The Atomic Mr. Basie

Today, Count Basie is considered one of the most important figures in jazz. If you can believe it, back in the early 1950's, his star was not shining as brightly as he succumbed to the end of the big band era. There was even a period in the early 50's when Basie couldn't tour with his big band anymore. In 1958, with a new big band featuring younger, more energetic musicians interspersed with his Basie veterans, he released his first album for Roulette Records. The album was a completely new and reinvigorated sound, The Atomic Mr. Basie.

Trumpeter, composer, and arranger Neal Hefti (The Odd Couple/Batman), who had been in the band for five years, was tasked to arrange the entire album. The resulting music has been lauded as one of the greatest albums of Count Basie's career. In addition to winning two categories at the 1st ever GRAMMY Awards, the album has been included in the books ‘1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die' and 'All Time Top 1000 Albums'. It is considered a 'desert island' album by many. The amazing orchestra included rising stars such as saxophonist Eddie 'Lockjaw' Davis and trumpeter Thad Jones, as well as the ever-steady veteran Freddie Green on guitar. Some listening highlights include Lockjaw's solos on Flight of the Foo Birds and Whirly Bird. Count Basie himself is a standout on The Kid From Red Bank, and of course, the most famous track on the album, Hefti's Li’l Darlin', played by big bands around the world now for over half a century, is always worth the listen.

The Atomic Mr. Basie solidified Count Basie's legacy in jazz and the rest of his career. By the mid-1960's, he was able to settle into his position as one of jazz's elder statesmen, which he carried out until his passing in 1984.