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Stan Kenton in High Fidelity

Nicholas Croft | New York | 05/23/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"My Father only listened to two or three jazz artists during his 71 year stay on this planet. The Stan Kenton Big Band is the one I will most remember him by.This recording was prepared in 1956, with the advent of high fidelity recording technology. On this disk, Mr. Kenton made a concerted effort to re-record his most popular pieces with the most talented musicians he had worked with over the course of his career to that date.It is fitting that we can hear the results on compact disk technology, which gives us access to fidelity that was then only accessible to the professional musicians and the record companies of his day.Hearing 'Peanut Vendor' or 'Concerto to End All Concertos', today, reminds me of why My Father was so inspired by this music. I hope you will also feel this same sense of artistic integrity as you audition Kenton in Hi-Fi."

An Excellent Intro To The Music Of Stan Kenton!

Robert J. Ament | Ballwin, MO United States | 12/19/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Kenton's music still has its appeal after all these years. All of the selections date from the forties but completely re-recorded in the best high fidelity technology that existed in 1956.....three additional selections with strings taken from a recording of 1958.Stan certainly had his critics but I've always loved his music! He was radical for that time but his approach was certainly original....as shown in the contents of this album. Lot's of emotion and advanced harmonies! With Kenton you always got your money's worth (5 saxes, 5 trombones, and 5 trumpets synonomous of the POWER of this organization). The list of well known musicians who were sidemen in his band reads like a legendary "Who's Who" in jazz.My favorites on this cd are the lovely "Interlude" and "Collaboration", "Peanut Vendor" (so many things going on....the excellent punctuation of bongos and timbales throughout, but especially during Stan's extended piano solo), "Intermission Riff", and "Concerto To End All Concertos". The remainder of the selections are not that far behind!This album is one of my all-time favorites. If you dig Kenton, this is a must! If you've never been exposed to his music, I can't think of a better place to start!"

This is a perfect dipiction of Stan

drbkeeper@webtv.net | Illinois | 03/27/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I knew this man and this album represents his excursions in musicand in his life...colorful and expressive. He brought his "Innovations" symphony orchestra tothe Bradley University fieldhouse and set the Jazz lovers of central Illinois in orbit! This CD is onealbum that would probably describethe musical genius of Stan the manas much as any other."