Personnel: Count Basie (piano); Joe Williams (vocals); Wendell Culley, Snooky Young, Thad Jones, Joe Newman (trumpet); Henry Coker, Al Grey, Benny Powell (trombone); Marshall Royal, Frank Wess, Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, Frank Foster, Charles Fowlkes (reeds); Freddie Green (guitar); Eddie Jones (bass); Sonny Payne (drums).
Reissue producer: Michael Cuscuna.
Recorded at Capitol Studios, New York, New York between October 21 & 22, 1957. Includes liner by Barry Ulanov & Michael Cuscuna.
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 characterize 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 Freddie Green's inimitable strumming. One of Basie's finest albums, THE COMPLETE ATOMIC BASIE is a swinging gem.
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