Seb's Web

Officially kicking off the 1001 Albums list, using the generator website. Since I have another list of my own padding the original, in the end there will be more than 1000 albums on here, but with one full album per day it’ll be 3 years at least to get through every one. Good times will be had nevertheless.

As luck would have it, we’re starting out with a bang, an atomic one even. It’s Count Basie and his Orchestra with “The Atomic Mr. Basie” from 1958. The cover warns you that E = MC² = Count Basie and that’s absolutely the case here, every song gets your foot tapping and butt a-rockin’. Loud, energetic, lively, a mad house of big band jazz that often features contrasts between a mellow piano tune and an explosion of brass trumpets and trombones, ending with the slow “Lil’ Darlin’”, as if to end the night and say goodbye.

With fast-paced rhythms and cheeky motifs, this album is just fun, pure instrumental bedlam. It has the same chaotic energy of that Tom & Jerry episode where the whole building is shaking because of Jerry’s jazz band. A bit dated, even if the spirit is timeless, this is getting a solid 7/10⭐ from me.