Stan Kenton

   
Artist: Stan Kenton

   Genre(s): 
Other
   Jazz
   

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Discography:


   
 Medley

   Year: 1972   
Tracks: 7


   
 Live From the Las Vegas Tropicana

   Year: 1959   
Tracks: 17


   
 Duet

   Year: 1955   
Tracks: 11


   
 Mellophobia

   Year:    
Tracks: 11

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There have been few jazz musicians as consistently controversial as Stan Kenton. Dismissed by purists of various genres piece loved by many others, Kenton ranks up there with Chet Baker and Sun Ra as jazz's summit cult figure. He lED a sequence of highly original bands that often emphatic emotion, power, and advanced harmonies o'er swing, and this upset listeners world Health Organization felt that all big bands should drive to good like Count Basie. Kenton always had a different vision.


Kenton played in the thirties in the dance bands of Vido Musso and Gus Arnheim, but he was born to be a drawing card. In 1941 he formed his first orchestra, which subsequently was named after his musical theme strain "Artistry in Rhythm." A decent Earl Hines-influenced pianist, Kenton was much more crucial in the early days as an organiser and inspiration for his loyal sidemen. Although in that respect were no major name calling in his first band (bassist Howard Rumsey and trumpeter Chico Alvarez come the nighest), Kenton exhausted the summer of 1941 playing regularly earlier a very appreciative audience at the Rendezvous Ballroom in Balboa Beach, CA. Influenced by Jimmie Lunceford (world Health Organization, care Kenton, enjoyed high-note trumpeters and thick-toned tenors), the Stan Kenton Orchestra struggled a piece after its initial success. Its Decca recordings were not big sellers and a stretch as Bob Hope's backup tuner band was an unhappy have; Les Brown permanently took Kenton's place.


By late 1943 with a Capitol sign on, a popular criminal record in "Aegir Beaver," and ontogeny recognition, the Stan Kenton Orchestra was bit by bit detection on. Its soloists during the war age included Art Pepper, briefly Stan Getz, alto saxophonist Boots Mussulli, and isaac M. Singer Anita O'Day. By 1945 the isthmus had evolved quite a routine. Pete Rugolo became the boss organiser (extending Kenton's ideas), Bob Cooper and Vido Musso offered very different tenor styles, and June Christy was Kenton's new isaac M. 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 spark advance a concert orchestra as opposed to a terpsichore circle at a time when almost bounteous bands were starting to break up. By 1947 Kai Winding was greatly influencing the healthy of Kenton's trombonists, the trumpet section included such screamers as Buddy Childers, Ray Wetzel, and Al Porcino, Jack Costanzo's bongos were delivery Latin rhythms into Kenton's sound, and a disruptive variation of "The Peanut Vendor" contrasted with the somber "Elegy for Alto." Kenton had succeeded in forming a radical and very original ring that gained its have hearing.


In 1949 Kenton took a year off. In 1950 he set together his nearly advanced band, the 39-piece Innovations in Modern Music Orchestra that included 16 string section, a woodwind instrument section, and two French horns. Its music ranged from the singular and selfsame heavy advanced classical charts of Bob Graettinger to whole kit and boodle that in some way swung despite the weight. Such major players as Maynard Ferguson (whose high-note stunt flying determine new standards), Shorty Rogers, Milt Bernhart, John Graas, Art Pepper, Bud Shank, Bob Cooper, Laurindo Almeida, Shelly Manne, and June Christy were role of this remarkable project, but from a commercial standpoint, it was really impossible. Kenton managed two tours during 1950-1951 simply before long reverted to his usual 19-piece batting order. Then quite unexpectedly, Kenton went through a swing period of time. 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 master the repertory. Such gifted 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 receive quite a orotund, merely it managed to swing spell silent guardianship the Kenton effectual.


Kenton's final successful experimentation was his mellophonium band of 1960-1963. Despite the difficulties in holding the quaternary mellophoniums (which formed their have separate section) in tune, this particular Kenton orchestra had its exciting moments. However from 1963 on, the flavour of the Kenton heavy band began to change. Rather than using talented soloists, Kenton emphasised relatively inexpensive spring chicken at the price of originality. While the arrangements (including those of Hank Levy) continued to be quite intriguing, later Gabe Baltazar's "graduation" in 1965, there were few new authoritative 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 sort of than but an authoritative early step. Kenton Plays Wagner (1964) was an important project, simply by and then the bandleader's attention was on jazz education. By conducting a myriad number of clinics and fashioning his charts available to college and senior high school phase bands, Kenton insured person that there would be many bands that sounded like his, and the inverse result was that his own young orchestra sounded wish a professional college ring! Kenton continued leading and touring with his big striation up until his death in 1979.


Kenton recorded for Capitol for 25 years (1943-1968) and in the seventies formed his Creative World judge to reprint nearly of his Capitol output and record his flow striation. In recent times Capitol has begun reissuing Kenton's legacy on CD and thither take been two impressive Mosaic box seat sets.