🎷 AotW: Jazz Stan Kenton - ADVENTURES IN JAZZ

Jazz releases not on the CTi or Horizon labels.

How Would You Rate This Album?


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Captain Bacardi

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Stan Kenton
ADVENTURES IN JAZZ
Capitol Records T-1796
416VH0TR6JL.jpg

Released 1961

Won a GRAMMY for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Performance (1962)

Produced by Lee Gillette

Songs:

1. Turtle Talk (Dee Barton) - 5:27
2. Stairway To The Stars (Matty Malneck/Frank Signarelli/Mitchell Parish) - 5:45
3. Limehouse Blues (Phillip Braham/Douglas Furber) - 4:27
4. Malaguena (Ernesto Lecuona) - 4:23
5. Misty (Erroll Garner) - 3:35
6. Waltz Of The Prophets (Dee Barton) - 6:42
7. Body And Soul (Johnny Green/Edward Heyman/Robert Sour/Frank Eyton) - 5:16
8. It Might As Well Be Spring (Oscar Hammerstein/Richard Rodgers) - 5:17*
9. Waltz Of The Prophets (Alternate Take) - 6:32*
10. Body And Soul (Alternate Take) - 5:24*

* - CD only

Musicians:
Stan Kenton - Piano
Pat Senatore - Bass
Jerry McKenzie - Drums
Saxophones: Gabe Baltazar (alto), Buddy Arnold (tenor), Sam Donahue (tenor & solos), Paul Renzi (tenor), Allen Beutler (baritone), Joel Kaye (bass)
Trombones: Bob Fitzpatrick (lead), Dee Barton, Newell Parker
Bass Trombones: Jim Amlotte, Dave Wheeler
Trumpets: Dalton Smith (lead), Bob Behrendt, Marv Stamm, Bob Rolfe, Norman Baltazar
Mellophoniums: Ray Starling (lead), Dwight Carver, Keith LaMotte, Carl Saunders


Available at Amazon.com (with song samples): http://www.amazon.com/Adventures-Ja...r=1-1&keywords=stan+kenton+adventures+in+jazz




Capt. Bacardi
 
I think this was the first Kenton LP I ever bought. Mine is a mono LP, with the Capitol "rainbow" label. Kenton's bands were rather unique in instrumentation, such as having two bass trombones as well as these mellophoniums, which Kenton helped create. The arrangements are kind of "heavy", lots going on with dissonance and bravado which is not unheard of with Kenton's recordings. Dee Barton's trombone solos are all over the place, especially on "Turtle Talk". Gabe Baltazar plays some beautiful alto on "Stairway To The Stars" and "Limehouse Blues", which is done at a quick tempo. The mellophoniums get the spotlight on "Misty" and "Body And Soul". This is a strong album overall. My one complaint is that I don't think it's recorded very well. The horn sections seem to be buried in the background for the most part.

When I was at Ball State our jazz ensemble did an entire concert of Kenton material. We did all of his West Side Story album, as well as "Malaguena", which appears here. Those were difficult charts to pull off. First of all, one of the unique characteristics of Kenton's bands were to play "straight 8's", which we had to get used to since usually in jazz and big bands you play the "swinging 8's". So playing them straight took some getting used to. Getting jazzers to play legit ain't easy. :D



Capt. Bacardi
 
Very controversial, that mellophonium era. They were pretty much the outcasts of the band, especially among the trumpet section, who saw the mellophonium players as gunning for their trumpet chairs. :laugh:

My favorite lineup with these horns is Adventures In Time.

Some of the current Kenton CDs are remixes, BTW. I'm not certain if this album was, as I don't have the original vinyl.
 
True dat. :D They definitely had a strange sound to them--at full volume, more like a blat than a clear tone you get from the trumpet or trombone. They even look like reconfigured French horns. Whether or not that is a good thing is still open for debate. :laugh:

There are still a few of those originals floating around out there. Noel Wedder's site had some info about them. Interesting stuff!
 
"Commencement" was always a good way to hear the mellophoniums:

 
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