June Christy Recalls Those Kenton Days

Willow Weep For Me

June Christy Recalls Those Kenton Days
Pete Rugolo backs June Christy with bright new orchestrations as she recalls her favorite songs from her days with Stan Kenton
Produced by Bill Miller
Capitol Records T 1202
1959

From the back cover: These re-interpretations of June's greatest hits from the near decade she vocalized for the Stan Kenton Orchestra were tailored by her long time friend and arranger, and Kenton alum, Pete Rugolo. They strived, as June put it, "to be faithful to the spirit of the original while being true to what we all feel and do and like today. It's a tribute to Stan's early arrangements that so many of the original ideas in his scores could be retained.

In creating new orchestrations June and Pete settled on three different instrumental sounds:

A basic "big-band" – reeds, trombones trumpets and rhythm – adding only a tuba to give a new depth to the sound.

A lush, full orchestra for the ballads: harp, strings, woodwinds, French horns, and rhythm (including orchestra bells, marimba, xylophone, two tympani, glockenspiel).

And a smaller group (saxes, trumpets, French horn, trombones, tuba, rhythm) for the swinging, combo work.

The same care that was given to the orchestrations went into the choice of musicians to play on these tracks. Many Kenton alumni join June and Pete here. Among them are Bob Cooper, Shelly Manne, Milt Bernhart, Buddy Childers, Frank Rosolino, Bob Fitzpatrick and Kenny Shroyer. Other outstanding jazz stars heard here include Ollie Mitchell, Jim Hall, Red Challenger, Joe Mondragon, Paul Horn, Russ Freeman, Chuck Gentry and Don Fagerquist. (Shelly Manne appears through courtesy of Contemporary Records, Inc.)

Just A-Sittin' And A-Rockin'
A Hundred Years From To-Day
The Lonesome Road
She's Funny That Way
It's A Pity To Say Goodnight
Willow Weep For Me
Easy Street
Across The Alley From The Alamo
Come Rain Or Come Shine
How High The Moon