Stan Kenton
An innovative and pioneering bandleader, Stan Kenton led a succession of highly original ensembles that often emphasized emotion, power, and advanced harmonies over swing. Balancing a West Coast cool with modern classical influences, Kenton and his orchestra first garnered attention in the 1940s with hits like "Tampico" and "It's Been a Long, Long time," as well as albums like Artistry in Rhythm and A Presentation of Progressive Jazz. Many of his groups featured top talent, helping launch the career of stars like Art Pepper, Stan Getz, Anita O'Day, and June Christy. He often favored unusual instrumentation, utilizing French horns on 1950's Innovations in Modern Music, and launching his mellophonium group of the 1960s. Accolades followed, including a Grammy for 1962's Kenton's West Side Story. By the time of his passing in 1979, Kenton had earned a reputation as one of jazz's top cult figures.
Born in Wichita, Kansas in 1911, Kenton took piano lessons growing up and by his teens was playing local gigs. In the 1930s, he played in the dance bands of Vido Musso and Gus Arnheim, but he was born to be a leader. In 1941 he formed his first orchestra, which was later named after his theme song "Artistry in Rhythm." A decent Earl Hines-influenced pianist, Kenton was much more important in the early days as an arranger and inspiration for his loyal sidemen. Although there were no major names in his first band (bassist Howard Rumsey and trumpeter Chico Alvarez come the closest), Kenton spent the summer of 1941 playing regularly before a very appreciative audience at the Rendezvous Ballroom in Balboa Beach, California. Influenced by Jimmie Lunceford (who, like Kenton, enjoyed high-note trumpeters and thick-toned tenors), the Stan Kenton Orchestra struggled a bit after its initial success. Its Decca recordings were not big sellers and a stint as Bob Hope's backup radio band was an unhappy experience; Les Brown permanently took Kenton's place.
By late 1943, with a Capitol contract, a popular record in "Eager Beaver," and growing recognition, the Stan Kenton Orchestra was gradually catching on. Its soloists during the war years included Art Pepper, Stan Getz (briefly), altoist Boots Mussulli, and singer Anita O'Day. By 1945 the band had evolved quite a bit. Pete Rugolo became the chief arranger (extending Kenton's ideas), Bob Cooper and Vido Musso offered very different tenor styles, and June Christy was Kenton's new singer; her popular hits (including "Tampico" and "Across the Alley from the Alamo") made it possible for Kenton to finance his more ambitious projects. Calling his music "progressive jazz," Kenton sought to lead a concert orchestra as opposed to a dance band at a time when most big bands were starting to break up. By 1947 Kai Winding was greatly influencing the sound of Kenton's trombonists, the trumpet section included such screamers as Buddy Childers, Ray Wetzel, and Al Porcino, Jack Costanzo's bongos were bringing Latin rhythms into Kenton's sound, and a riotous version of "The Peanut Vendor" contrasted with the somber "Elegy for Alto." Kenton had succeeded in forming a radical and very original band that gained its own audience.
In 1949 Kenton took a year off. In 1950 he put together his most advanced band, the 39-piece Innovations in Modern Music Orchestra that included 16 strings, a woodwind section, and two French horns. Its music ranged from the unique and very dense modern classical charts of Bob Graettinger to works that somehow swung despite the weight. Such major players as Maynard Ferguson (whose high-note acrobatics set new standards), Shorty Rogers, Milt Bernhart, John Graas, Art Pepper, Bud Shank, Bob Cooper, Laurindo Almeida, Shelly Manne, and June Christy were part of this remarkable project, but from a commercial standpoint, it was really impossible. Kenton managed two tours during 1950 and 1951, but soon reverted to his usual 19-piece lineup. Then quite unexpectedly, Kenton went through a swinging period. The charts of such arrangers as Shorty Rogers, Gerry Mulligan, Lennie Niehaus, Marty Paich, Johnny Richards, and particularly Bill Holman and Bill Russo began to dominate the repertoire. Such talented players (in addition to the ones already named) as Lee Konitz, Conte Candoli, Sal Salvador, Stan Levey, Frank Rosolino, Richie Kamuca, Zoot Sims, Sam Noto, Bill Perkins, Charlie Mariano, Mel Lewis, Pete Candoli, Lucky Thompson, Carl Fontana, Pepper Adams, and Jack Sheldon made strong contributions. The music was never predictable and could get quite bombastic, but it managed to swing while still keeping the Kenton sound.
