As a bandleader and piano player, Stan Kenton helped to push the musical
envelope in the jazz genre. He enabled future luminaries to approach
their music in the same fashion. If you listen to this music in the
present tense in reference to current musical developments alone,
it does not sound progressive by any means. Keep in mind it was 1957
when all of this (previously unreleased) music came to life and was
quickly put on the shelf, not to see the light of day for over forty
years. In retrospect, those times were critical to the development
of the jazz genre. With all of that in the forefront of your mind,
listening to these timeless gems puts a different spin on the entire
experience. If you take this CD and put it in your stereo without
reading the informative liner notes, your thoughts and feelings will
be different. It happened to me. I am a spoiled listener due to all
the advances in sound and I noticed that this remastered package did
not have the crisp and clear high-end sound that I have become accustomed
to like with the Fantasy Jazz 20 bit K2 product. After I read the
liner notes carefully and thought about what kind of equipment they
used to record this live performance coupled with the timeframe, I
considered my first opinion as to harsh and unrealistic when looking
at the entire picture.
This is an intimate setting with various band members getting their
turn to interact with the crowd before they began their part in a
song. There was a warm and inviting atmosphere created that day and
the audience seemed to enjoy it, as their reaction to each performance
certainly indicated.
Tracks such as La Suerte de los Tontos (Fortune of Fools) and 23 Degrees
North, 82 Degrees West spiced up the day Cuban style hinting at the
beginnings of world-jazz interpretations in the genus. This music
was also representative of how the band was much more than one dimensional,
putting Kenton in a decidedly progressive improviser leadership role
that he fulfilled with the utmost professionalism and expertise.
This is all about history, culture, and how jazz became what it is
today. That in and of itself is enough impetus to purchase this CD,
then if you happen to be a Stan Kenton enthusiast or a jazz collector,
this is a lost treasure that will become a welcome addition to your archives.
1. The Opener - 4:01
2. Artistry in Rhythm - 3:00
3. Stompin' at the Savoy 3:56
4. Yesterdays - 5:12
5. Intermission Riff - 4:02
6. 23 Degrees North, 82 Degrees West 2:58
7. Everything Happens to Me - 5:06
8. The Peanut Vendor - 4:06
9. The End of a Love Affair 4:48
10. Young Blood - 4:25
11. La Suerte de los Tontos (Fortune of Fools) - 3:38
12. The Big Chase - 3:16
The Band Was:
Stan Kenton - Piano, Leader
Bill Perkins - Sax (Tenor)
Lee Katzman - Trumpet
Sam Noto - Trumpet
Lennie Niehaus - Sax (Alto)
Jim Amlotte - Trombone, Trombone (Bass)
Bill Catalano - Trumpet
Wayne Dunstan - Sax (Tenor)
Phil Gilbert - Trumpet
Joe "Red" Kelly - Bass
Archie LeCoQue - Trombone, Trombone (Bass)
Ed Leddy - Trumpet
Don Reed - Trombone, Trombone (Bass)
Kenny Shroyer - Trombone, Trombone (Bass)
Jerry McKenzie - Drums
