Stan Kenton and his Orchestra
Pianist Stan Kenton – born in Wichita, Kansas on December 15, 1911 - was not only one of the last great bandleaders to emerge during the big band era, he was also one of the most controversial, consistently going against the musical grain of the day. Although many jazz purists dismissed his work as an aberration of the popular swing bands of the day, the wrought emotional power of his bands with their strident walls of brass made others consider him a visionary, who changed perceptions of jazz. Growing up in the Los Angeles suburb of Bell, he was taught piano in his teens by local musician Frank Hurst. By his mid-teens he was already leading his own group, the Bell-Tones. It led him to play with various local bands in Southern California, notably Everett Hoagland and, later, Gus Arnheim. Stan Kenton formed his first big band orchestra in 1940, although the group did not include any ‘name’ musicians at the time. While hopes were high for this ensemble, Stan Kenton and His Orchestra’s first few years were difficult. His contract with Decca Records didn’t include any substantial hits and his time backing Bob Hope on his radio show during the 1943-44 season was not a good experience. However, things turned around when he signed with Capitol Records and had his first hit in 1944 with the single “Eager Beaver”. The ensemble’s first album was Artistry in Rhythm, released in 1946. Recording for Capitol Records for the next 25 years, Stan Kenton and different variations of his orchestra would feature many jazz icons including musicians such as Art Pepper, Stan Getz, Shorty Rogers, Jimmy Giuffre, and Lee Konitz plus vocalists Anita O’Day and June Christy amongst many others. As the big band sound died out in the late 1940s, Stan Kenton took his orchestra into innovative directions including progressive jazz. Stan Kenton’s orchestra would grow to a 39-piece ensemble to tackle the more progressive elements of his music, but he’d also continue to work with smaller ensembles to fulfill his more commercial leanings. He continued to release albums credited to Stan Kenton and His Orchestra throughout his lifetime including Kenton in Hi-Fi (1956), Kenton Climax (1961), Artistry in Bossa Nova (1963), National Anthems of the World (1972), and many others including a plethora of compilations. Stan Kenton died on August 25, 1979.
©Copyright Music Story Stephen Schnee 2023
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Standards in Silhouette (Stereo Version)
Jazz - Released by BNF Collection on 1 Jan 1961
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
New Concepts of Artistry in Rhythm (Mono Version)
Jazz - Released by BNF Collection on 1 Jan 1954
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Live At Redlands University
Jazz - Released by GNP Crescendo on 29 Oct 1996
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Road Show (Live)
Pop - Released by Capitol Records on 1 Jan 1959
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
At The Las Vegas Tropicana
Jazz - Released by Blue Note Records on 2 Feb 1959
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The World We Know
Jazz - Released by CAPITOL CATALOG MKT (C92) on 1 Jan 1967
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Dance Craze (Mono Version)
Ray Anthony & His Orchestra, Pee Wee Hunt And His Orchestra, Stan Kenton and his Orchestra
Pop - Released by BNF Collection on 1 Jan 1954
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Milestones
Jazz - Released by CAPITOL CATALOG MKT (C92) on 1 Jan 1950
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Stan Kenton Classics
Jazz - Released by CAPITOL CATALOG MKT (C92) on 1 Jan 1952
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Stan Kenton And His Orchestra Selected Hits Vol. 1
Jazz - Released by Charly Records on 21 Mar 2011
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Best of Stan Kenton
Jazz - Released by Hindsight Records on 13 Jun 2013
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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Kenton's West Side Story (Arranged by Johnny Richards, Stereo Version)
Jazz - Released by BNF Collection on 1 Jan 1962
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
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Stan Kenton and His Orchestra - 22 Original Hits in Stereo - The Essential Series
Jazz - Released by Hindsight Records on 30 May 2013
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Uncollected Stan Kenton and His Orchestraa 1941
Jazz - Released by Hindsight Records on 18 Apr 2013
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Transcription Performances 1945-46
Jazz - Released by Hep Records on 17 Feb 1997
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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Those Sultry Jazz Ladies, With The Legendary Stan Kenton Orchestra (Remastered)
Jazz - Released by RevOla on 1 Jul 2022
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Artistry in Rhythm (Mono Version)
Jazz - Released by BNF Collection on 1 Jan 1954
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo