Stan Kenton & his Orchestra - Opus In Pastels - 01/04/1972 • World of Jazz

 

This week's Sunday Special featuring Stan Kenton & His Orchestra.

Big band leader and pianist Stanley Newcomb “Stan” Kenton (1911-1979), a progressive and back in the '50’s also a controversial musician, is nowadays looked upon as one of the biggest bandleaders of all time. Already in the 40’s he toured around the world, and he gave his famous Concert in Progressive Jazz in Carnegie Hall. In the early fifties he founded a 43-member orchestra, Innovations in Modern Music.  After two tours it seemed financially not possible to continue this project.  

He also recorded lots of albums, and in 1970 he started to co-operate with the “creative world” label. This led to several concerts around the world, including the performance in Rotterdam. In this material we also recognize:

Bass:  John Worster
Drums:  John von Ohlen
Trumpet:  Dick Shearer
Percussion: Ramon Lopez

Kenton is also known for his talent scouting and his “nose” for talent, he worked with big shots like Maynard Ferguson and Stan Getz.  The song here performed is “Take the A-train” a jazz standard by Billy Strayhorn, that became the signature tune of Duke Ellington. A-train refers to a subway service in New York.