ptynan

Just wondering what section from the Kenton people dig and why.

For me it's the Kenton 76 section and the Journey into Capricorn section.

The why is the HUGE section sound.


PT

Schwab

Whats up Paul, I like the section from the New Concepts of Artistry in Rhythm album recorded in 1952, I'm not sure if the section was together on other recordings or not. The reason why? The all star section, they were amazing! The whole band was full of all stars, it was pretty awesome.

(Please forgive spelling errors, I had to get the personel list off the first track, I couldn't find it online and my liner notes are at home)

Trumpets
Buddy Childers
Conte Condoli
Ruben Mcfall
Don Dennis
Maynard Ferguson

bass - Don Baggley
guitar - Sal Salvador
drums - Stan Levey

Bones
Bob Burges
Bill Russo
Keith Moon
Frank Rosolino
George Roberts

Saxes
Vinnie Dean
Bill Holman
Richie Comuca (spelling?)
Lee Konitz
Bob Gioga (again, spelling?)

trpt2345

Am I the only person here who hates Stan Kenton?

Michael McLaughlin

The growth of wisdom may be gauged exactly by the diminution of ill temper.
Friedrich Nietzsche

eisprl

booooo

Why is that anyway? (curious)

Eric

eisprl

Hey Paul

After doing some listening (I am a bit behind on my Kenton listening) I have concluded that I really love the section on the "Adventures in Jazz" Album with special attention paid to "Malaguena". I am not sure what parts the guys are playing but the trumpet section is:

Norman Baltazar
Bob Behrendt
Bud Brisbois
Bob Rolfe
Dalton Smith
Marvin Stamm

(I have a modest Kenton collection but I knows what I likes) Talk about a HUGE sound

eric

cornetguy

I like the section that is on the peanut vendor, don't know who is on that section.

trpt2345

It always just sounded phony to me, it (Kenton's music) just doesn't sound like jazz. I've tried, but it always leaves a bad taste in my ears. I need more of a rhythmic feeling.

Michael McLaughlin

Bore, n. A person who talks when you wish him to listen.
Ambrose Bierce

eisprl

I don't know a whole lot about the Stan Kenton Orchestra, however, he seems to USE jazz as a cover. It all sounds like jazz, but wasn't he known for helping with the 'third stream jazz' movement? (that is, a blending of American Jazz with European classical music?) I do hear a lot of really neat harmonies in his music and he did use mellophones and french horns. In fact on his "Cuban Fire" album he has 2 timpani, 2 tubas, 5 mellophonims and 2 french horns as well as a pretty substantial percussion section.

I certainly hear the "symphonic jazz" in the albums that I have.

Paul, this is kind of a tangent and off your orig. topic, but what do you think? Kenton seems to fall under jazz and big band a lot, but does he ever get viewed as a classical composer? Could this be why people, who expect jazz with Kenton, get a bad taste in their mouths?

It is now 2am - so excuse me if all of this sounds like ignorance or rubbish.

Eric

Foxytrpt

You are totally missing out then, really your loss.

ptynan

The Kenton Band....

Many people criticize the Kenton band without doing the appropriate listening to support such statements. I was fortunate to play a lot of the Kenton’s band rep when I was a Grad student at the University of North Texas. It was (for the most part) very happening stuff.

As for using jazz as a cover, what do you call a band that had a roster that listed (by all means not close to complete) such amazing Jazz improvisers as:

Conte Candoli
Maynard
Tim Hagans
Lee Knoitz
Frank Rosolino
Art Pepper,
Mel Lewis
Sam Noto
Marvin Stamm
Lucky Thompson

To the best of my knowledge all of the above musician consider themselves jazz musicians…And if you ever get to meet and hang or play with Sammy Noto, I dare you to tell him he is not a jazz musician

Kenton himself did do a lot of arranging for the band but
He still left a lot to the great composers/arrangers who worked with him. Here is a small start (again just a start) to some of the great Comp/Arr. who worked with him:

Bill Russo (who Kenny Wheeler studied harmony with for a time)
Pete Rugolo
Bill Holman
Gerry Mulligan
Dee Barton
Lennie Niehaus
Bob Graettinger (Listen to “City of Glass”)

If you need more rhythm please check out: 23 Deegre’s North, 82 Deegree West. By Bill Russo on the New Concepts of Artistry in Rhythm or the Cuban Fire Suite.


I hope this helps,
PT