Reviews

50th Anniversary Celebration-Back to Balboa

This was recorded by alumni of the Kenton band. Stan never wanted a ghost band, but the Kenton estate blessed this one-time event, I think properly. This is a fitting tribute, and worth the investment if only to see what some of his alumni and admirers have been up to since the Kenton band was roaring through the land. Anyone who is even a moderate a fan will appreciate the panel sessions, where some of his livelier associates trade memories. Warning: they fit a couple of hours of panel sessions onto one CD by recording them in mono and putting one session on the left and the other on the right, so make sure your system lets you turn the volume all the way down on the other channel. — Bob Crispen

This set of five CD's is of a 1991 gathering celebrating Stan Kenton, something the man himself apparently would have frowned upon. The first four CD's contain recording of varying groups of Kenton alumni such as Bob Cooper, Maynard Ferguson, Lennie Niehaus and Pete Rugolo playing mostly tunes Kenton used to play. The fifth CD contains a round table discussion with several people involved with the Stan Kenton bands throughout the years. Personally I find CD number 5 most interesting. The music on CD's one through four is good, but it just doesn't have that indescribeable thing perhaps best summed up as "the Kenton touch." — Christine Derksen

Adventures In Blues

Don't let the title of this album put you off if you aren't a great fan of blues. Most of this album was recorded in 1961 with two tracks that appear only on the CD version recorded in 1960. That makes this a recording by the so-called "mellophonium band". The mellophonium, essentially a french horn projecting straight forward, is used to great effect here. If ever the wisdom of using the mellophonium in a jazz setting needed to be justified, this album is it. The band conveys all the energy, emotion and subtlety characteristic of the music of Stan Kenton. This is one album every Stan Kenton fan should own. — Christine Derksen

Two words: Gene Roland. The long-time composer and arranger for the Kenton band shows what he can do with the mighty Mellophonium Orchestra, not only as composer and arranger, but as a soloist on soprano sax and mellophonium. While "Reuben's Blues" evidently appealed to Stan (I have recordings of a half dozen performances of this by the Mellophonium Orchestra), I agree with the downBeat critic who said the bass drum "thump thump" before the release makes the performance sound way too straight. Personally, I prefer "Dragonwick" or just about any of the others.— Bob Crispen

Adventures In Jazz

An essential collection by the Mellophonium Orchestra, including Bill Holman's arrangement of "Malaguena" and "Limehouse Blues" and introducing new kid Dee Barton's "Turtle Talk" and "Waltz of the Prophets". Unlike many of the Mellophonium Orchestra releases which concentrated on ensemble writing, this one shows off the Kenton soloists who were in fine form for these sessions.— Bob Crispen

Adventures In Time

Johnny Richards' suite for the Mellophonium Orchestra is perhaps the most quoted of all of Stan's works; hardly a drum corps season goes by without a quote from the exciting "3 x 3 x 2 x 2 x 2 =72". Ponderous, pretentious, and kick-butt exciting as only the Mellophonium Orchestra could be.— Bob Crispen

Back To Balboa

A mono recording from an empty rendezvous ballroom in Balboa, California. Most arrangements are by Johnny Richards, in typical Stan Kenton style. That means frequent use is made of grating chords, contrasting melodic lines and high & loud trumpets. Overall it reminds me of the West Side Story album, which would also be arranged by Johnny Richards several years later. Several tracks include French horns, and this is before the mellophonium orchestra. — Christine Derksen

The Ballad Style of Stan Kenton

If you are a fan of Stan Kenton but are in the mood for something a little more "mellow", this is it. The style of music is very recognizable as that of Stan Kenton, but everything is more laid-back or as liner notes of the CD call it an "after hours mood". Of course there are regular energetic forays, something for which Stan Kenton is well known. Interestingly, Stan Kenton himself is features extensively on this album, playing the piano. Apparently it wasn't planned that way, but it did work out very nicely! The CD contains one bonus track ("Ill Wind") that doesn't appear on the LP. — Christine Derksen

Birthday in Britain

Long-time drummer John von Ohlen (who, btw, I heard play a not-too-bad trombone while the band members were fooling around before a gig in Pittsburgh) had left the band, and everyone wondered how his replacement, the then-unkown Peter Erskine would do. He answers them authoritatively in Bill Holman's "The Daily Dance". And Dennis Noday shows that he could hold down the first trumpet chair vacated by Mike Vax quite nicely. Also not to be missed are three Hank Levy tunes, two of Willie Maiden's puckish charts, and Bill Holman's surprise arrangement of "Happy Birthday" for Stan.— Bob Crispen

