Stan Kenton & his Orchestra at Fountain Street Church, Pt. 2 [Live]

Stan Kenton & his Orchestra at Fountain Street Church, Pt. 2 [Live]

ASIN: B00005LNJQ

Track Listings

1. My Foolish Heart

2. Blues Story

3. Limehouse Blues

4. Elegy (A New Day)

5. Intermission Riff

6. Interlude

7. Granada Smoothie

8. Artistry in Rhythm

Tracks:

Turtle Talk
Stairway To The Stars
Limehouse Blues
Malaguena
Misty
Waltz Of The Prophets
Body And Soul
It Might As Well Be Spring
Waltz Of The Prophets (First Version)
Body And Soul (First Version)

Customer Reviews:

Big Band + 4 Mellophoniums = Great Sound !.......2005-09-29

THIS is the full sound of the Stan Kenton Band. I know of no other Kenton album that soars so high, engulphs so warmly, and drives so hard and so fully as this "Adventures In Jazz" album. It's the individual players, every one of the 22 of them, and Stan on piano, that pack enough energy into this album that make even professional players say things like " GOOD GOD ! ", and "LOOK OUT !", and "I can't believe that there could be SO MUCH POWER - WHEW !. And I like the music too !"

This album is not for the feint of heart, nor the quiet retiring moments, nor for romantic dancing. This is not dinner music, it's not easy listening, and it's not smooth jazz. As best I can do to describe it, is to say that this is the big boys music, by and for men, and the women who can handle it.

Braham & Furber's "Lime House Blues" is taken at a tempo way, way, way up around 240 beats per minute - and hang on from there out. Errol Garner's "Misty" is a real soundscape for the enormous sound you'll hear on a decent hi-fi system. The whole sound will not come out of speakers smaller than 12", because there is so much rich shading to be heard.

In Lime House Blues, drummer Jerry McKenzie and bassist Pat Senatore start it out there at 240 bpm, and then keep it there for 4 1/2 minutes. Every section of the band is heard, and some great solos too, all by the fabulous musicianship and talents of every band member.

The other 5 tracks are each soundscape experiences in their own right. And it's all organic, with no electronics anywhere.

If you ask what it's all like, I'll just say that it's "expanded big band music, on nitromethane". You'll need real muscle in your ears and your brain for this one.

Dan McGarigle, 2005
Los Angeles, CA

Very entertaining.......2005-08-09

This CD is great. I enjoy jazz, but I only own a couple of recordings of jazz. As a musician myself (trombone), I find the orchestration very entertaining. There are a great variety of sounds and the solos are interesting. I had heard this particular recording of Malaguena long ago and it is one of my favorite songs. Waltz of the Prophets also has a very bizzarre couple of solos.
Overall, great instrumentation, arranging, and performance. It's one of my prized CDs and has made me more interested in jazz.

adventures in jazz.......2001-07-03

poor stan was a love him or hate him. anyone who hears this album cannot do anything but love him and his arrangers and muscians. some have said the kenton bands didnot swing here again i say hear this it does move! this is the best thing mr. kenton ever did. i agree with one of the other reviewers that the solo by sam donahue is incredible. please mr. capital-blue note give us more!

One of the best Kenton Albums!.......2001-01-27

As I say above, this is one of the best Kenton albums in my opinion. All the elements are there, screaming brass, soaring reeds! There are two compositions, Turtle Talk and Waltz of the Prophets, by Dee Barton. These are complex charts that really sound great, and are still accessible. Who could forget Bill Holman's arrangement of Malaguena? This song embodies the Kenton sound. It is one of the best! The tenor sax solo on Body and Soul is amazing, Ive never heard anyone else do that with the instrument.

The "Mellophone Band" At Its BEST !.......2000-06-17

MY FAVORITE KENTON ALBUM! (A tough choice, because I have them ALL !) I waited YEARS for this re-issue, having long since worn out my vinyl copy completely.

