|
"The Complete Atomic Basie"
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 |
