Salute To Stan Kenton - Maxwell Davis

Artistry In Rhythm

Salute To Stan Kenton
Members Of The Stan Kenton Orchestra
Arranged & Conducted by Maxwell Davis
Crown Records CLP 5093
1959

Bud Shank, Mahlon Clark - Alto

Bill Holman, Bob Cooper, Vido Musso - Tenor

Chuck Gentry - Baritone

Conte Candoli, Pete Candoli, Al Porcino, Conrad Gozzo, Ollie Mitchell - Trumpet

Milt Bernhart, Frank Rosolino - Trombone

Milt Raskin - Piano

Laurindo Almeida - Guitar

Don Bagley - Bass

Mel Lewis - Drums

Chico Guerrero - Bongos

From the back cover: From the almost unknown town of Balboa, Calif., there came in 1943 the sounds of a new and exciting concept in big-band sounds. People listened and regardless of their likes or dislikes they couldn't help but be impressed by this band.

Stanley Newcomb Kenton... Stan Kenton... was on his way. The band featured great and strong "block chords" from this mighty brass section of six trumpets and five trombones. As with Duke Ellington, Stan Kenton's piano work is of much less importance than the sound of the band and the musical effects they were working for.

Stan started his band at the Rendezvous ballroom in Balboa in 1941 and recorded for Decca that same year. But it wasn't until his theme "Artistry In Rhythm" was released on Capitol in 1943 that the band reached national prominence.

In addition to the block-chords mentioned above the early band featured a staccato-type sound in the reed section, liberally sprinkled with Stan's driving piano chords. The little recognized piano was best noted in "Painted Rhythm" that also featured Vido Musso's tenor.

The path of the Kenton bands has never run quite smoothly. The band has always been rich in the center of a constant controversy. Stan has bout tougher and broken up many bands. The success of these bands has largely been the result of the arrangers. Such men as "Shorty" Rodgers, Jerry Mulligan, Bill Holman, Pete Rugolo and several others have all written for the band and had a hand in its success.

In this "Salute To Stan Kenton", Crown Records has assembled the finest group of musicians available and almost all of them alumni of various Kenton bands. These are the men that rose to fame in their own rights with Stan Kenton and each of them a fabulous musician in his own right. Just read the personnel above.

And this is the band. The very finest. And each playing a tribute of his own to the band that started most of them... a "Salute To Stan Kenton". – Pat Evans

From March 23, Billboard: Several former members of Stan Kenton's various crews are featured in this set on tunes that are given similar treatments to those as when first introduced by Kenton. Low-price tag is a lure and the set could move on the racks and in the chains.

Artistry In Rhythm
Peanut Vendor
Intermission Riff
Come Back To Sorrento
Dark Eyes
Estrellita
Elegy
Martha