.
8/10 has some snoozer tracks but overall a fantastic album
8/10. Good stuff, but not the most exciting
This album is a bit of an anacronism in 1958, especially with all of the landmark jazz albums that would come out the following year. It's a big band album made after the height of the big band era. However, it's a really fun album that somehow lives up to the boldness of its cover and title. I don't usually enjoy big band music, but I thought this one was well worth the listen 4/5
not what i’d usually listen to but so fun and funky. feel like i’m in a movie montage
The jazz!
Very interesting album.
I am a swing dancer so I have listened to many, many, hours of Basie. I am very familiar with this album and it's a great one.
fantastic big band jazz.
* big band jazz swing stuff. Liked it. Would have on vinyl
At last some Jazz which is enjoyable! It is swingy big band sound which makes me hop around on my office chair on a Friday afternoon. Not sure I could listen to this for hours but it causes a pretty nice motivation boost.
True story: I'm from Jersey and never bothered to look into who Count Basie was. A great record of uptempo swing and big band. Think more should be added to the list, but this is a good start. The album cover, by modern standards, looks very... my first MSPaint. Favorite tracks: "Duet", "Flight of the Foo Birds"
huhhuh, heti alko aivan jäätävällä tykittelyllä. Muut biisit oli vähän rauhallisempia mutta kunnon hyvää koko levy. Jatkoon.
Loistava levy. Sopiva sekoitus rauhallista ja menevää. Lil Darlin kaunis lopetus.
Big band-setit hyvä tapa lähteä joulunviettoon. Alkaa ihan itsestään jalka polkea. Harva bändi varmaan vois laittaa ydinpommia kanteen kuvaamaan miten tykkiä musa on, mut Kreivi voi.
It is 1958, the world has been on a bit of a pause dealing with the aftermath of World War II, and the Korean War's cease-fire. The world gets to focus on life again with a bit more intention. However, the jazzy elements of the 1930s, 1940s have considerable staying power even more with the emergence of swing, which brings us here to Count Basie in 1958. Subtle differences say this is not your wartime jazz that makes you miss home, but rather that the hard time is over and it is time to enjoy some good in one's life. Great album, excellent for hosting parties or just spending time with friends.
The combination of the cover and year of release had me questioning what I was about to hear but the moment I heard that brass, I knew I was in for a treat.
Awesome, sounds like the incredibles!
Cool jazz album. I enjoyed it although it wasn't my favorite style of jazz
Not my kind of thing, but enjoyable nonetheless.
Enjoyable accessible jazz that became ubiquitous. A positive view into a jazz future that never happened.
This was listed as pop, that doesn't seem right. Basie is always an easy listen
Loved it, just would have preferred the occasional vocal
Indeed a mighty big band 3.5/5
The Atomic Mr. Basie is a jazz album in a style I normally do not like: big band. The fact that it's still a four star experience to me, says it all. The songs are great and the production is flawless. The album cover misleads you in to thinking that it's something avantgarde or aggressive. That is not the case, still it is a wonderful classic.
Best (And only) Jazz album I've heard
Wasn’t really in the mood for this when I started listening, but by the end of it I was in full swing! Fantastic Jazz album, impossible not to get the foot tapping along 4/5 - Enjoyable listen, probably going to add this to my list.
Jazz, swing. Instrumental
A classic!
This was very much fun to listen to. I love the big band sound of it. The opener, "The Kid from Red Bank" is lots of piano fun, and "Duet" has great muted trumpets. Some very fun songs are "Flight of the Foo Birds" and "Teddy the Toad." "Splanky" has my favorite name and is just swingin'. I really love the slow, sultry numbers "After Supper" and "Midnite Blue." A great, fun, classic album.
This was a fun big band jazz album! I appreciated the variation in tempos, allowing me moments of dancing and prancing around the house to kicking back and feeling the cool groove. This won’t be in my regular rotation, but it has a spot in my “to work to” catalog.
