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Count Basie

Complete Atomic Basie

Complete Atomic Basie Tracks
1. The Kid From Red Bank
2. Duet
3. After Supper
4. Flight Of The Foo Birds
5. Double-O
6. Teddy The Toad
7. Whirly-Bird
8. Midnite Blue
9. Splanky
10. Fantail
11. Li'l Darlin'
12. Silks And Satins
13. Sleepwalker's Serenade (Alternate Take)
14. Sleepwalker's Serenade
15. The Late Late Show
16. The Late Late Show (Vocal Version)
Count Basie - Complete Atomic Basie
Complete Atomic Basie Review
Bristling with excitement and electricity, this 1958 album represents the finest accomplishment of Count Basie's "New Testament" big band. His "Old Testament" band of the late 1930s, featuring stars Lester Young, Herschel Evans, Dickie Wells, and Buck Clayton, perfected the blues-drenched, straight 4/4 rhythm of Kansas City swing. Building on the blues foundation, this 1950s band features more ambitious compositions and a more dynamic sound and incorporates more modern developments. One constant, however, is the anchoring rhythm guitar of Freddie Green. As always, Basie can dig deeply into robust stride statements or choose each note as if he had to pay for them separately. Neal Hefti, the primary composer and arranger here, marvelously captures the strengths of each individual musician. His arrangements sparkle exuberantly on the up tunes and create vivid and exotic moods on the slower ones; clever and innovative without ever being overblown. Beefy tenor Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, who was only in the band for a relatively short period, offers the most valuable and vital solo contributions, recalling Ben Webster's tenderness at times, squeaking and honking like an R&B man at others. --Marc Greilsamer


Users's Reviews
Feel free to add your comments about Complete Atomic Basie
An Esential Basie Album
5
Speaking from a Dj's point of view, this Album's sound quality is great and the songs are some of Basie's best. A must have for any Basie cd collection.
Posted by Anonymous, on 2005-10-23
Why only 4 stars? Read on . . .
4
Deep in the 1950s, Count Basie -- already a jazz legend -- chose to dig in and retrench with his Big-Band sound. Drawing upon earlier idioms, as well as his ability to recruit topnotch musicians -- can we all say 'Lockjaw' Davis, for example? -- Basie paired with big-band trumpeter/arranger/composer Neal Hefti (better remembered today for such tunes as "Girl Talk" and the theme from "The Odd Couple") to drive forward into a new era, one which would reflect the tenor of the times . . .

The 'sound' which he thus created is all here, brilliantly so. Hefti's comps/arrangements -- enhanced, in at least one case by Basie's insistence on slooooooooooooowwwwwwwwwwwwwwwing down the tempo of "Li'l Darlin' (a song better known to some by Bobby Darin's vocal, "Don't Dream of Anybody But Me") -- receive their full due with a coterie of handpicked musicians and an impeccable rhythm section (Basie never settled for less).

A non-Hefti composition, "The Late, Late Show" (a song rendered by such disparate artists as Nat 'King' Cole and Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme), likewise emerges in this CD in its truest (i.e., Basie) form.

So why only 4 stars in this review?

This is a studio recording. As such, it cannot mirror the true ESSENCE of Count Basie and his band. They were at their absolute best -- as attested to by at least one other recording from this period -- in 'live' settings, in which the audience's response mingled with the shouts of individual musicians (Basie always insisted on two things: that his performers be topnotch, and that they have FUN) as they exhort each other onward.

Thus the only caveat with this CD: You'll enjoy it thoroughly, until, that is, you happen to hear a recording of the same songs performed 'live'; at which time you'll find yourself enjoying this CD merely immensely.

Kinda tough to lose, isn't it?

Posted by Anonymous, on 2001-11-29
Punching like a HEAVYWEIGHT champ..Buy it!!
5
The ATOMIC BASIE must be the top bluesy instrumental jazz album ever recorded,even if it does have the best versions (vocal and instrumental both) of the LATE LATE SHOW I've ever heard. I like 'em all here, but especially the slower cuts like DUET,AFTER SUPPER,SPLANKY, SILKS AND SATINS, AND SLEEPWALKERS SERENADE (both versions),which is well titled too.The clarity of the band,the fact that every player seems as clear as day,with alternating riffs,and the guidance of the guitar and bass,give this 42-year old LP/CD a special sound even today, and surely forever. Go for it!!
Posted by Anonymous, on 2001-12-30

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