Tracks:

You And The Night And The Music
My Reverie
I've Got You Under My Skin
Autumn In New York
April In Paris
How High The Moon
Crazy Rhythm
I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good)
Baia
Street Of Dreams
Don't Take Your Love From Me
More Love Than Your Love
Alone Too Long
The Lady In Red
Under A Blanket Of Blue

Album Description

After a series of groundbreaking albums of adventurous new music, Stan Kenton took his band into the studio on July 8, 1953 to cut a 10" album of standards, uniquely arranged by Bill Russo,. "Portraits On Standards" proved a great success and re-enforced Kenton's jazz credentials. With soloists like Lee Konitz,, Zoot Sims, Conte Candoli, Frank Rosolino and Sal Salvador, the band swung like mad. Added to the original 10" LP are 7 more standards from the period arranged by Kenton with soloists Art Pepper, Bud Shank and Laurindo Almeida.

Customer Reviews:

Can't add anything to the other reviews..........2007-04-05

This CD has been extremely well reviewed already, so there is really nothing to add, except another opinion that this is a five star album. Every track is delightful.

If I have a criticism of the Kenton band in general, it is that much of their output is probably better heard live or in concert than at home or in the office on CD. At times Kenton likes to get out the brass knuckles and hit you over the head with a barrage of sound. This does not apply to this album, which is delightfully mellow and relaxed and guaranteed NOT to give you a headache.

Kenton's arrangements are the best.......2007-03-18

As noted by the Amazon review, this album was originally not a full-sized LP, but 10", and featured the arrangements of Bill Russo. According to the liner notes, Kenton didn't usually like Russo's arrangements. Russo had studied with Lennie Tristano, and it showed. His arrangements were lighter, less emotional, and had a different texture. Russo convinced Kenton that he should arrange a "book" of dance tunes, and the first eight tunes on the album are those arrangements.

The rest of the album is made up of Kenton arrangements recorded at various times between 1951-1954, and you can hear the difference immediately. Kenton liked to write harmony for a section at a time, and his arrangements are typically more emotional, romantic and powerful.

In my mind, the best tracks on the album are Kenton's - "Street of Dreams", "Under a Blanket of Blue", and others are very powerful and beautiful arrangements. That's not to take anything away from Russo's charts. In fact, several of Russo's charts are also very good.

This band was filled with all-stars - Art Pepper, Conte Condoli, Frank Rosolino, Zoot Sims, Bud Shank, and many others, and the quality of playing is outstanding. Highlights include Pepper's solo in "Street of Dreams", Rosolino in "I've Got it Bad" and several others.

While this CD isn't ground-breaking Kenton, it is Kenton at his most musical - a great band, great tunes, and classic arrangements.

Separated @ Birth?.......2004-01-16

Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't Congressman Steny Hoyer (D-MD) look like Stan Kenton?

A good buy.

where did all that sound come from?.......2002-05-17

The other reviewers have said much already - the great personnel of the Kenton band in that era, those great Russo and Kenton ballad arrangements, the liner notes with personnel listings and arranger credits, the great treatments of classic tunes.
I would add that I couldn't believe the great sound quality of this particular remastering for cd! So crisp and clear! Was all that sound detail on the master tapes?? I have the original 10" LP with the first eight tracks of the cd. Man, what a difference! Its like Rossolino, Konitz, and the other soloists are right up there, front stage in the sound picture. I played through the album a second time with the volume rather high. Hope the neighbors dig Kenton! If they didn't they may now.
And after so many second or third rate compilations of Kenton stuff has been around for so long - this great release. Way to go Capitol!
I highly recommend this album to any Kenton fans or those who dig music of this genre!

Where has this one been?.......2002-04-11

I had never owned the LP version of 'Portraits' and bought this as part of a 'buy two for a better price' deal -- and I have listened to it repeatedly. The soloists are characterstically superb and the arrangement interesting enough to add new interest to songs of which any big band fan owns multiples.

While Kenton's band always delivers on the hard swinging numbers (Crazy Rhythm is a standout -- nice Lee Konitz solo), the slower pieces fare unusually well here. 'Street of Dreams' and 'Don't Take Your Love from Me' (superb Bud Shank solo) are mellow and sentimental without sleepwalking. Chris Connor on 'Baia' is a unique treat -- using her vocals in the best instrumental tradition.

'Autumn in New York', always a great tune, features a smooth trumpet by Buddy Childers that makes this version something special. The balance of the collection more than holds its own.

