#7: The Atomic Basie - Count Basie (1957)

This album marked a new phase in the career of Count Basie. While not as daring as what Duke Ellington had done at Newport the previous year, it still proved to the world that big-band jazz orchestras could turn out fresh and inspiring performances. From the minimalist piano in "The Kid From Red Bank" to the muted trumpets in "Duet," I found this to be a brilliant piece of music.

Although, I'm not too fond of that album cover. It made me think of a post-apocalyptic  Gilligan's Island.

Favorite Tracks: "Duet," "Whirly-Bird," and "Li'l Darlin'"