Broadcast Transcriptions (1941-1945)

Produced 1995 by Music & Arts Programs of America, Inc. (what a plushy name) of Berkely, California - nr. CD-883, made in USA by BQC. They claim the quality to be ADD, a somewhat overdrawn statement, yet, the quality in general is far better than other bootleg products. They have worked hard on these very old recordings. We should not forget the situation and possibilities of the technique 50+ years ago. Quality may not be what purists may want or expect today. Historical recordings hold their own specific value, too. Think of the original Sergei Rachmaninov recordings of hisd own work, like the piano concerti. I bought the CD because it gives a fairly good picture of how my beloved Stan sounded way, way back. The CD contains 30 tracks, total playing time specified 77:48. My CD player says 77:51. Notes are by Scott Yanow and specify some recording dates and other specs. — Louis Meirsman

City Of Glass

Bob Graettinger, who died not long after these recordings, was both an iconoclast and that rarity, a classical composer who wrote music that could swing. This Capitol reissue collects all of Graettinger's tracks with the Kenton band, including the title suite, the suite This Modern World, and some quirky settings of standards. Had Graettinger not passed away when he did, the "third stream" movement, blending jazz with classical music (not always successfully), might have been a far stronger force than it was. And classical music concertgoers might have been spared the monotony of much of the Minimalist school. Worth buying even if you hate modern music, if only to hear Maynard Ferguson hit a double-high C at the end of "A Trumpet" and then hold it, and hold it, and hold it, becoming pianissimo.— Bob Crispen

The Complete Capitol Recordings of the Holman and Russo Charts

This 4-CD set, packed in a nice LP-sized box, accompanied by Mosaic's typically lavish booklet, is a must-have, detailing the careers of two of Kenton's most prolific and influential arrangers, Bill Holman and William Russo. Even if you already have the New Concepts CD and the tracks from Contemporary Concepts in the Retrospective box set, and don't care much about the arrangements for vocalists, you have to have this for "Malaguena" with the Mellophonium Orchestra.— Bob Crispen

Contemporary Concepts

At the time many critics accused the Stan Kenton band of "not swinging", a serious insult. This 1955 recording apparently was an attempt to make the band swing. And a very succesful attempt it was! As was to be expected, this was done in the inimitable style of the Stan Kenton band thanks in great part to the excellent arrangements by Bill Holman and the direction of the band itself by Al Porcino and Mel Lewis to whom Stan Kenton had turned things over for this undertaking. A very enjoyable CD to listen to, and well worth consideration. — Christine Derksen

Cuban Fire

Recorded in 1956, "Cuban Fire" is one of the all-time great jazz albums. However, easy listening it is not. This is music, composed by Johnny Richards, is complex. If you take the time to sit down and listen, you will come to appreciate the musical genius of Johnny Richards and also the skill of the musicians. An exercise well worth the effort! The CD version of Cuban Fire contains "the little-known seventh dance from the suite that had been omitted from earlier issues due to time/space limitations", so the CD reads. Also on the CD version are five 1960 recordings by the mellophonium band, which really don't have any relation to the rest of this recording. — Christine Derksen

Duet

Here is something different. The title of this recording is well chosen, since it features only two people: Stan Kenton on piano, and June Christy singing. The unique color of June Christy's voice is very recognizable to anybody who has heard her before, and this album is no exception. Stan's accomponiment on piano is exceptional, removing any doubt that he really is a very good piano player. If you prefer the sound of the big band with the trumpet, trombones and saxophones then you might want to skip this one. But if you're in for something different from Stan Kenton's usual (if there is such a thing!), this might be it. . — Christine Derksen

Kenton '56 in Concert

This is Vol.1 at the Mucumba Club in San Francisco Nov. l956. This would be the Contemporary Concepts band. It seems this was a pretty well recorded session with the band sounding"front & center" unfortunately the CD suffers from noticeable tape hiss.That said it is still at least musically a pretty good CD.At 73 & 1/2 min. there are some gems. Bill Perkins doing his classic Yesterdays and my favorite track a fine Pepper Adams solo of My Funny Valentine. There is a vol 2 which I don't own. I've seen it in stores on occasion. It has Macumba spelled Mucumber.— Roy Des Ruisseaux