Tracks:

Artistry In Rhythm
Eager Beaver
Artistry Jumps
Painted Rhythm
Intermission Riff
Collaboration
Lover
Unison Riff
The Peanut Vendor
Interlude
Love For Sale
Laura
23 Degrees North-82 Degrees West
Invention For Guitar And Trumpet
Stompin' At The Savoy
La Suerte De Los Tontos (The Fortune Of Fools)
Waltz Of The Prophets
Malaguena

Album Description

Personnel includes: Stan Kenton (piano), Art Pepper, Lee Konitz, Bud Shank, Vido Musso, Sam Donahue (saxophone), Maynard Ferguson, Marvin Stamm (trumpet), Kai Winding, Eddie Bar, Frank Rosolino (trombone), Sal Salvador (guitar).

Customer Reviews:

The Best of Stan Kenton.......2006-11-15

Excellent! It contains all of his major contributions. It is definetly a keeper. The man was a genius to say the least.

I'm mystified.......2006-01-12

I figured that after almost 40 years listening to Jazz and Jazz-related music I should have at least a Best of Kenton...so I got it. And I don't get it. I mean, the playing is awesome. The brass players are giants. The fact that it doesn't really swing isn't a problem. I love Nelson Riddle, Bernard Herrmann...all kinds of Exotica. But is this Exotica? Jazz? Easy Listening? Labels don't matter, but this music seems like an only OK example of each thing that it hints at. For fans of low trombone writing this disc is way up there - faint praise, perhaps. But that's probably the main reason I'll keep it! Kenton fans, it's good you still have each other. But this has the distinction of being one of the least-played discs in my collection.

These are not the best renditions Kenton is famous for..........2001-09-17

A PRETTY GOOD CD, however, most of the songs are from 1945 to 47, and the renditions are not as good as the Kenton works of
the 1950's, e.g., The Peanut Vendor, etc.

David

Stan is still the man........2001-06-15

Kenton at his finest. Good music to listen to. Not for everybody,but he helped the Four Freshman get started ,and Maynard Furgeson played with him. What a sound. Buy it.

An incredible array of artisty.......2001-02-24

I got into Stan Kenton in the strangest way. There is a radio show devoted to shortwave broadcasting called "DXing with Cumbre" hosted by Marie Lamb. I sent her an email about the opening and closing music for her show and that's when I discovered Stan. She used "Intermission Riff" which I fell in love with. The rest of the CD is a wonderful sonic trip through time and some of the tunes remind you of the stuff that Ricky Ricardo played on "I Love Lucy". My daughter calls it "Lucy Music"! Good stuff even if you are not a jazz fan.

Average customer rating:

An Old Friend
Guilt-Free Kenton
Vintage Kenton Well Done
Stan Kenton Must
Kenton haters should listen to this one

New Concepts of Artistry in Rhythm
Stan Kenton
Manufacturer: Blue Note Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Adventures in Jazz
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Portraits on Standards
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Sketches on Standards

ASIN: B000005HFC
Release Date: 1989-09-20

Tracks:

Prologue (This Is An Orchestra!)
Portrait Of A Count
Young Blood
Frank Seaking
23 Degrees N-82 Degrees W
Taboo
Lonesome Train
Invention For Guitar And Trumpet
My Lady
Swing House
Improvisation
You Go To My Head

Amazon.com

Band leader/pianist Stan Kenton is known for his superheated, shouting brass sections and eccentric conceptualizations for big bands, and this 1952 recording shows why. The set opens with "Prologue (This Is an Orchestra!)," in which Kenton delivers a spoken-word explanation of the unit's purpose and introduces the members to the listener. The star-studded lineup includes Lee Konitz and Vinnie Dean on alto saxophones, Richie Kamuca and Bill Holman on tenor saxophones, Bob Gioga on baritone, five trumpets (including Maynard Ferguson), five trombones (including Frank Rosolino), and Sal Salvador on guitar. The CD reissue contains four additional tracks not on the original release. --John Swenson

Customer Reviews:

An Old Friend.......2005-02-04

Just found Kenton's New Concepts in Artistry in Rhythm after a long search. It's like renewing a friendship with an old friend. In my opinion the Prologue is a classic and the entire album is wonderful. I guess I just don't agree with those who said Kenton didn't swing. Maybe I'm one of the "cult" members (never been a cult member before!) or just maybe Stan, even many years after his death, is still so far ahead of his time (as I believe he always was) that there are many who "just don't get it."

