I have this Stan Kenton thing going and let me say this, there has probably been no radical advancement in generally conventional big band jazz since him. Maria Schneider? Love her. Maybe. William Parker's Little Huey Creative Music Orchestra (Mayor Of Punkville rules), yeah, but that, and other things like it, are decidedly in the avant-garde. This is not, and yet it sounds like, and no where is it more obvious than on Everything Happens To Me, Sun Ra scored the session and conducted it. That impression only mounts as the CD progresses (it sure as heck does on House Of Strings and A Horn) and, yet, it all runs in a jazz (and classical) vein.
The level of musicianship is almost overwhelming, no surprise. Art Pepper, Bob Cooper, Shelly Manne, Joe Mondragon, Maynard Ferguson, Bill Russo, Bud Shank, Conte Candoli, Frank Rosolino, Richie Kamuca and Lee Konitz are in the ensemble at various points. Jesus. (So is Keith Moon, OK, he's the trombone player not the other guy, but what the heck.)
Owned it for years. What possessed me to pull it out today was Kenton's West Side Story, which I received yesterday and have listened to like a half dozen times since. Recorded roughly 10 years later, it is not, let me tell you, your father's (or mother's) soundtrack. Heck, Herman Poole Blount would probably have appreciated it.
2 comments:
Uggghh!God awful!!!!!!Considering the great mid to late 40's Artistry in Rhythm or Russo/Holman charts Kentons personal tendency towards the grandiose ,even pretensions got away with him allowing the band to do these Graettinger charts.Stick with "West Side",New Concepts Of Artistry And Rhythm","Cuban Fire" etc.This get's into third stream pretension at it's worst.But fun that you posted and I could put in two shekels on the subject.
Cheers
Chazz
Thanks Chazz. I have Artistry and Cuban in line. But I have to admit, I kind of like the Third Stream, although, I also admit, like Sun Sa it probably isn't for everybody.
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