Live at the Red Hill Inn

expensive...really quite dreadful....This recording sounds like the motor in the tape machine was slowing down. It is truly auful DO NOT WASTSE YOUR MONEY.— Roy Des Ruisseaux

Live at Redlands University

The All Music Guide rated this one merely "good". Are those guys crazy??? If you get only one Kenton record in your life, get this one of the incomparable 1970-72 band doing some of the best music you've ever heard. Not only does it have "Here's That Rainy Day" and Hank Levy's "Chiapas" (I know the band played it better after they learned it, but this performance is still pretty good, and "Chiapas" was possibly Levy's best composition for the Kenton band) — not only does it have all this, but it has two of Ken Hanna's compositions. Hanna was probably the most under-recorded of Kenton's arrangers, and it's a real loss to folks who didn't hear the band live. This record got 5 stars in Down Beat and announced to the world that Kenton was back, kickin' ass and takin' names.— Bob Crispen

Live In Barstow

The first time I listened to this CD I had to shut it off within a few minutes. The quality of the recording was dreadful. Then I figured out what was wrong with it: in order to reduce background hiss and audience noise on this live recording a wide swath of frequencies around 6000Hz had been reduced to half volume or so. Makes for terrible listening. Running the entire CD through a wave editor to correct this "problem" made all the difference in the world. And really, the hiss is much preferable to what it was like before. The music is quite good although not outstanding by Stan Kenton's standards. — Christine Derksen

Live At The Las Vegas Tropicana

The name says it all: this is a live recording of Stan Kenton at the Tropicana in Las Vegas. It is a continuous recording from front the end, so it includes all the applause, laughter, and announcements by Stan Kenton. Stan starts off admitting to the audience that this is an attempt to record an album that sells... The music is a combination of well known Kenton tunes such as the usual intro and closing tune "Artistry in Rhythm" and some less known material including the bass player Red Kelly "singing" because the trumpet players need a break (note the quotation). There are several great solos, including Lennie Niehaus on alto saxophone in "The End of a Love Affair". Apparently the quality of the pianos that Stan come across on his many performances varied considerably, with Stan electing not to play at all if the thing was too much out of tune; the piano at the Tropicana must have given him a moment's pause. If this had been album had been recorded in a studio it would have been good by any standard (with undoubtedly a better piano). The fact that it was recorded live adds a certain atmosphere which makes it all the more enjoyable. — Christine Derksen

Even though some trickery and deceit about the "live"ness of this album (the band recorded after hours with an audience of friends, family, and sweethearts and without waters and clinking plates) I'm leaving Christine's review just as it is, because she's got the feeling of the recording exactly right. Why Capitol so seldom recorded the band live remains a mystery to me. Noel Wedder says it was because Stan preferred studio albums, and certainly the state of the live recording art wasn't what it subsequently became, but once you heard the Kenton band live, you never forgot it. — Bob Crispen

Plays 18 Original Big Band Hits

These are well recored studio sessins recorded by Wally Heider for the US Air Force Reserves. It's the l962 Mellophonium band with Barton,Stamm et al. As this was a goverment paid for recording I have to believe it's in the public domain as I have seen 2 or 3 other releases with the playing order shuffled.If it has the song Hold in Reserve you've got it. I can't vouch for the sound quality on the others but the Hindsight one is great.— Roy Des Ruisseaux

These performances were originally issued as 3 LP records - 12" 33-1/3 with 3 tracks per side. Produced by the Office of Information - Continental Air Command. Titled - Sound '62 ... in the creative world of modern music styled by Stan Kenton. They are promotions for the Air Force Reserve. Each track on the originals is about 4 min. and has a short musical intro followed by Stan introducing the track - about 30 seconds of the band then Stan doing a voice over on the virtues of the Air Reserve.— Barry Graham

Plays For Today

Stan's own arrangements of some popular music of the day ("Spanish Eyes", "Somewhere My Love", "Never On Sunday") and a few years earlier ("Cumana" and "Anna"). The scoring, for five trumpets and rhythm section, is odd, and the charts are brief and don't allow anybody to solo except Stan, who sticks resolutely to the melody. And while Stan and his arrangers could make silk purses out of sows' ears, as in the theme from Love Story, there was no such magic applied to these songs. Routine and forgettable. — Bob Crispen