Guilt-Free Kenton.......2004-02-09

A controversial, marginal jazz figure to some (Kenton barely rated a mention in Ken Burns' 20-hour jazz series on PBS) and a giant who attracts cult-like devotion from many others, Kenton's career from 1941 to 1979 provides plenty of musical evidence for all hypotheses about his originality and influence, not to mention the perennial question of whether he "swings." Of all his recordings, "New Concepts" is the most non-controversial and perhaps the most musical. The emphasis is on fresh, swinging mainstream jazz influenced by the innovations of Bird, Miles, and the beboppers. I can think of no other recording by Kenton, and perhaps by any other musician, that features so many great arrangers and players--from Bill Russo and Bill Holman to Maynard, Rosolino, and Lee Konitz. In fact, in the company of these cutting-edge arrangements and inventive solos, the inclusion of a "pretentious" Kenton production number--"This Is an Orchestra," narrated with great dramatic flare by Stan himself--is a welcome bonus.

The band of 1956 ("Kenton in Hi-Fi" and "Cuban Fire") proved to be Stan's most popular ensemble, but musicians and serious listeners will want to pick up the 1952 "New Concepts" album first. With this one in the collection, you might be forgiven for indulging yourself in Kenton's 44-piece Innovations Orchestra as well as the garish but bracing Wagnerian textures and brassy brilliance of the Neophonic and Mellophonium ensembles that would come later. I won't tell anyone (especially since at the moment I'm luxuriating in the sheer sonic sensuousness of the trombone choir on Stan's "Here's That Rainy Day").

Vintage Kenton Well Done.......2001-11-20

I have been looking for Prologue this is an Orchestra for quite a few years. I was excited to find such a well produced album. I have enjoyed every song on it. This takes me back to when I saw the Kenton Orchestra in 1955-6? in Detroit. This CD is all that I expected and more. Roger Curavo St. Petersburg Fl

Stan Kenton Must.......2001-10-19

This CD is an intimate portrait of one of the best bands ever. It's a "MUST" for any Stan Kenton fan. I never tire of hearing it.

Kenton haters should listen to this one.......2001-03-29

After emerging from his psuedo-symphonic fling, Kenton assembled a hardbodied, swinging (detractors take note) band of phenomenal soloists who were equal to the sometimes overtaxing arrangements. There are some astounding performances here, and those who like to say Kenton's band didn't swing should take another listen to this session. From a jazz perspective, this is probably Kenton's best and most lasting album

Average customer rating:

Music from Humphrey Bogar Movies
Simply the original
not the stuff dreams are made of

Music from Humphrey Bogart Movies

Manufacturer: The Sound Track Facto
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Sings Stardust and His Other Great Compositions
Casablanca: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Stardust Melody
Hoagy Sings Carmichael
A Portrait of Hoagy Carmichael

ASIN: B00006CFHZ
Release Date: 2002-08-08

Tracks:

As Time Goes By [From Casablanca] - Elliot Carpenter, Dooley Wilson
Am I Blue/Hong Kong Blues/The Rhumba Jumps/How Little We Know [from To - Hoagy Carmichael, , Andy Williams
And Her Tears Flowed Like Wine [From the Big Sleep] - Lauren Bacall
Petrified Forest
My Melancholy Baby/I'm Just Wild About Harry/It Had to Be You/In a ...
High Sierra
Maltese Falcon - Jo Stafford
Baila Bailando/Too Marvelous for Words [From Dark Passage]
Treasure of the Sierra Madre
Moanin' Low - Claire Trevor
African Queen
Oh, Give Me Time for Tenderness [From Dark Victory] - Vera Van

Album Description

Full title - Music From Humphrey Bogart Movies. Includes music from the classics, 'Casablanca' (1942), 'The Big Sleep' (1946), 'Key Largo' (1948), 'To Have & Have Not' (1944), 'The Petrified Forest' (1936), 'The Roaring Twenties' (1939), 'High Sierra' (1941), 'The Maltese Falcon' (1941), 'Dark Passage' (1947) & 'The African Queen' (1951). Highlights include, Dooley Wilson & Elliot Carpenter Trio 'As Time Goes By', Andy Williams 'Little We Know' & Lauren Bacall 'And Her Tears Flowed Like Wine'. Slipcase. 2002.

