Count Basie
The Complete Atomic Basie

There are many like me, who tend to associate the word jazz with bop or hard bop. Those who know that jazz existed before '45, of course, know its origins, developments, names, and successes. However, they've listened to little, or perhaps nothing. People like that, as I was, should buy The Complete Atomic Basie. First of all, because it's wonderful, and my review might end here. Secondly, because Count Basie is one of those names I mentioned, it's the era of the big bands, New York and Chicago, Fletcher Henderson, Duke vs. Count who knows who is better, who knows... that kind of atmosphere.

 This album has the ability to open the doors to an ancient world, but not a dusty one, swing and smiles, concert halls (dance halls), the roaring '20s and the gloomy '30s of the States. Atomic Basie is from 1957, but it smells like pre-war.

Basie's orchestra plays rich music, all substance and few frills. Or rather, the frills are there, but they are calibrated, meaningful, they are not flights of notes filling a void. On the contrary, the Count plays with the void; often the brass goes off for a stroll, leaving an apparent chasm of a drum/bass/piano trio, while the leader’s left hand also takes a walk (with the brass?) leaving the right to hop on the high notes. And the brass takes a while to return, or perhaps they suddenly burst in with a burst of fire, or with little counterpoints.

The great Basie orchestra in what is considered one of his best albums, the orchestra (which at the time included people like Thad Jones, Eddie Lockjaw Davis, and Freddie Green) that knows how to be MODERN. With one eye always fixed on the target, the audience: never displease them, deceive them, absolutely. Deceive them because the token is always there, the traditional that reassures and comforts, but at the same time, subtly, Basie is constantly building new ideas, still fresh.