The Romantic Approach

It has been said of the mellophonium orchestra that it could both whisper and roar. The Romantic Approach album is another demonstration of that. It features the mellophonium orchestra, with all arrangements by Stan Kenton himself. As the story goes, Stan was frustrated by his arrangers' poor writing for the new mellophonium section and set about demonstrating how to write for this new instrument. The results can be heard here, and are well worth listening to. The music is slow paced and as the title suggests has a romantic, if somewhat dark, mood. In my opinion it is one of Stan's best albums with excellent arrangements and great playing. It is one of those albums best enjoyed late in the evening when you can sit back, close your eyes and take it all in. — Christine Derksen

Sketches on Standards

The "Sketches on Standards" album fits squarely in Stan Kenton's "dance book" category. The recordings on the original LP are from 1953, the six bonus tracks on the CD contains two 1955 and two 1956 tracks. The band members include some of the great musicians such as Maynard Ferguson, Conte Condoli, Frank Rosolino, Lee Konitz and George Roberts to name just a few. This is reflected in the quality of the solos. In that respect the CD contains some truly superb tracks not on the LP such as the Frank Rosolino solo on "Malagueña" which might evoke the reaction "you aren't supposed to be able to do that on a slide trombone". If you aren't sure yet if you like Stan Kenton, this CD will remove you doubts. If you are a Kenton fan already, the quality of the CD will confirm what you already knew. — Christine Derksen

The Sophisticated Approach

The Sophisticated Approach album feels very similar The Romantic Approach. Both feature the mellophonium orchestra with slow paced music. The differences being that all the music on The Sophisticated Approach was arranged by Lennie Niehaus and has a lighter, less moody feel to it. So if you like the mellophonium orchestra but "dark and moody" isn't your thing, this album might be just for you. Lennie Niehaus' arranging is superb (as usual) and the playing is of the highest standard. I find myself playing this album over and over again.... — Christine Derksen

The Stage Door Swings

The Stage Door Swings is from start to finish a high energy, "feel good" album. All arrangements are by Lennie Niehaus, which virtually ensures top quality versions of well known tunes such as "Lullaby of Broadway" and "Baubles, Bangles and Beads" as well as a particularly good version of the Cole Porter tune "I love Paris". At the time of this writing The Stage Door Swings has not yet appeared on CD, a fact I don't quite understand since it is surely among the best in Stan's "dance" category. To the people who decide which albums to issue on CD, please take note of this one. — Christine Derksen

Stan Kenton Volume 1 and 2

total mish mash of poorly recorded live preformances not worth the plastic they're pressed on. — Roy Des Ruisseaux

Standards in Silhouette

Bill Mathieu wrote these glorious arrangements, and for me this is among Kenton's best recorded works, shamefully neglected by posterity. The All Music Guide rates this one as "Best of Artist" and for once are right.— Bob Crispen

Swing Back With Stan Kenton

From time to time a group will disband or one of its members will pass away, and recordings appear that might not otherwise have been released. Critics sometimes call these releases "sweepings from the cutting-room floor." Until now, the expression has been hyperbole. What B&C Records have done here is to literally take these sweepings, some for the Air Force promos and some from studio sessions, slap them together, and put them out for $1.99 in every Wal-Mart. The result is long hiatuses where solos are missing, mistakes and other less than worthy performances. The only conceivable value these recordings might be to scholars, who can hear early thoughts along the way to the final recordings: how the band's divine recording of "Tonight" started with the dreadful arrangement on this tape must surely be counted as a modern miracle. Apart from that, the effect of this tape is to defame Stan Kenton's name.— Bob Crispen

Viva Kenton

A mixture of the avoidable ("Cha Cha Chee Boom" and "Chocolate Caliente" — hell, those might be bad enough to qualify as "run away!" instead of just "avoidable") — and sublime ("Mission Trail" and the transcendent "Aqua Marine"). Gene Roland did the charts, so that's a pretty good recommendation right there. — Bob Crispen

West Side Story

Well, you gotta get this one. Johnny Richards' arrangements of the Bernstein tunes for the full Mellophonium Orchestra. When the trombones take the modulation after Stan's piano solo on the first chorus, it's a moment in music every bit as transcendent as Roger Daltrey's scream on "Won't Get Fooled Again" or Beethoven's "Muss ein lieber Vater wohnen".— Bob Crispen

-- Monday, December 27, 1999
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