Customer Reviews:

Music from Humphrey Bogar Movies.......2007-06-27

I was disappointed. I thought I would be getting a CD of full length themes from his movies but the CD is exactly what it says. It is from the actual films, in sections and pieces. I can't say it was misrepresented so I guess I was at fault. But I am sorry I bought it.

Simply the original.......2007-06-19

As the previous reviewer rightly pointed out, these are the original recordings from the era the films were made. And yes, the sound is completely different from what we are used to hear when we are turning the CD player on: it's mono, it's partially unsteady and some of the pieces suddenly fade. BUT, it's the REAL thing and it transports the charms and the charisma, inherent to the original ONLY.
Those who prefer the flawless technical perfection of a re-recording better should save their money. But for those who love the movies and their genuine sound, should be perfectly pleased with this release.

not the stuff dreams are made of.......2007-01-03

most of the tracks on this cd are available elsewhere, but what prompts me to give this a low review is the quality of the recording. some of them sound like they were taped off of a tv set showing a warbly print. you can do better elsewhere.

Average customer rating:

An album that will never get old
Never cool anymore.
wow
loud and boring
If only they had used this for the original soundtrack...

Kenton's West Side Story
Stan Kenton
Manufacturer: Blue Note Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Cuban Fire!
Adventures in Jazz
A Merry Christmas
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ASIN: B000005GY4
Release Date: 1994-11-01

Tracks:

Prologue
Something's Coming
Maria
America
Tonight
Cool
I Feel Pretty
Officer Krupke
Taunting Scene (The Rumble)
Somewhere- Finale

Customer Reviews:

An album that will never get old.......2004-09-30

Kenton's arrangements in this particular album are among my favorites from his repertoire. While we've all heard Berstein's West Side Story tracks numerous times I'm sure (and if you haven't, they're certainly wonderful in and of themselves!), Kenton's interpretations are full of vibrant emotion. No matter how many times I listen to this album, each time brings out some of the most lavish flavors I've heard from a big band. Throughout the CD, you'll find yourself on a rollercoaster of mellows and climaxes that somehow makes the transitions so smooth you'll listen to it over and over....and over.....and over...

Never cool anymore........2002-10-09

When I bought this record in 1965 my father said he would kill me if I played that record again. But I kept playing it over and over again. Only our neighbours didn't liked this record. The mellophonium section is 5 stars. Arrangements 5.5 stars and the whole band is heavenly. I still have the original Lp in MONO and Stereo and the Cd version. It's a shame Stan Kenton didn't lived untill he was 90.

wow.......2001-12-27

This is absolutely one of the most innovative interpretations of an American classic you will ever hear. Even if you have no idea of the contribution of Stan Kenton, it is virtually impossible not to be thrilled with this recording. For fans of Kenton, fans of Bernstein or fans of band music this is a sure winner.

loud and boring.......2001-11-15

almost all the beauty of wss is lost.loud brass
work-not for indoor listening.couldn't give it away.

If only they had used this for the original soundtrack..........2001-07-19

Lovers of big band jazz and serious brass sections will truly enjoy this. You will recognize the melodies imediately, but you will be literally blown away by Kenton's orchestra. You won't hear the original soundtrack again without a small feeling of regret that these arrangements didn't make it into the movie...

