AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Count Basie

Artist:Count Basie

Song:Whirlybird

Album:The Complete Atomic Basie

When the big band era ended after WWII, it was tough on everyone including Count Basie. Like Duke Ellington, Basie went through a long dry period in the 50s before a 1957 performance at the Newport Jazz Festival followed by the 1958 album The Atomic Mr. Basie revitalized his career. Basie ended his band in 1950. But in 1952 Billy Eckstine and Verve Records owner Norman Granz convinced Basie to form a new band labelled the New Testament band. They recorded for Verve's Clef label. And they started touring again. The key guy in this rebirth was arranger Neal Hefti. You have probably heard his name as the composer of the music for the 60s Batman TV series. He started out as a trumpeter but for most of his career Hefti has been a big band arranger. He worked for Woody Herman in the 40s and not only arranged Woodchopper's Ball but played the trumpet solo. After leaving the Herman band in 1946, Hefti worked for Buddy Rich, Billy Butterfield, Charlie Ventura and Harry James. Hefti says Basie told him he wanted a show band that could appear on The Ed Sullivan Show. In other words, Hefti was supposed to write contemporary arrangements. In 1958, Basie left Verve for Morris Levy's Roulette label. The Atomic Mr. Basie was Basie's first album for Roulette. Hefti wrote and arranged all the songs. You will notice that all the songs are under five minutes. Basie wanted the music to be punchy and intense. The sax solo on Whirlybird is by Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis. The album was a huge success and it won a Grammy. Today The Atomic Mr. Basie is considered to be a classic and some believe it was Basie's last great album. Blue Note released it on CD in 1994 with six bonus tracks from an album Jimmy Mundy worked on but was never finished. Hefti recorded his own albums and worked on TV in New York. He moved to Los Angeles in 1962 and got into film and TV work. He is best known for the music for the Batman TV show and the film The Odd Couple. Hefti retired after his wife died in 1978. He died on Oct. 11, 2008 at age 85. Here's Count Basie performing Whirlybird on The Ed Sullivan Show May 29, 1960.