STAN KENTON & HIS ORCHESTRA - Concerts in Miniature
(Volume 19)
Sounds of Yester Year DSOY2064
Tracks 1 to 8
Has sparkling solos by Frank Burgess ( tmb ) Fraaank Rosolino ( tmb ) Tom Shephard ( tmb ) Keith Moon ( tmb ) George Roberts ( bass tmb ) Vinnie Dean ( alto ) Lee Konitz ( alto )Bill Holman ( tnr ) Richie Kamuca ( tnr )Henry Levy ( bar ) Stan Kenton ( pno ) Sal Salvador ( gtr ) Don Bagley ( bass ) Stan Levey ( drs ) Chris Connor ( vocals )
Star Ballroom, Dakota City, Iowa, 2 June 1953
Tracks 9 to 15
Personnel changes: Don Carone ( alto ) Zoot Sims ( tnr ) Tony Farina ( bar ) replace Vinnie Dean, Richie Kamuca & Henry Levy
Riviera Ballrom, Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, 9 June 1953
Tracks 16 to 22
Student Union Building, State teacher College, Terre Haute, Indiana, 16 June 1953
The Nineteen Fifties was most probably the period when Modern Jazz was most popular in the U.K., it was during this period when the Musician’s Union ban on American musicians being able to work and play in this country.
The first of the American bands to tour this country was the Stan Kenton Orchestra♠and most venues were sold out you would almost believe it was part of the pop culture.
The Stan Kenton Orchestra first tour was in 1956 but the recordings on this album are from 1953 which happened to be a star studded personnel with musicians of quality including Frank Rosolino, Conte Candoli, Lee Konitz, Stan Levy and Zoot Sims. The recordings are taken from three broadcasts of Concerts in Miniature which were a regular feature of the band and were recorded at three different venues.
The concerts included popular numbers from the Forties, some more contemporary numbers and numbers included on Sketches on Standards and other recordings of that ilk. The recordings are studio quality even though recorded on location and all the musicians are nicely miked.
Bill Holman’s arrangement of his own composition “The Opener” as exciting solos by Frank Rosolino, Lee Konitz and Conte Candoli. Lee konitz appears to shake off the shackles of his period with Lennie Tristano and is much more free swinging in concept.
Conte Candoli’s solo on “Portrait of a Count” has more edge to it than than the studio version and is a great example of his talents as a soloist.
There are many examples of some of the best of Kenton on this album including “Swing House”, “Young Blood” and “Limelight”. Singer Chris Connor is fine throughout but the one that registers is her version of “All About Ronnie” which will be forever associated with her.
If you are a Kenton admirer or just a big band fan there is plenty to admired on this album.
Reviewed by Roy Booth
(Volume 19)
Sounds of Yester Year DSOY2064
Tracks 1 to 8
Has sparkling solos by Frank Burgess ( tmb ) Fraaank Rosolino ( tmb ) Tom Shephard ( tmb ) Keith Moon ( tmb ) George Roberts ( bass tmb ) Vinnie Dean ( alto ) Lee Konitz ( alto )Bill Holman ( tnr ) Richie Kamuca ( tnr )Henry Levy ( bar ) Stan Kenton ( pno ) Sal Salvador ( gtr ) Don Bagley ( bass ) Stan Levey ( drs ) Chris Connor ( vocals )
Star Ballroom, Dakota City, Iowa, 2 June 1953
Tracks 9 to 15
Personnel changes: Don Carone ( alto ) Zoot Sims ( tnr ) Tony Farina ( bar ) replace Vinnie Dean, Richie Kamuca & Henry Levy
Riviera Ballrom, Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, 9 June 1953
Tracks 16 to 22
Student Union Building, State teacher College, Terre Haute, Indiana, 16 June 1953
The Nineteen Fifties was most probably the period when Modern Jazz was most popular in the U.K., it was during this period when the Musician’s Union ban on American musicians being able to work and play in this country.
The first of the American bands to tour this country was the Stan Kenton Orchestra♠and most venues were sold out you would almost believe it was part of the pop culture.
The Stan Kenton Orchestra first tour was in 1956 but the recordings on this album are from 1953 which happened to be a star studded personnel with musicians of quality including Frank Rosolino, Conte Candoli, Lee Konitz, Stan Levy and Zoot Sims. The recordings are taken from three broadcasts of Concerts in Miniature which were a regular feature of the band and were recorded at three different venues.
The concerts included popular numbers from the Forties, some more contemporary numbers and numbers included on Sketches on Standards and other recordings of that ilk. The recordings are studio quality even though recorded on location and all the musicians are nicely miked.
Bill Holman’s arrangement of his own composition “The Opener” as exciting solos by Frank Rosolino, Lee Konitz and Conte Candoli. Lee konitz appears to shake off the shackles of his period with Lennie Tristano and is much more free swinging in concept.
Conte Candoli’s solo on “Portrait of a Count” has more edge to it than than the studio version and is a great example of his talents as a soloist.
There are many examples of some of the best of Kenton on this album including “Swing House”, “Young Blood” and “Limelight”. Singer Chris Connor is fine throughout but the one that registers is her version of “All About Ronnie” which will be forever associated with her.
If you are a Kenton admirer or just a big band fan there is plenty to admired on this album.
Reviewed by Roy Booth
