STAN KENTON & HIS ORCHESTRA - Stan Kenton Concerts in Miniature. (The Final Part 24)
Sounds Of Yester Year DSOY2097
Buddy Childers, Conte Candoli, Don Dennis, Don Smith and Vic Minichiello (tp);
Bob Burgess, Frank Rosolino and Keith Moon (tb); Bill Russo (tb,arr); Bob Dockstader (b-tb)
Dave Schildkraut and Vinnie Dean (as); Bill Holman (ts,arr); Zoot Sims (ts); Tony Ferina (bar);
Stan Kenton (p,arr); Sal Salvador (g); Don Bagley (b); Stan Levey (d)
Recorded 27th October 1953 Birdland, New York City
3rd November 1953 Eastman School of Music Rochester (Lee Konitz replaces Vinnie Dean)
The final Concert in Miniature’ was from the Eastman School of Music on 3rd November 1953. Just over a week after the concert the band bus crashed on the Pennsylvania Turnpike. The driver had fallen asleep. There were no fatalities but lots of injuries. It was enough to bring that particular band to an end. The band had worked solidly from April 1952 until November 1953 including a European tour. Some musicians took the crash as a sign to leave: Lee Konitz, Zoot Sims, Frank Rosolino Conte Candoli, all departed.
The tug of war between composers Bill Russo and Bill Holman is evident on this final disc. Most of the musicians preferred the Holman pieces; Kenton himself seemed in thrall to the intellectual qualities of the Russo music. The first concert from Birdland has an unusual Russo piece ‘Poem for Trumpet’. The writing for the saxophones is unusual, almost like Graettinger. Candoli is deliberate, reflective, floating over the ensemble. It is certainly pointing the way to the direction that Russo would go. Kenton is to be congratulated for financing such abstruse music. Candoli’s playing is crystal clear and steely. The other Russo music on the Birdland Concert is an arrangement of ‘Autumn in New York’. Lead trumpet Buddy Childers has the solo responsibility. Like all Russo’s arrangements the backgrounds are intriguing especially in the way that he blends the sections. ‘Blues Before and After’ shows that Russo could swing the band with an amusing piece. It starts with Candoli playing solo and gradually the band enters section by section. When the central climax is reached Lee, Konitz takes over and gradually the band sounds disappear and Konitz is left playing on his own.
Holman’s writing is best heard in the piece ‘Zoot’. The blend of writing and improvising is impressive, he captures in the writing the relaxed characteristics of Zoot Sims who solos right throughout the piece. The other writer, just an occasional writer, is Gerry Mulligan who had just captured the attention of the jazz world with his quartet. His piece ‘Limelight’ features Konitz, Burgess, Candoli and Stan Levey soloing in quick succession. Closer to Holman in spirit, Mulligan’s writing is contrapuntal and light hearted.
All 24 CDs that have been issued over the past couple of years are a unique record of a working band with a concert preserved every week. It is an important archive and the record company is to be congratulated for issuing the discs. Kenton never equalled the quality of this band. The music was innovative with improvisations always absorbing.
It is 65 years since these concerts were recorded. Kenton’s reputation has suffered but the music that this band laid down still sounds new-minted.
Reviewed by Jack Kenny
Sounds Of Yester Year DSOY2097
Buddy Childers, Conte Candoli, Don Dennis, Don Smith and Vic Minichiello (tp);
Bob Burgess, Frank Rosolino and Keith Moon (tb); Bill Russo (tb,arr); Bob Dockstader (b-tb)
Dave Schildkraut and Vinnie Dean (as); Bill Holman (ts,arr); Zoot Sims (ts); Tony Ferina (bar);
Stan Kenton (p,arr); Sal Salvador (g); Don Bagley (b); Stan Levey (d)
Recorded 27th October 1953 Birdland, New York City
3rd November 1953 Eastman School of Music Rochester (Lee Konitz replaces Vinnie Dean)
The final Concert in Miniature’ was from the Eastman School of Music on 3rd November 1953. Just over a week after the concert the band bus crashed on the Pennsylvania Turnpike. The driver had fallen asleep. There were no fatalities but lots of injuries. It was enough to bring that particular band to an end. The band had worked solidly from April 1952 until November 1953 including a European tour. Some musicians took the crash as a sign to leave: Lee Konitz, Zoot Sims, Frank Rosolino Conte Candoli, all departed.
The tug of war between composers Bill Russo and Bill Holman is evident on this final disc. Most of the musicians preferred the Holman pieces; Kenton himself seemed in thrall to the intellectual qualities of the Russo music. The first concert from Birdland has an unusual Russo piece ‘Poem for Trumpet’. The writing for the saxophones is unusual, almost like Graettinger. Candoli is deliberate, reflective, floating over the ensemble. It is certainly pointing the way to the direction that Russo would go. Kenton is to be congratulated for financing such abstruse music. Candoli’s playing is crystal clear and steely. The other Russo music on the Birdland Concert is an arrangement of ‘Autumn in New York’. Lead trumpet Buddy Childers has the solo responsibility. Like all Russo’s arrangements the backgrounds are intriguing especially in the way that he blends the sections. ‘Blues Before and After’ shows that Russo could swing the band with an amusing piece. It starts with Candoli playing solo and gradually the band enters section by section. When the central climax is reached Lee, Konitz takes over and gradually the band sounds disappear and Konitz is left playing on his own.
Holman’s writing is best heard in the piece ‘Zoot’. The blend of writing and improvising is impressive, he captures in the writing the relaxed characteristics of Zoot Sims who solos right throughout the piece. The other writer, just an occasional writer, is Gerry Mulligan who had just captured the attention of the jazz world with his quartet. His piece ‘Limelight’ features Konitz, Burgess, Candoli and Stan Levey soloing in quick succession. Closer to Holman in spirit, Mulligan’s writing is contrapuntal and light hearted.
All 24 CDs that have been issued over the past couple of years are a unique record of a working band with a concert preserved every week. It is an important archive and the record company is to be congratulated for issuing the discs. Kenton never equalled the quality of this band. The music was innovative with improvisations always absorbing.
It is 65 years since these concerts were recorded. Kenton’s reputation has suffered but the music that this band laid down still sounds new-minted.
Reviewed by Jack Kenny
