Track Listing

1. 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
14. Sleepwalker's Serenade (2)
15. Late Late Show
16. Late Late Show (2)

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #8411 in Music
• Released on: 1994-02-28
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .20 pounds

Amazon.co.uk Review
Bristling with excitement and electricity, The Complete Atomic Basie 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, marvellously 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

CD Description
This 1957 release features Neal Hefti's arrangements and the ever-exciting sound of what became known as the Second Testament Basie Band (the first having featured Lester Young, Herschel Evans, Dicky Wells et al). The album opens with a fiery version of "The Kid from Red Bank"; other highlights include "Whirly-Bird" and "Teddy the Toad". As usual, Count Basie's stride-inflected piano style and the brass section's sudden, sharp stabs help define the band's sound.
The COMPLETE ATOMIC BASIE isn't just about screaming high notes and blistering scale flourishes though; subtlety and dynamic variety characterise several charts. We hear this best in the reeds' lilting swing on "Midnite Blue", and in the quiet, mellow groove of "Li'l Darlin'"; the sparseness of the latter's arrangement highlights the often-neglected guitarist FreddieGreen's inimitable strumming. One of Basie's finest albums,THE COMPLETE ATOMIC BASIE is a swinging gem.

Customer Reviews

An excellent CD of Count Basie's finest jazz
Some of the finest jazz, including such tracks as 'Splanky' and 'Midnite Blue'. Count Basie has got to be one of the greatest jazz artists and this CD portrays this perfectly. I still enjoy listening to the album, even though I have heard numerous times before. The Cd has an excellent array of tracks, well-known and not so well-known, and I think is the ultimate Atomic Basie!

Blinding
This is one of the finest big band jazz albums you can buy. I grew up listening to this as my Dad (sadly dec'd) played it very loud at parties.

The Kid from Red Bank is an explosive start with Basie striding and the band screams in support. So much for Basie the minimalist!
There are a lot of great tunes on this album, and when they are played by a big band as good as this it makes it something very special.
Whirlybird is another screamer - fabulous Sax playing by I think Eddie 'Lockjaw' Davis.

Absolutely essential for any Jazz collection and one of the most exciting albums ever recorded. Thanks Dad.

a later eruption
The cloud of fire on the sleeve is just perfect for this work. By the 1950's the basie band had got really heated up. Leaving behind the cooler, sweeter days of Lester Young and Billie Holiday, by now Basie was fanning his blasting horns with charts that acted like a turbo-charger - whirlwind- damn right!