Some big band jazz! I don't have a lot of experience with this genre, but I enjoyed listening to this album. The first thing I noticed was how clean the recording sounds. I guess I halfway expect music from 1958 sound like an old recording, but this sounded crisp and clean to me in my headphones, in the car, and on my home equipment. Some observations and highlights for me: The piano work in "The Kid from Red Bank" The muted trumpets in "Duet" and "Splanky" That warm, cocktail vibe of "After Supper" The saxophone in "Flight of the Foo Birds", "Double-O", "Whirly-Bird", "Splanky", "Fantail" I like the musical arrangements - they showcased various parts of the band well without become tiresome. The album flowed along well. The album cover and title seem a little insensitive especially 13 years after Hiroshima and Nagasaki. That disturbed me a bit. I guess it fit into the 50s fetishization of nuclear power. Still... Aside from that quibble this was a welcome change of pace and a fun album to listen to.
8/10
very good, hadn't heard this before, but solid swing music.
Fantástico. Aburridísimo, pero fantástico.
the venerable Basie band is in full swing. coy piano solos show that less is more. some tunes from the middle school jazz big band canon. because of this, this album is nostalgic in more ways than one.
I had quite some trepidation in reviewing this. I'm not averse to jazz at all, yet I worry that I may lack the musicianship to appreciate this album fully. Or rather, I perhaps don't have the philosophy to appreciate it fully, if one excuses ihe pretension. Now, there are tracks on this I loved (Li'l Darlin' in particular), but I found myself overwhelmed a little by the big band aesthetic (to get pretentious again). I wished one track were a little different to leaven it slightly. Is that my fault? Am I being too harsh on myself?
Oh this was superb! Just what I needed.
bretty gud
Tres bon album jazz jadore. 4*
It's of great disservice to Mr. Basie that upon receiving the 1001 album link to 'The Atomic...', I immediately Googled it rather than diving straight in and listening. What followed was a rabbit hole of monumental proportions. According to Wikipedia, 'The Atomic...' won 2 Grammys at the inaugural Grammy ceremony. Well, that piqued my interest. I looked at the illustrious list of winners at those 1959 awards - Ella Fitzgerald, Henry Mancini, and....Alvin and the Chipmunks. What!? Two Grammys for the Chipmunks? How was that possible? For what?! Before I knew it I was trapped in a YouTube spiral that started with the Chipmunks singing on the Ed Sullivan show in the 1950s and ended with a compilation of Skeletor's finest insults in Masters of the Universe. That's YouTube, sadly. Nincompoops. I feel like there's something symbolic in that chain of events, though. As someone of relative music history ignorance, it was easy for me to dismiss 'The Atomic...' and the fact that I didn't know who Count Basie was, and find something else to distract me. It starts with the cover artwork - a grainy orange picture of a bomb exploding with some very basic typeface on top. To me, it screamed homemade wannabe post-punk band's first album; or a lame DIY attempt by some obscure unknowns at imitating Captain Beefheart or something. And neither of those options were really what I wanted to listen to at that moment in time, if truth be told. Then when you do delve into it, you realise it's a big band album by a man who, by this point in his career, was considered washed up. Tough sell at first. But when I finally sat down and listened I was quick to ascertain this was a jazz record of a notoriety I should've respected. Basie was 53 when 'The Atomic...' album was released. He had success in decades previous, but 'The Atomic...' is his swansong. It's a renaissance album, and you can feel it. Jazz piano is at its core but it's a celebration of everything good that big band has to offer. There's a dynamic and, as becomes clear by the artwork, an explosive quality to it, throughout. A swing that just keeps building and building until you're dancing off the beat and clicking your fingers whilst jiggling in your seat. Then there's Lil' Darlin' as the final track. Slow and maudlin and almost the antithesis to the rest of the album, yet the perfect way for Basie to sign-off from an unexpected delight and an album that definitely trumps Alvin and the Chipmunks in its quality.
A cracking blend of big band swing and jazz. Not a genre I'm normally familiar with but loved this. In modern parlance - "an absolute banger"
Bombastic Jazz, thats for sure.
Very good jazz album. That's all i can say
I wasn't expecting to like this as much as I did, but it really swings. Atomic! 4 stars.