City of Glass: Stan Kenton Plays Bob Graettinger

Average customer rating:

Bob Graettinger: A World Of Its Own
Got Kenton?
A true gem of American culture
Kenton Pushing the Limits of Jazz
City Of Glass

City of Glass: Stan Kenton Plays Bob Graettinger
Stan Kenton
Manufacturer: Blue Note Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

Swing General | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B000005GZJ
Release Date: 1995-08-01

Tracks:

Thermopylae
Everything Happens To Me
Incident In Jazz
House Of Strings
A Horn
City Of Glass (First Movement-Part 1): Entrance Into The City
City Of Glass (First Movement-Part 2): The Structures
City Of Glass (Second Movement): Dance Before The Mirror
City Of Glass: (Third Movement): Reflections
Modern Opus
A Cello
You Go To My Head
A Trumpet
An Orchestra
A Thought
Some Saxophones

Customer Reviews:

Bob Graettinger: A World Of Its Own.......2003-01-20

Bob Graettinger's music has never ceased fascinating me. Words can't describe Graettinger's universe. Only a man of Kenton's stature could conduct such a phenomenal work.

Got Kenton?.......2001-12-22

I had the privilage of meeting Mr. Kenton back in 1979 when he was on tour. What a band! Man, what a sensational band, and what a performance! Still, unequaled to this day. Since then, I've come to the conclusion about Kenton's albums and CDs, and it goes like this - one can't have enough of them, as there has never been anything like his interpretation, his arranging, and his leadership of the big band. What a vision. Nothing like Kenton. This is another great Kenton album, and I'm not just saying that because my mom named me after him. Tim Kenton Grimes

A true gem of American culture.......2001-07-26

I can't help amazement at the neglect of The City of Glass and This Modern World. Where Gershwin was blending (admittedly pretty) tunes from jazz and the classical musical styles of the '20s and becoming popular, Kenton did exactly the same with the classical styles of the '50s via composers such as Graettinger. Unfortunately, the serially inspired compositional techniques of the '50s did not produce tunes that are easy to whistle or swoon over after a glass or two of wine. However, these works are highly developed. One doesn't have to go far into any of the movements to realise how much has been done with the thematic material at hand.

About 'classical' musical styles of the fifties, I'd given up on Webern and Schoenberg and the few who followed that route, but surrendered to Kenton/Graettinger/Russo (et al) with ease. The works have a vibrance, a life, a turbulence and dissonance that so reflected the fifties as a cultural epoch, especially in the States which became the seat of artistic innovation at that time.

I have never ceased to be amazed at how Kenton managed to create these works at all. Admittedly, he had true virtuosi like Maynard Ferguson and Johnny Graas (and many others), but the act of keeping the expanded innovations orchestra in control must have given him a real headache. But he did it. And I still sit there spellbound as I did on my first hearing (via 10-inch LPs). These works aren't for the faint-hearted. But they are for anyone who wants to experience the limits to which Kenton pushed music. They will probably appeal more to "classical" enthusiasts focused on 50s/60s Americana than jazz afficionados. It's almost an afterthought to add that Capitol's engineers have made gorgeous transfers of these recordings.

Kenton Pushing the Limits of Jazz.......2000-06-09

This is an important and neglected album of Bob Graettinger tunes and arrangements by the greatest big band of all time. Weird? Yes, but incredibley rewarding. Stan Kenton was always on the forefront of jazz, discovering future stars, challenging the status quo and experimenting musically in a style of jazz that has traditionally been rather conservative. No one else would have paid any attention to Graettinger, especially in the 1940's and 1950's, but Kenton, to his credit, gave him a chance and the music he left us is inspirational.

City Of Glass.......1999-12-18

Owww. Everytime I listen to that music, my brain gets short-circuited. I don't know what Graettinger was thinking, but boy, was he in outer space.

I used to try and play this for guests at my place, but they usually got this pained expression on their faces and then asked me to change it to something else, or just shut off the stereo.

Tracks:

Then i'll Be Tired Of You
More Than You Know
When Stars Looked Down
The End Of A Love Afair
A Sunday Night Of Love
Moon Song
Early Autumn
How Am I To Know?
The Things We Did Last Summer
We'll Be Right Back
How Deep Is The Ocean
The Night We Called It A Day
Ill WInd

Customer Reviews:

Ballad Style of Stan Kenton.......2005-07-17

One of Kenton's best when it come to soft music.

