| The Atomic Mr. Basie | |
| Type: | studio |
| Artist: | Count Basie and his orchestra |
| Cover: | The Complete Atomic Basie.jpg |
| Released: | January |
| Recorded: | 21–22 October 1957 |
| Studio: | Capitol (New York) |
| Genre: | Swing, big band |
| Length: | [1] 56:34 (1994 Reissue) |
| Label: | Roulette |
| Producer: | Teddy Reig |
| Prev Title: | Count Basie at Newport |
| Prev Year: | 1957 |
| Next Title: | Count Basie Presents Eddie Davis Trio + Joe Newman |
| Next Year: | 1957 |
The Atomic Mr. Basie (originally called Basie, also known as E=MC2 and reissued in 1994 as The Complete Atomic Basie) is a 1958 album by Count Basie, featuring the song arrangements of Neal Hefti and the Count Basie Orchestra. Allmusic gave it 5 stars, reviewer Bruce Eder saying: "it took Basie's core audience and a lot of other people by surprise, as a bold, forward-looking statement within the context of a big-band recording." It is included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die, Will Fulford-Jones calling it "Basie's last great record."[1] It was voted number 411 in the third edition of Colin Larkin's All Time Top 1000 Albums (2000).[2]
The tracks were recorded 21–22 October 1957. The tracks on the original release were all composed and arranged by Hefti. Part of the second day was used for recording tracks by Jimmy Mundy - "Silks and Satins" and "Sleepwalker's Serenade". It also featured recordings of "The Late, Late Show", which had been a hit for Dakota Staton that year, also likely arranged by Mundy. These additional tracks were released in 1994 on The Complete Atomic Basie.[3]
This was the first Basie album released by Roulette Records.[3]
The album won Best Jazz Performance, Group and Best Performance by a Dance Band awards at the 1st Annual Grammy Awards.[4]
The success of the album led to Basie, Hefti and producer Teddy Reig collaborating together again six months later to record Basie Plays Hefti.[3]
All tracks composed and arranged by Neal Hefti, except where indicated.