Solid. I like the atmosphere and the brass sound. (8/10) Favourite Tracks: The Kid from Red Bank, Splanky
You know, the whole time I was thinking "this sounds like every time Batman and Robin got into a fight" in the Adam West series of the 60's. Then I saw another post - same guy produced both. I thought the first few used a few too many "whams" via horns (or whatever, I don't know jazz well). But the back half slowed it down or changed the tempo nicely. Midnite Blue made me think of Grandpa Simpson after he lost out on Marge's mom to Burns. Splanky made me think about the intro to the Naked Gun. Jazz is not my thing but it can still be a good thing. Cool album from a group and bandleader I knew nothing about.
Man, this is some killing swing! His Orchestra was on fire for this recording. I also like how he brings you back to calm with the closing track Lil' Darlin' I need to check out more of his stuff.
Nothing to complain about here - solid Basie album.
I love me some big band.
It’s the bomb
Jazz bão d+ seloko
Great example of late 50s jazz resurgence. Probably Count's best album ever, and with a jazz supergroup of the time. Really great sound, really dig it. 4.5/5.
Soft 4 stars. Such an inspiration to big band jazz music. Really brings me back to my high school and college days, although Basie's group is of course much tighter and put together. I personally prefer smaller jazz groups (rather than big band) but it's obvious to me why this recording made it on this list.
Loved it
Nice and easy listen, well done overall.
Great big band and swing stuff, but I did feel a real pull for vocals on these tracks that dragged down the album a little for me.
Very well put together, really enjoyed this one
First time listener. It's good, planning on digging into more Count Basie. My favorite jazz album so far.
Bip bup bop bup bop Bip
Fun big band music
An impressive piece of swing jazz that extended into the 50s. The overuse of horns is so distinctively 40s, but the heavy sound is likely an inspiration from rock n roll. With over a dozen members, I was afraid I'd hear a complete mess of instruments, but Basie understands when each instrument should stand out. The volume is tightly controlled between the different instruments, hindering any clashing that would be more prominent in a recording (vs live). I don't think it's one of his best works, and several others like Ellington surpass him in swing, but this album is strong as a collective piece and makes for a swingting time any day.
musiquilla de big band, este album podría aparacer en el fallout
Parto dal dire che pur conoscendo qualcosa ho poca familiarità con questo genere e che ho paura di sminuire il duro lavoro e studio che c'è dietro quest'album di altri tempi. La performance è impeccabile. Sarà tutto registrato live da professionisti. Non lo so, vado con un 4, perché in questo caso mi sembra giusto.
real chill, if you like cowboy bebop intro you will like this. no vocals as well
Jazzy as you like, nice music for the background
I'm new to swing, but this was pretty dope.
Love Count Basie! This album is full of upbeat tracks.
The album cover is punk rock as fuck. The music is great jazzy big band stuff with a lot of energy.
Jazz with a capital J. Evokes images of old movies and cartoons, ocean liners and flappers. Music from a golden age, no longer the 20’s but rather the 1920’s.
Smooth
La big band mi piace, questo disco è divertente e gli arrangiamenti sono belli. Lo risentirò.
Bom album, apreciei ouvir.
loved it
It was real groovy, perfect for my drive home.
Very interesting listen. Nice for relaxing or for background noise
Jazz is such a vibe. This wasn't my favourite but still a huge improvement on everything that came out in the 70s that we usually listen to lmao
So perfect that this selection hit on a weekend. Strong album. He has better and this one is solid.
Based on the artist and band name I was definitely expecting something very different. It was a good surprise though with some really nice jazz. Fantastic background listening during work.
Enjoyed this one, I seem to really like big band jazz
Here's lookin' at you Kid.
I dare you to put on Flight of the Foo Birds and not be in a better mood.
Jazzy with a driving shuffling beat. Good variety of songs. 1RS
thoroughly enjoyed this - I give it two Glen Miller's a Tommy Dorsey and a gaggle of Benny Goodman's for good measure.
I knew some of these tracks. Definitely enjoyed the big band sound