"The best of both . . . ".......2000-01-17

In "The Ballad Style" Stan Kenton proves two points: 1st, that the classic American ballad is a genuine musical genre worthy of the most serious consideration by music lovers the world over, and 2nd that Stan understood the genre as well, if not better, than anyone else. This CD is the best of both!

The absolute BEST of Stan Kenton!!!!!.......1999-08-03

This was my first Amazon purchase. Have been looking for this for 25 years. So excited to see it here!! The most wonderful, sweet, romantic stuff. Takes me back to high school...great music to dream by... dream along with me...I LOVE Stan Kenton AND Amazon.com!!!!!

Kenton at his best........1999-05-21

I have been a big Kenton fan for over 50yrs. I also posess most of his recordings on 78rpm,45rpm &of course lps and cds. If Stan was alive today he would be on top of the charts, above the rest when it comes to JAZZ KENTON style.Thank you ,Gene

If you like talent and taste..........1999-03-14

In listening to the Kenton legacy, the contributions of many arrangers are prevalent. Kenton liked to give new talent opportunity. This selection will re-acquaint you with Kenton's talents as an arranger on some standards... but standards chosen with great discrimination and given a sound and style that you won't forget.

Average customer rating:

Why "Kenton Christmas" fails
Best Yet
Timeless Music... Shame on Capitol/Blue Note Records
A Classic
just plain a good Christmas album

A Merry Christmas
Stan Kenton
Manufacturer: Blue Note Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

A Stan Kenton Christmas
Big Band Christmas
Merry Christmas from Doc Severinsen and the Tonight Show Orchestra
Kenton's West Side Story
M.F. Horn, Vol. 1

ASIN: B0000C3IA6
Release Date: 2003-09-16

Tracks:

O Tannenbaum
The Holly And The Ivy
We Three Kings Of Orient Are
Good King Wenceslas
The Twelve Days Of Christmas
Once In Royal David's City
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
O Come All Ye Faithful
Angels, We Have Heard On...
O Holy Night
Christmas Medley
What Is A Santa Claus
Christmas For Moderns

Customer Reviews:

Why "Kenton Christmas" fails.......2007-07-10

I have owned the old LP for years.
When wondering why I never played
it any more, I heard the whole
album again last Deceember. Then it
came back to mind why this is a
tedious set. It was arranged and
performed without any reeds. A sax
section was always a key part of
the Kenton orchestra. I'm a brass
player, but brass only on a record
date gets boring very quickly.

Best Yet.......2007-02-13

I've purchased a lot of Stan Kenton music over the years. This Christmas album of instrumental music is one of his best and probably one of the best Christmas albums I've heard. Even better than Manheim Steamroller.

Timeless Music... Shame on Capitol/Blue Note Records.......2006-12-25

Stan Kenton's innovative and now timeless Christmas music has been run through the meat grinder and issued as a worthless piece of plastic on the legendary Capitol label by Blue Note Records. Shame on them. This disc is NOT an Audio CD. It does not comply with the CD technical specs and will not play on some cd players or any CD-ROM drive. Some half-baked copy protection system is embedded on the disc making it appear to be a worthless plastic frisbee to all computers and some cd players. Even if your intentions are honorable, Capitol/Blue Note has assumed you're a thief. Careful observers will note that nowhere on the package is this product labeled a Compact Disc. It would be nice if this tidbit were disclosed in the info above, which describes this product as an Audio CD.

A Classic.......2006-11-04

A Merry Christmas by Stan Kenton and Ralph Carmichael is a classic that everyone should hear. The arrangements are great, the playing is great. The only reason that it gets four stars is that it is not the BEST recording of this material. There is an album called "A Stan Kenton Christmas" by the Capitol Bones Big Band which features all the arrangements on this album (all the real arrangements) plus a few from the group. It is sonically superior, since it was recorded in 2002 and the players really nailed the intonation in the mellophones.
So if you must have the original, it's good. But I'd buy the Capitol Bones version instead. It's absolutely fantastic.

just plain a good Christmas album.......2006-07-29

I love Christmas - I love Christmas music - its a family thing. My Dad actually has the original LP of this album - and we have listened to it every year I can remember. There are some other reviews here that give you more information on the band and the history - I'm just going to say that this is a simple, good, fun, happy instrumental Christmas album. There's lots of newer stuff out there - but this is an old standard that needs to be in your collection.