Kenton's last successful experiment was his mellophonium band of 1960 through 1963. Despite the difficulties in keeping the four mellophoniums (which formed their own separate section) in tune, this particular Kenton orchestra had its exciting moments. However from 1963 on, the flavor of the Kenton big band began to change. Rather than using talented soloists, Kenton emphasized relatively inexpensive youth at the cost of originality. While the arrangements (including those of Hank Levy) continued to be quite challenging, after Gabe Baltazar's "graduation" in 1965, there were few new important Kenton alumni (other than Peter Erskine and Tim Hagans). For many of the young players, touring with Kenton would be the high point of their careers rather than just an important early step. Kenton Plays Wagner (1964) was an important project, but by then the bandleader's attention was on jazz education. By conducting a countless number of clinics and making his charts available to college and high school stage bands, Kenton ensured that there would be many bands that sounded like his, and the inverse result was that his own young orchestra sounded like a professional college band. Kenton continued leading and touring with his big band up until his death in 1979.
Kenton recorded for Capitol for 25 years (1943-1968) and in the 1970s formed his Creative World label to reissue most of his Capitol output and record his then-current band. Capitol has been reissuing many of Kenton's albums and there have been two impressive Mosaic box sets.
© Matt Collar & Scott Yanow /TiVo
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Adventures In Blues (Remastered)
Musica sinfonica - Pubblicato da RevOla il 22 ott 2019
24-Bit 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Graettinger: This Modern World (Mono Version)
Musica sinfonica - Pubblicato da BNF Collection il 1 gen 1954
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Adventures In Standards
Jazz - Pubblicato da CoolNote il 29 apr 2019
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Adventures In Blues (Expanded Edition)
Jazz - Pubblicato da Blue Note Records il 1 gen 1963
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Song Journal
Jazz - Pubblicato da song journal il 30 apr 2023
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
More Mellophonium Moods
Jazz - Pubblicato da FM Records il 31 dic 1962
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
It's Christmas Time with Stan Kenton
Canzoni di Natale - Pubblicato da silentnight records il 3 nov 2013
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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The Stan Kenton Story
Jazz - Pubblicato da Proper Box il 16 ott 2000
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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All that Jazz, Vol. 2: Stan Kenton
Jazz - Pubblicato da Jube Pops il 4 mar 2014
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
West Side Story
Colonne sonore - Pubblicato da Art & Classic il 25 set 2023
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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Willow Weep For Me
Jazz - Pubblicato da Classic Records il 21 ott 2010
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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Adventures In Time, A Concerto For Orchestra (Remastered)
Musica sinfonica - Pubblicato da RevOla il 3 lug 2019
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Anthology 2022 (All Tracks Remastered)
Jazz tradizionale & New Orleans - Pubblicato da jjjedizionimusicali il 7 gen 2022
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Carnegie Hall ~ Oct. '51 (Live)
Stan Kenton, The Innovations Orchestra
Jazz - Pubblicato da Hep Records il 21 feb 2000
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Sketches on Standards
Jazz - Pubblicato da Black Sheep Music il 18 ago 2013
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
On the Street Where You Live
Jazz - Pubblicato da Sunny Side of the Street il 18 ago 2023
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Those Lovely Jazz Ladies!....With Stan Kenton! (Remastered)
Jazz - Pubblicato da RevOla il 31 gen 2019
24-Bit 44.1 kHz - Stereo