Average customer rating:

A must for all fans
Sketches on Standards
Trumpet solos
Superb big band dance music
High Standards

Sketches on Standards
Stan Kenton
Manufacturer: Blue Note Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Portraits on Standards
The Romantic Approach/Sophisticated Approach
The Stage Door Swings
Adventures in Jazz
The Ballad Style of Stan Kenton

ASIN: B0000647MH
Release Date: 2002-04-23

Tracks:

Sophisticated Lady
Begin The Beguine
Lover Man
Pennies From Heaven
Over The Rainbow
Fascinatin' Rhythm
There's A Small Hotel
Shadow Waltz
Harlem Nocturne
Stella By Starlight
Dark Eyes
Malaguena
Spring Is Here
I'm Glad There Is You

Customer Reviews:

A must for all fans.......2007-01-03

A great example of Kenton at his finest. The type of recording that you can listen to over and over and still find little subtletys each time. A must for any Kenton lover.

Sketches on Standards.......2006-11-10

This is the quintessencial Kenton. The arrangements are classic. The sidemen are all stars in their own right. I don't believe they all played together again after the year (1953) this album was made.

If you don't have "Sketches on Standards" your Kenton collection is incomplete.

Trumpet solos.......2004-04-18

Conte Condoli's solo on Pennies from Heaven is flawless.
Maynard Ferguson is not featured too much on this album,but has a solo.
Buddy Childers has a couple of solos.

Superb big band dance music.......2002-07-18

Another in the first rate series of collections of dance music that the Kenton band recorded in order to remain financially afloat even as its leader pushed the envelope when it came to innovation. Oddly, or perhaps not, these early arrangements (this set recorded in 1953) represent some of the most timeless of Stan Kenton's recordings. Sketches On Standards almost never shouts -- listen to the later Cuban Fire album for gale force brass and rhythm -- but nor does it sleepwalk.

A Latin-tinged 'Begin the Beguine' makes a rare and welcome appearance, arranged by Kenton himself, simply and effectively. Bill Russo's arrangement of 'Fascinatin' Rhythm' is a highlight, more complex and benefitting from Lee Konitz' always capable alto sax. 'There's a Small Hotel' is a nice slow dance number, and the list goes on.

Fans of the louder, leading edge Kenton may find this album quiet. Technically, it represents some very appealing, straightforward recordings of songs that showcase the talent of this group. Most welcome is that Kenton's own piano is not buried in the walls of sound so common to his later efforts.

If you are new to Stan Kenton, this might not be the place to start because there are other better known albums that overshadow Sketches on Standards. Sound quality is excellent for 1953, however, and the tracks are well chosen. For those times when you want to enjoy first rate jazz without necessarily waking up the neighborhood, it would be hard to argue with the current album.

High Standards.......2002-04-28

Stan Kenton had a well-deserved reputation for being a musical progressive, but that was only part of his musical persona. Quite frankly, no big band covered the great American standards as well as Kenton's. The fourteen standards included here were recorded between early 1953 and early 1956, a peak period in Kenton's creative world. While these arrangements were part of the Kenton dance book, they are much more than just dance music, but stand up as superb listening music decades later. Each arrangement has great respect for the melodies, but uncovers and adds great depths which makes these tunes very memorable.

Kenton always hired the best arrangers and gave them great musical freedom, although you would never identify Kenton's band as anyone else's. The key arranger here is Bill Russo who contributes 7 arrangements, Kenton himself 3, Joe Coccia 2, Johnny Richards and Lennie Niehaus 1 each.
Kenton not only hired the best arrangers, but also the best musicians. Therefore, the band's performance is brilliant, and you get to hear superb soloists such as Conte Candoli on Pennies From Heaven, Lee Konitz on Lover Man, trombonist Bob Burgess on Over The Rainbow, and Frank Rosolino on Malaguena. Altoist Lennie Niehaus is sparkling form on I'm Glad There is You. Maynard Ferguson's brilliant high note work sparks Sophisticated Lady. The sound is clear and beautifully remastered, warm and clear. Every track is outstanding. Highly recommended.

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